That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Brook » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:07 am

CEOIII wrote:
timemonkey wrote:Nice to see he's still needlessly unpleasant for no real reason.


IT'S NOT FOR NO GODDAMN REASON.

You get enough people, on a daily basis, mocking and belittling you, your looks, your dress, your speech, any and everything about you, I'd like to see your ass force a smile onto your face and pretend everything's booze and hookers in your life.


Thank you. I am reading mostly everything Ronnie's done so far as "guarded" rather than "unpleasant".

...I would not enjoy being a tool in someone else's personal game. If I were in Ronnie's position, I would have told Jade to deliver her note herself, or clue me in on the fun. (And if it's "fun" she thinks is private, then again: don't mix other people into it.)

EDIT: Would like to add that the points about "faking it til you make it" etc are quite valid, too, as are the ones saying you miss out on a lot by constantly guarding yourself.
I just haven't really read anything Ronnie did so far as deliberately rude, hostile or inconsiderate. Self-deprecating, yes. Clumsy, yes. Mean or run-you-over, no. Bottom line is, while I know that wielding Ronnie's attitude never did much for me when I did, I'd have more of a problem with Jade than him if meeting them in real life.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby brasca » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:05 am

Alice Macher wrote:
CEOIII wrote:You get enough people, on a daily basis, mocking and belittling you, your looks, your dress, your speech, any and everything about you, I'd like to see your ass force a smile onto your face and pretend everything's booze and hookers in your life.

Hit a dog everyday and that dog will eventually learn to fear all human contact. People aren't any different.


Yes, but CEOIII, we haven't yet seen that anyone in Ronnie's past has been abusive to him. All we've seen is a few flashback panels of high school classmates smiling and speaking to him, and his insecure, suspicious thoughts. We're not told what they said. None of the smiles looked especially mean-spirited. Nevertheless, maybe at least one of those people was being mean. Maybe all of them were.

Or...maybe none of them were. Maybe it was his family instead.

Or, maybe--just maybe--Ronnie has been living for a long time with major depressive disorder, of which one of the symptoms is taking how others act and react toward oneself in the most negative manner possible. That doesn't make Ronnie a morally bad person, of course. Not by a long shot. But it may have made him a not very pleasant person.

In other words, I'm waiting to see what more we learn about Ronnie's background before coming to conclusions as to whose "fault" it is, if anyone's or anything's, that he's the way he is today.


All possibilities, but while we didn't see anything from his high school years that made him like this it could've happened before that. Looking back high school wasn't all that bad for me, but the middle school years or the time between grade 5 and 8 was not and it shaped my perception of things. As such I was suspicious of anyone trying to befriend me. I wasn't outwardly hostile, but I wasn't about to put myself in a position where I could be ambushed so I remained disconnected and aloof. In hind sight I was being paranoid and missed out on a lot, but at the time I considered it was the best alternative and I hate to say it, but with all the pit falls and casual cruelty that goes on today I'd be more reclusive if I had to do it all over now.

I would, however, advise Ronnie that he doesn't have to be on high alert since a lot of the same things that get shrugged off as kids being kids are considered misdemeanors and felonies post high school and after 18.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Otaking » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:15 am

I'd like to see your ass force a smile onto your face and pretend everything's booze and hookers in your life.


Booze and hookers are great and all, booze and strippers are better and (slightly) classier. At least there's some challenge in bedding them.

It really all leaves you kind of empty (and pathetic) afterwards though, take it from an expert. It's kind of odd for me to see that as an expression of happiness (not that it wasn't lulzy though so: lulz) I will say it helps a lot to confess your problems into a finely perfumed pair of breasts. Sooo much better than being Catholic.

His behavior may not be justifiable, but it's definitely understandable. Especially to me.


I concur wholeheartedly.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Otaking » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:28 am

On a happier, non-Ronnie-related, note: What a power couple Lisa and Jade could be if they hooked up! I can see four possible reactions: Either you love them, love to hate them, hate to love them, or hate them but can't help but love them.


OR I could whistle Dixie and eat crackers while covering one eye.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Zanosuke Kurosaki » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:33 am

Otaking wrote:
On a happier, non-Ronnie-related, note: What a power couple Lisa and Jade could be if they hooked up! I can see four possible reactions: Either you love them, love to hate them, hate to love them, or hate them but can't help but love them.


