Editing 1006: Sloppier Than Fiction
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| β | In this strip, Goatee Guy claims that "if they made my life into a | + | In this strip, Goatee Guy claims that "if they made my life into a move, no one would believe it", suggesting that he thinks his experiences are so unlikely and interesting that they'd be considered too exaggerated for fiction. |
Cueball agrees that no one would believe the movie, but claims that it's due to "the poorly written dialogue and unlikeable main character", turning the claim into a put-down of Goatee Guy. This response has two main aspects: that the events Goatee Guy is describing aren't especially well-told, and that Goatee Guy himself is personally unpleasant (in addition to not be especially articulate, or conveying a rambling anecdote as meaningful as he believes them to be). | Cueball agrees that no one would believe the movie, but claims that it's due to "the poorly written dialogue and unlikeable main character", turning the claim into a put-down of Goatee Guy. This response has two main aspects: that the events Goatee Guy is describing aren't especially well-told, and that Goatee Guy himself is personally unpleasant (in addition to not be especially articulate, or conveying a rambling anecdote as meaningful as he believes them to be). | ||
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From what little we hear of Goatee Guy's story, both of those assumptions seem to be justified. The crux of his story is that his ex-girlfriend had once dated an acquaintance of his, which is not a particularly uncommon or interesting event. Absent a more interesting twist (or at least some interesting storytelling), it constitutes a mild coincidence, not something particularly noteworthy, let along implausible. | From what little we hear of Goatee Guy's story, both of those assumptions seem to be justified. The crux of his story is that his ex-girlfriend had once dated an acquaintance of his, which is not a particularly uncommon or interesting event. Absent a more interesting twist (or at least some interesting storytelling), it constitutes a mild coincidence, not something particularly noteworthy, let along implausible. | ||
| β | And the little we know about Goatee Guy helps explain why Cueball finds him unlikeable. He did something that he claims "technically ''wasn't'' cheating", which implies that he was unfaithful, and tried to justify himself with a loophole. Then he went around telling the story to others, apparently blaming his ex, rather than himself, and repeats | + | And the little we know about Goatee Guy helps explain why Cueball finds him unlikeable. He did something that he claims "technically ''wasn't'' cheating", which implies that he was unfaithful, and tried to justify himself with a loophole. Then he went around telling the story to others, apparently blaming his ex, rather than himself, and repeats Brett characterizing her as "crazy". All of these things make him sound boorish, rude, self-centered, and misogynistic. |
The title is a play on the old saying that "truth is stranger than fiction." In this case, the title implies that Goatee Guy's story isn't stranger than fiction, but is a sloppy enough story that it wouldn't qualify as good fiction. | The title is a play on the old saying that "truth is stranger than fiction." In this case, the title implies that Goatee Guy's story isn't stranger than fiction, but is a sloppy enough story that it wouldn't qualify as good fiction. | ||
| β | In the title text, {{w|Roger Ebert}} was a famous American {{w|movie critic}}, who could be quite caustic when reviewing a movie he disliked. "Directionless" and "unwatchable" | + | In the title text, {{w|Roger Ebert}} was a famous American {{w|movie critic}}, who could be quite caustic when reviewing a movie he disliked. "Directionless" and "unwatchable," along with Cueball's initial complaints of "poorly-written dialogue and unlikeable main character," are common criticisms of bad movies, but have entirely different and much more personally cutting connotations when applied to a human being. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
