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==Explanation==  
 
==Explanation==  
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This comic is a joke about the hyperbolic expression ''shut it down'' being taken literally. If someone thinks that a device has achieved its goal they shut it down. After an idea or product that people think is well made is created people will joke that the process that created it should be shut down, as if the process has achieved its ultimate purpose. This is most often used sarcastically for an inferior product or idea. Taking things literally is a common theme in the xkcd comics.
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{{incomplete|Title comment is still not well explained, with interesting notions on talk page.}}
  
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Curly-hair sits at a computer anxiously and nervously writing a message to someone she cares about deeply, possibly a child to be adopted or a romantic interest. Curly-hair plans on saving enough money to have the person flown to her location from "half a world away." Curly-hair ends the message with a promise to communicate daily until the two are able to meet. When attempting to send the message, however, Curly-hair discovers that their internet connection is down and the message goes unsent.
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The comic opens with a girl typing a message to someone. Over the course of the next few panels it becomes clear that the recipient is someone the girl deeply cares about, as she is planning on saving enough money to have the person flown to her location from "half a world away." It is also evident that this person was found after a significant amount of searching by the writer. The writer finishes her message with a promise to communicate daily until the recipient is able to meet with her.
  
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[[Ponytail]] explains there was a "ridiculous video" to which someone had commented "That's it. Shut down the Internet. We're done." This was taken literally and, because enough people agreed with this comment, the internet was shut down and Curly-hair was left unable to communicate with her love.
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Upon attempting to send the message, however, the writer discovers that she is unable to send the message because she does not have a connection to the Internet. [[Ponytail]] enters the comic at this point and explains that someone had commented, "That's it. Shut down the Internet. We're done." The comment is an Internet meme in which users will post comments in response to content found humorous or clever. While most statements are normally disregarded as insincere, somehow this comment set into motion the complete shutdown of the Internet. The comic contrasts the legitimate, intimate impact the Internet can have with the simple entertainment value that some people can see as its only or primary use.
  
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The joke being that the internet was creating something far more valuable between Curly-hair and her love than a ridiculous video, thus highlighting the beautiful and far reaching potential impact of the internet. The likelihood of the entire internet being shut down based on a single comment being vanishingly low adds to the humor.
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The title text simply serves as another mention to the mysterious commentator on Facebook who caused the demise of the Internet.
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In the final panel Curly-hair states wistfully that she was not done with the internet. The title text is Ponytail's response, which asserts Ponytail's belief that Curly-hair's message could not be important because the Facebook comment asserted that nothing of any significance could come from the internet after the ridiculous video.
 
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
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:Writer (typing): I had started to think I was asking too much, that I needed to settle. And then I found you half a world away.
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:Girl (typing): I had started to think I was asking too much, that I needed to settle. And then I found you half a world away.
  
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:Writer (typing): I've been saving money. Six months from now, I'll be able to fly you here and support us for a while.
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:Girl (typing): I've been saving money. Six months from now, I'll be able to fly you here and support us for a while.
  
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:Writer (typing): It's a long wait, but we'll talk every day until then. Maybe this won't work out, but I want to try. What do you think?
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:Girl (typing): It's a long wait, but we'll talk every day until then. Maybe this won't work out, but I want to try. What do you think?
  
 
:Computer: '''ERROR''': Your message could not be sent.
 
:Computer: '''ERROR''': Your message could not be sent.
 
:''[Refresh]''
 
:''[Refresh]''
 
:Computer: '''ERROR''': No connection.
 
:Computer: '''ERROR''': No connection.
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:Writer: ??
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:Girl: ??
  
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:Writer: Why can't I connect?
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:Girl: Why can't I connect?
 
:Ponytail: Someone saw a ridiculous video and said "That's it. Shut down the Internet. We're done." So they did.
 
:Ponytail: Someone saw a ridiculous video and said "That's it. Shut down the Internet. We're done." So they did.
  
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:Writer: ...But... I wasn't done.
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:Girl: ...But... I wasn't done.
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
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[[Category:Internet]]
 
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[[Category:Romance]]
 

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