OR I could whistle Dixie and eat crackers while covering one eye.


I hope that's not jealousy that Jade drives a red Ferrari...
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Zanosuke Kurosaki » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:43 am

Lia S wrote:
Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:It just hit me - Lisa nearly put her foot so deep in her mouth here that she would have been gnawing on her thigh. And that expression in panel 3. Oh, Lisa. Could you be broadcasting your horror any more clearly? *facepalm* (Yes, an argument could be made more for "startled", but that looks more like her expression in 4.)


To be fair, horror is an appropriate response to the message "I'm ugly. Have sex with me." Even when it's from someone who is more attractive than average.


Very good point. And it was so out of nowhere, as well, that I'm revising my opinion from "horrified" to "horrified and dumb-founded until clarification." Either way, that's some damn expressive art Jason's putting out. You can almost hear some of the neurons in her brain going "fuse" as she processes the hint.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby NobodySpecial » Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:47 am

Tamar wrote:Also, with regard to this:

CEOIII wrote:I'd like to see your ass force a smile onto your face


...as a matter of fact, while it may not be easy to do, and may not (especially in the case of major depressive disorder and similar conditions) be effective all on its own, some mental health professionals do recommend "faking it until you make it" when it comes to such things as greeting people you know with a smile, meeting new people and making friends. The idea being that if you can manage, even to a limited extent at first, to act cheerful and pleasant, you may eventually find you're no longer acting.

Again, that's not a cure-all; it may not work for everyone, and it's not a substitute for other approaches (medical, social, nutritional/fitness, or spiritual) to feeling better about oneself. But there is something to it.


This is something I learned to do, first by doing phone banking and then by doing customer service. The phone work taught me the wonderful skill of mimicry, because people respond best to people who talk like they do. The customer service helped with the 'putting a smile on my face in public' and cheap and easy jokes that can make people laugh, move on, and feel happier about their day.

None of those things makes you a happier person, though - all it does is mask the symptoms and give the depressive person another way to run away from others through deflection and humor. At this point, I'm pretty sure a 'cure' for Ronnie is out of reach, just like one is pretty much gone for me as well. The only thing is, I can mask it pretty well and only rarely do I let you see the fucking monster inside my skull.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby CJ » Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:08 am

Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:
Lia S wrote:
Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:It just hit me - Lisa nearly put her foot so deep in her mouth here that she would have been gnawing on her thigh. And that expression in panel 3. Oh, Lisa. Could you be broadcasting your horror any more clearly? *facepalm* (Yes, an argument could be made more for "startled", but that looks more like her expression in 4.)


To be fair, horror is an appropriate response to the message "I'm ugly. Have sex with me." Even when it's from someone who is more attractive than average.


Very good point. And it was so out of nowhere, as well, that I'm revising my opinion from "horrified" to "horrified and dumb-founded until clarification." Either way, that's some damn expressive art Jason's putting out. You can almost hear some of the neurons in her brain going "fuse" as she processes the hint.


Maybe it's just me, but I thought her look was one of pure shock. Imagine how you'd feel if someone you barely knew came up to you with a note that said "Wanna bang?"

I'd be shocked shitless.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Captain LeBubbles » Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:57 am

CJ wrote:
Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:
Lia S wrote:
Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:It just hit me - Lisa nearly put her foot so deep in her mouth here that she would have been gnawing on her thigh. And that expression in panel 3. Oh, Lisa. Could you be broadcasting your horror any more clearly? *facepalm* (Yes, an argument could be made more for "startled", but that looks more like her expression in 4.)


To be fair, horror is an appropriate response to the message "I'm ugly. Have sex with me." Even when it's from someone who is more attractive than average.


Very good point. And it was so out of nowhere, as well, that I'm revising my opinion from "horrified" to "horrified and dumb-founded until clarification." Either way, that's some damn expressive art Jason's putting out. You can almost hear some of the neurons in her brain going "fuse" as she processes the hint.


Maybe it's just me, but I thought her look was one of pure shock. Imagine how you'd feel if someone you barely knew came up to you with a note that said "Wanna bang?"

I'd be shocked shitless.


