Difference between revisions of "889: Turtles"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This does not fit the tone and style of our other explanations. "There's not a lot to this comic," is not an explanation and the whole "making a mountain out of a molehill" is needless, it would take a shorter time to explain the comic than explain why the comic is short.}}
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This comic is about the frivolousness of many modern problems. While an offscreen character is panicking over deleting a file, the turtle is content with just being a turtle. The text saying "turtles have it figured out, man" indicates that Randall appreciates this simpler mode of thought. The idea that computer problems are pointless when compared with the whole of life is similar to the sentiment expressed in the title text of [[1173: Steroids]].
  
There's not a lot to this comic, and trying to make a mountain out of a molehill would kind of defeat the joke. Simply put, the turtle doesn't need to get worked up over anything. While an offscreen character is panicking over deleting a file, the turtle is content with just being a turtle. Fifty years later it is still content with being a turtle. Perspective, man!
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Based on its appearance, it is possible that the turtle is a tortoise (biologist call all ''testudines'' turtles, and tortoises are the family of land-based turtles), which is also supported by the fact that tortoises tend to have much longer livespans (100 to 150 years) than sea turtles and terrapins (approximately 80 years).
  
==Alternative Explanation and Correction ==
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An alternative explanation could be that the satisfaction of knowledge that the creature has poses an obstruction to his venturing out and finding its true identity. It was told that it's a turtle, thus, it continues to believe, even though it's wrong. The minor panicking of humans actually is a driving force of our sentience.
The "turtle" shown in the comic clearly has small legs instead of the flipper-ish limbs of turtles. this actually makes it a tortoise!  Also, the lifespan of a tortoise is approximately twice (100-150 years) as long as that of a turtle(~80 years) . So,the organism which would look somewhat similar after 50 years must be a tortoise.
 
An alternative explanation could be that the satisfaction of knowledge that the creature has poses an obstruction to his venturing out and finding its true identity. It was told that it's a turtle, thus, it continues to believe, even though it's wrong. The minor panicking of humans actually is a driving force of our sentience. turtles
 
  
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The title text is possibly a reference to [[231: Cat Proximity]].
  
The title text is possibly a reference to [[231: Cat Proximity]].
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The text at the bottom 'Turtles have it figured out, man' could be a reference to the turtle in Finding Nemo, who speaks in a similar manner.
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==

Revision as of 15:39, 11 July 2017

Turtles
You're a turtle!
Title text: You're a turtle!

Explanation

This comic is about the frivolousness of many modern problems. While an offscreen character is panicking over deleting a file, the turtle is content with just being a turtle. The text saying "turtles have it figured out, man" indicates that Randall appreciates this simpler mode of thought. The idea that computer problems are pointless when compared with the whole of life is similar to the sentiment expressed in the title text of 1173: Steroids.

Based on its appearance, it is possible that the turtle is a tortoise (biologist call all testudines turtles, and tortoises are the family of land-based turtles), which is also supported by the fact that tortoises tend to have much longer livespans (100 to 150 years) than sea turtles and terrapins (approximately 80 years).

An alternative explanation could be that the satisfaction of knowledge that the creature has poses an obstruction to his venturing out and finding its true identity. It was told that it's a turtle, thus, it continues to believe, even though it's wrong. The minor panicking of humans actually is a driving force of our sentience.

The title text is possibly a reference to 231: Cat Proximity.

The text at the bottom 'Turtles have it figured out, man' could be a reference to the turtle in Finding Nemo, who speaks in a similar manner.

Transcript

[There is a turtle.]
Off-panel: Oh, crap, I deleted the file!
[There is a turtle.]
Turtle (thinking): I am a turtle.
[There is a turtle.]
Off-panel: No, wait, there it is.
[There is a turtle.]
Turtle (thinking): I am a turtle.
[There is a turtle.]
50 Years Later:
Turtle (thinking): I am a turtle.
Turtles have it figured out, man.


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Discussion

I don't think turtles possess that level of sentience, but whatever. Seems legit. Davidy²²[talk] 10:10, 9 March 2013 (UTC)

"I am a turtle"
-The Turtle
 :) - St.nerol (talk) 23:50, 9 March 2013 (UTC)
I don’t think “sentience is actually the right word for that, it should be sapie-WOAH 2013???? 162.158.106.95 22:07, 15 November 2021 (UTC)
ye this website's been here for a while 172.70.178.47 00:51, 16 November 2021 (UTC)


Plot twist...off screen character is a turtle... 199.27.129.17 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

I always interpreted it as the human spends their short life worrying about the smallest of things, yet eve a long time after the events of this the turtle is perfectly fine being such - and has all the time in the world to do so. 108.162.216.89 (talk) (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

I just realized that the official transcript describing the scene says simply There is a turtle. which perfectly compliments the comic and is high caliber humor on Randall's part --Lackadaisical (talk) 12:33, 12 July 2017 (UTC)