explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1120: Blurring the Line

2012-10-12T20:53:16Z

76.105.1.209:

{{comic
| number = 1120
| date = October 12, 2012
| title = Blurring the Line
| image = blurring the line.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = People into masturbatory navel-gazing have a lot to learn about masturbation.
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|metaphor}} is a comparison which may be used to emphasize, explain or embellish a point, as seen in this comic when [[Cueball]] likens himself to Michael Jordan. {{w|Michael Jordan}} is a famous {{w|basketball}} player who is well known for being one of the very best (if not the best) players at the sport.

In this comic, [[White Hat]] is analyzing a movie about movies when Cueball compares White Hat's description of the movie to masturbatory {{w|Omphaloskepsis|navel-gazing}}, a comment combining two expresions used to refer to a pointless activity or effort. White Hat then defends the movie by saying that it is about blurring the line between metaphor and reality, commenting that Cueball doesn't understand art. To this Cueball retorts by likening his ability to meld metaphor and reality by using a metaphor comparing himself to Michael Jordan. He then proceeds to actually blur the line by throwing a basketball at White Hat. This can also be understood as another reality metaphor, passing the "conversational ball" to [[White Hat]].

The last frame is also a graphic illustration of blurring the line between metaphor and reality, where a much more "real" depiction of a basketball intrudes into the colorless stick-figure world which serves as an abstraction of our shared reality.

==Transcript==
:[White Hat and Cueball are walking.]
:White Hat: ...No, but see, it's a movie ''about'' movies.
:Cueball: Sounds like masturbatory navel-gazing.
:[Close-up of White Hat.]
:White Hat: No, it's about blurring the line between metaphor and reality.
:White Hat: You just don't know much about art.
:Cueball: ''Seriously?''
:[White hat and Cueball are standing.]
:Cueball: I know ''all'' about blurring the line between metaphor and reality. I'm the goddamn ''Michael Jordan'' of blurring the line between metaphor and reality.
:[White hat standing]
:White Hat: ...Huh?
:[Basketball hits White Hat in the head]
:<nowiki>*Bonk*</nowiki>

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

1120: Blurring the Line

2012-10-12T20:48:49Z

76.105.1.209:

{{comic
| number = 1120
| date = October 12, 2012
| title = Blurring the Line
| image = blurring the line.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = People into masturbatory navel-gazing have a lot to learn about masturbation.
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|metaphor}} is a comparison which may be used to emphasize, explain or embellish a point, as seen in this comic when [[Cueball]] likens himself to Michael Jordan. {{w|Michael Jordan}} is a famous {{w|basketball}} player who is well known for being one of the very best (if not the best) players at the sport.

In this comic, [[White Hat]] is analyzing a movie about movies when Cueball compares White Hat's description of the movie to masturbatory navel-gazing, a comment combining two expresions used to refer to a pointless activity or effort. White Hat then defends the movie by saying that it is about blurring the line between metaphor and reality, commenting that Cueball doesn't understand art. To this Cueball retorts by likening his ability to meld metaphor and reality by using a metaphor comparing himself to Michael Jordan. He then proceeds to actually blur the line by throwing a basketball at White Hat. This can also be understood as another reality metaphor, passing the "conversational ball" to [[White Hat]].

The last frame is also a graphic illustration of blurring the line between metaphor and reality, where a much more "real" depiction of a basketball intrudes into the colorless stick-figure world which serves as an abstraction of our shared reality.

==Transcript==
:[White Hat and Cueball are walking.]
:White Hat: ...No, but see, it's a movie ''about'' movies.
:Cueball: Sounds like masturbatory navel-gazing.
:[Close-up of White Hat.]
:White Hat: No, it's about blurring the line between metaphor and reality.
:White Hat: You just don't know much about art.
:Cueball: ''Seriously?''
:[White hat and Cueball are standing.]
:Cueball: I know ''all'' about blurring the line between metaphor and reality. I'm the goddamn ''Michael Jordan'' of blurring the line between metaphor and reality.
:[White hat standing]
:White Hat: ...Huh?
:[Basketball hits White Hat in the head]
:<nowiki>*Bonk*</nowiki>

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]