This. Coming from Jade, it makes sense, because she knows Jade; obviously they spend a good bit of time hanging out. On the other hand, even though she and Ronnie live in the same building and know who each other are, they probably only meet in passing. And while most people tend to be at least casually friendly in passing, Ronnie so far has been stuck in permanent bad mood mode, which makes him completely unapproachable, even from the casual standpoint.

Hexr wrote:
Adrishiana wrote:I think I might ship the couple a little more if only I could evaporate the mental image of one (or... both, I guess) screaming "PIKACHU, I CHOOSE YOU" in bed.

You're welcome.

You're not putting enough thought in this.
You see, Pikachu fails at competitive battling. More like
Either one:"Heracross... I choose you!"
The other: "Go, Crobat!"
(Note: As of Gen5, my knowledge of competetive battling is slightly outdated. The ones I chose are just examples. If you know better ones, feel free to replace with them.)


Crobat is a good Pokemon to use against Heracross. (Finally, my specialist subject!) Apart from having great speed stats, as a flying type they have a dual type advantage against Heracross, a fighting/bug type. Crobat, when leveled up enough, also learn some of the best flying type moves, including Fly (a strong move that also makes the use invulnerable for one turn, which can be valuable if defending from moves like Solarbeam or Self-Destruct) and Aerial Ace (a reasonably strong move that will never miss as long as the opponent isn't user Detect, Protect, or one of the moves that has an invulnerable turn) and, if chain bred properly, Brave Bird, which is among the strongest flying type moves, even if it does minor damage to the user as well.

Crobat also evolve by friendship, meaning that once you persuade a Golbat to evolve, they'll be completely loyal to you. They're also immune to ground type attacks, meaning Earthquake, which is a popular move, won't do anything, and poisoning, meaning that their HP can't be whittled down while the opponent constantly defends. At 8o, their defense and special defense is decent enough so that with the type advantage a Heracross won't get much damage in in the meantime. Heracross also can't learn many attack moves that specifically overcome Crobat's type advantage (they can learn two rocktype moves via TM), which means that in a battle between a well-trained Crobat and Heracross of more-or-less equal level, my money would be on the Crobat, unless said Heracross happens to know Stone Edge or Rockslide (which would even the odds a bit more).

Basically, Crobat is one of the best Pokemon, and I'm not just saying that because it's one of my favorites.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Otaking » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:14 am

I hope that's not jealousy that Jade drives a red Ferrari...


Jade could offer to give me a Ferrari and I would keep on walking. They're flimsy-ass red coffins anyway. German or British engineering please, thanks.

Her opening statements plus the way she's using Ronnie right now are just ...blech.

I hope Ronnie has some talent of some sort and is not a repeat of Tharqa. He seems bright enough to realize that bankable skills and money are a good substitute for social skills. Mark Zuckerburg's a real jerk for instance, or demonstrably proved to be so in college. Ronnie could be a world class systems or security admin with that attitude.

I would buy that man a drink though, and a lapdance. Dude could obviously use a friend.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Zanosuke Kurosaki » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:19 am

Captain LeBubbles wrote:
CJ wrote:
Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:
Lia S wrote:
Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:It just hit me - Lisa nearly put her foot so deep in her mouth here that she would have been gnawing on her thigh. And that expression in panel 3. Oh, Lisa. Could you be broadcasting your horror any more clearly? *facepalm* (Yes, an argument could be made more for "startled", but that looks more like her expression in 4.)


To be fair, horror is an appropriate response to the message "I'm ugly. Have sex with me." Even when it's from someone who is more attractive than average.


Very good point. And it was so out of nowhere, as well, that I'm revising my opinion from "horrified" to "horrified and dumb-founded until clarification." Either way, that's some damn expressive art Jason's putting out. You can almost hear some of the neurons in her brain going "fuse" as she processes the hint.


Maybe it's just me, but I thought her look was one of pure shock. Imagine how you'd feel if someone you barely knew came up to you with a note that said "Wanna bang?"

I'd be shocked shitless.


This. Coming from Jade, it makes sense, because she knows Jade; obviously they spend a good bit of time hanging out. On the other hand, even though she and Ronnie live in the same building and know who each other are, they probably only meet in passing. And while most people tend to be at least casually friendly in passing, Ronnie so far has been stuck in permanent bad mood mode, which makes him completely unapproachable, even from the casual standpoint.


I would normally agree except that we're talking about Lisa having that expression, not Jade. :lol:

Also, you don't want to get me going on Pokemon. I've got 8 full teams in my HeartGold game... >.>;; (I never thought I would include any of the Porygon series on my team, but dang if the Z version hasn't gone and proven itself startlingly powerful.) And I could never imagine the "Pikachu, I choose you" bit (despite having once dared a friend to do that the next time she's with a guy) - I had a cat named that, and that would bring up way too many awkward images... x.X

Oh and Otaking, I was trying to keep the song going, but I guess I didn't remember enough of it. Been way too long since I've seen Ray Stevens.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Captain LeBubbles » Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:58 pm

Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:
Captain LeBubbles wrote:
CJ wrote:
Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:
Lia S wrote:
Zanosuke Kurosaki wrote:It just hit me - Lisa nearly put her foot so deep in her mouth here that she would have been gnawing on her thigh. And that expression in panel 3. Oh, Lisa. Could you be broadcasting your horror any more clearly? *facepalm* (Yes, an argument could be made more for "startled", but that looks more like her expression in 4.)


To be fair, horror is an appropriate response to the message "I'm ugly. Have sex with me." Even when it's from someone who is more attractive than average.


Very good point. And it was so out of nowhere, as well, that I'm revising my opinion from "horrified" to "horrified and dumb-founded until clarification." Either way, that's some damn expressive art Jason's putting out. You can almost hear some of the neurons in her brain going "fuse" as she processes the hint.


Maybe it's just me, but I thought her look was one of pure shock. Imagine how you'd feel if someone you barely knew came up to you with a note that said "Wanna bang?"

I'd be shocked shitless.


This. Coming from Jade, it makes sense, because she knows Jade; obviously they spend a good bit of time hanging out. On the other hand, even though she and Ronnie live in the same building and know who each other are, they probably only meet in passing. And while most people tend to be at least casually friendly in passing, Ronnie so far has been stuck in permanent bad mood mode, which makes him completely unapproachable, even from the casual standpoint.


I would normally agree except that we're talking about Lisa having that expression, not Jade. :lol:


Well, yes, which is why I was talking about Lisa.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Gholateg » Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:21 pm

So... Yeah this solidifies my Jade dislike pretty hard right here. I'm dreadfully hoping Lisa has more class then to bed the witless personification of lack of empathy, especially since her recent adventures in trying to "bang things better" haven't worked at all. And Lisa is FULLY AWARE that she looked at him like he had a second head. Either it was because the note came out of left field, or because she finds Ronnie utterly unattractive and is trying to cover it, I'm sure Lisa is *aware* of how her reaction could be construed in the last two panels. Unlike Jade's "Send my 'Let's fuck!' note to this hot girl for me, guy I've never said four words too." I'm expecting either another explosion of repressed anger or an utter "Banner hitchhiking at the end of the Incredible Hulk" shutdown from Ronnie at this.

Ronnie really, REALLY needs to get a friend. Or if not a friend, then a way to vent all that rage. Boxing, weight lifting... Something that uses that rage constructively. Or he's going to break down even harder and explode. Been there, still fighting it. I don't like Ronnie, I don't like how it seems he's a mirror to the dark places in my head, but I understand him, and I can't dislike him either.

The weight loss thing someone brought up before, is REALLY hard without a support group if you're that big. Gyms are TERRIBLE for big people. You feel like your surrounded by good looking people, the gym bunnies always titter and snark at you. You can't last as long as others do who have been actually working out. It's kind of built around making you feel like a failure.
And what's the point? Even if you power through it all, drop the weight and put on muscle, they're still going to see you as an outsider, you'll still be shunned. You'll just be hungry and shunned and look like THEM. And even if they don't shun you.. do you really want to be like them? Making fun of some other poor sod who hates their life like you do, to make yourself feel better? That's what you'll be, just another asshole in a sea of assholes, so why bother putting in the work when I'm already a terrible person?

When there's no one to remind you that you are worth something, that you ARE a good person, it's easier to just give in and BE that terrible person everyone seems to agree you are.
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby Captain LeBubbles » Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:55 pm

Gholateg wrote:So... Yeah this solidifies my Jade dislike pretty hard right here. I'm dreadfully hoping Lisa has more class then to bed the witless personification of lack of empathy, especially since her recent adventures in trying to "bang things better" haven't worked at all. And Lisa is FULLY AWARE that she looked at him like he had a second head. Either it was because the note came out of left field, or because she finds Ronnie utterly unattractive and is trying to cover it, I'm sure Lisa is *aware* of how her reaction could be construed in the last two panels. Unlike Jade's "Send my 'Let's fuck!' note to this hot girl for me, guy I've never said four words too." I'm expecting either another explosion of repressed anger or an utter "Banner hitchhiking at the end of the Incredible Hulk" shutdown from Ronnie at this.

Ronnie really, REALLY needs to get a friend. Or if not a friend, then a way to vent all that rage. Boxing, weight lifting... Something that uses that rage constructively. Or he's going to break down even harder and explode. Been there, still fighting it. I don't like Ronnie, I don't like how it seems he's a mirror to the dark places in my head, but I understand him, and I can't dislike him either.

The weight loss thing someone brought up before, is REALLY hard without a support group if you're that big. Gyms are TERRIBLE for big people. You feel like your surrounded by good looking people, the gym bunnies always titter and snark at you. You can't last as long as others do who have been actually working out. It's kind of built around making you feel like a failure.
And what's the point? Even if you power through it all, drop the weight and put on muscle, they're still going to see you as an outsider, you'll still be shunned. You'll just be hungry and shunned and look like THEM. And even if they don't shun you.. do you really want to be like them? Making fun of some other poor sod who hates their life like you do, to make yourself feel better? That's what you'll be, just another asshole in a sea of assholes, so why bother putting in the work when I'm already a terrible person?

When there's no one to remind you that you are worth something, that you ARE a good person, it's easier to just give in and BE that terrible person everyone seems to agree you are.


Sooo... Jade makes one mistake and suddenly she's the worst person in the world and doesn't deserve a relationship, even a casual fuckbuddy one, but Ronnie has been NOTHING but unpleasant in all the strips we've seen him in (despite the fact that we actually have yet to see any situation where he's been mistreated) and we're supposed to pity him? Jade isn't empathic because she tried to be friendly despite the death glare she was being sent, but Ronnie doesn't realize that everyone he's talked to (in the strips we've seen him in) has actually been perfectly friendly to him, and this is justified?

I do feel sorry for Ronnie, because as someone said, feelings like that aren't created in a vacuum. But so far all we've seen is that he wants people to be his friends without actually putting any effort into the process himself. He's extremely unpleasant to the people he's around, whether they're nice to him or not, and then acts like he's the victim when they don't want to be around that.

And yes, I can empathize with that; I went through it myself. I was a deeply unpleasant person to be around in high school and guess what? That made people not want to be around me. I get that he's paranoid, I get that he's obviously been kicked a lot, but that doesn't mean that his attitude is justified and that doesn't make Jade a terrible person.

As for being rude: She asked him to give it to Lisa when he had the chance, not 'drop what you're doing and go give this to Lisa now'. Presumably, he's in a position to see her first; perhaps she's even unwilling to give the note in person and give Lisa a chance to reject her to her face. Whatever her reason, all she asked was a small favor, one that he could have refused fairly easily and probably she would have just shrugged, said okay, and gone off to find someone else.

On the next page, she realizes that she's somehow offended him, she rushes to apologize- that is not the action of someone who is oblivious to anyone else's feelings.

And yes, she did look at him in horror. Because he's a complete stranger who used what could be easily interpreted as a rude greeting, who just handed her a note asking for sex. Wouldn't YOU be horrified? (And yes, Ronnie can misinterpret her look, but since she could be smiling and friendly and he could STILL misinterpret that for the negative, how is this Lisa's fault?)
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Re: That...that makes much more sense... [6/13/2012]

Postby NobodySpecial » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:25 pm

Captain LeBubbles wrote:
Gholateg wrote:So... Yeah this solidifies my Jade dislike pretty hard right here. I'm dreadfully hoping Lisa has more class then to bed the witless personification of lack of empathy, especially since her recent adventures in trying to "bang things better" haven't worked at all. And Lisa is FULLY AWARE that she looked at him like he had a second head. Either it was because the note came out of left field, or because she finds Ronnie utterly unattractive and is trying to cover it, I'm sure Lisa is *aware* of how her reaction could be construed in the last two panels. Unlike Jade's "Send my 'Let's fuck!' note to this hot girl for me, guy I've never said four words too." I'm expecting either another explosion of repressed anger or an utter "Banner hitchhiking at the end of the Incredible Hulk" shutdown from Ronnie at this.

Ronnie really, REALLY needs to get a friend. Or if not a friend, then a way to vent all that rage. Boxing, weight lifting... Something that uses that rage constructively. Or he's going to break down even harder and explode. Been there, still fighting it. I don't like Ronnie, I don't like how it seems he's a mirror to the dark places in my head, but I understand him, and I can't dislike him either.

The weight loss thing someone brought up before, is REALLY hard without a support group if you're that big. Gyms are TERRIBLE for big people. You feel like your surrounded by good looking people, the gym bunnies always titter and snark at you. You can't last as long as others do who have been actually working out. It's kind of built around making you feel like a failure.
And what's the point? Even if you power through it all, drop the weight and put on muscle, they're still going to see you as an outsider, you'll still be shunned. You'll just be hungry and shunned and look like THEM. And even if they don't shun you.. do you really want to be like them? Making fun of some other poor sod who hates their life like you do, to make yourself feel better? That's what you'll be, just another asshole in a sea of assholes, so why bother putting in the work when I'm already a terrible person?

When there's no one to remind you that you are worth something, that you ARE a good person, it's easier to just give in and BE that terrible person everyone seems to agree you are.


Sooo... Jade makes one mistake and suddenly she's the worst person in the world and doesn't deserve a relationship, even a casual fuckbuddy one, but Ronnie has been NOTHING but unpleasant in all the strips we've seen him in (despite the fact that we actually have yet to see any situation where he's been mistreated) and we're supposed to pity him? Jade isn't empathic because she tried to be friendly despite the death glare she was being sent, but Ronnie doesn't realize that everyone he's talked to (in the strips we've seen him in) has actually been perfectly friendly to him, and this is justified?

I do feel sorry for Ronnie, because as someone said, feelings like that aren't created in a vacuum. But so far all we've seen is that he wants people to be his friends without actually putting any effort into the process himself. He's extremely unpleasant to the people he's around, whether they're nice to him or not, and then acts like he's the victim when they don't want to be around that.

And yes, I can empathize with that; I went through it myself. I was a deeply unpleasant person to be around in high school and guess what? That made people not want to be around me. I get that he's paranoid, I get that he's obviously been kicked a lot, but that doesn't mean that his attitude is justified and that doesn't make Jade a terrible person.

As for being rude: She asked him to give it to Lisa when he had the chance, not 'drop what you're doing and go give this to Lisa now'. Presumably, he's in a position to see her first; perhaps she's even unwilling to give the note in person and give Lisa a chance to reject her to her face. Whatever her reason, all she asked was a small favor, one that he could have refused fairly easily and probably she would have just shrugged, said okay, and gone off to find someone else.

On the next page, she realizes that she's somehow offended him, she rushes to apologize- that is not the action of someone who is oblivious to anyone else's feelings.

And yes, she did look at him in horror. Because he's a complete stranger who used what could be easily interpreted as a rude greeting, who just handed her a note asking for sex. Wouldn't YOU be horrified? (And yes, Ronnie can misinterpret her look, but since she could be smiling and friendly and he could STILL misinterpret that for the negative, how is this Lisa's fault?)


I don't see Jade as evil, but (and this is not a criticism, because this is common nature) fairly self-centered. I sincerely doubt that she considered for a millisecond what it might be taken as if Ronnie gave Lisa that note without explanation - and Ronnie is a guy that hardly talks, something that Jade should have picked up on. So bad planning plus bad judgment means that Ronnie (if he had read/understood the note) would have gotten justifiably pissed at Jade for putting him in a position where Lisa looks at him with outright terror and/or loathing.

On the other hand, I think you're misjudging Ronnie a bit harshly. I read his greeting to Lisa as an attempted joke that fell flat - he even called it a joke. He's just not able to communicate well with others. It's fairly obvious he doesn't do well with others, but the mere fact that he tried with Lisa, however badly, points out that he hasn't completely walled himself in yet.
"I've always been mad. I know I've been mad like the most of us have. Sometimes I don't know if I'm mad even if I'm not mad." - Jerry Driscoll
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