Questionable Content 11: It's Like Seeing a Unicorn

[Fawkes]

What was the first reference?

There was a Car Boys reference at some point.

Also, in retrospect, this ended up being terrible time for a soft boy reference.

[Max_Killjoy]

"Softboy" is a reference to something?

(search... search... read...)


Um... OK...

[Fawkes]

"Softboy" is a reference to something?

(search... search... read...)


Um... OK...

It's a reference to a few series of podcasts and videos by two guys from Polygon. Griffin McElroy and Nick Robinson are nicknamed 'sweet soft boys' because of their soft appearance and sweet attitude.

And then like immediately after QC made the soft boy reference Nick Robinson got suspended pending an investigation for sexual harassment, because all that you love will be carried away.

[Beelzebub1111]

I'm not a fan of the newer human faces, If I were an AI, I'd want something like Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo

[Gnoman]

For some reason, even though I could tell Hannelore was speaking in the last panel here, it took me forever to find her speech bubble. Either I mistook it for the robody's head, or I was just too busy being absolutely baffled at the behavior of Iris the Salesrobot.

[Mith]

For some reason, even though I could tell Hannelore was speaking in the last panel here, it took me forever to find her speech bubble. Either I mistook it for the robody's head, or I was just too busy being absolutely baffled at the behavior of Iris the Salesrobot.

My current theory is that the majority of robots are obsessed with butts, so this is a very good sales pitch for AIs.

[Kato]

My current theory is that the majority of robots are obsessed with butts, so this is a very good sales pitch for AIs.

I don't think the fault lies with the robots.. Or is limited to them.
But hey.. Cute butts.

[Fawkes]

My current theory is that the majority of robots are obsessed with butts, so this is a very good sales pitch for AIs.

My current theory is that the majority of Questionable Content artists are obsessed with butts

[Max_Killjoy]

My current theory is that the majority of Questionable Content artists are obsessed with butts

+1 for ninjaing almost the exact comment I was going to make.

The fault lies not in our AIs, but in our authors.

[Mith]

I will clarify that I was going for an in story explanation. I am aware that Jeph is overly fond of butt jokes.

[Kato]

Hugs. Great things. You can't overappreciate a good hug by a person who likes you.

[Porthos]

I understand it's a robot without all those icky biological germs all over it. And I also understand that Hannelore has been getting better lately.

Still...

Hanners got a hug and not only isn't freaking out but actually looks bemused about it!

...

...

...

IT'S THE END TIMES EVERYONE!!! RUN!!! RUNFORYOURLIVES*!!!!

* Said in best Denethor voice, naturally.

[Max_Killjoy]

Since we know Hanners isn't unusually tall, it appears that Winslow went with a literally boy-size chassis.

[Traab]

I dunno, that smile she has looks at least a tad uncomfortable.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I understand it's a robot without all those icky biological germs all over it. And I also understand that Hannelore has been getting better lately.

It also probably still smells of a freshly opened mac product, which is so far divorced from biological it might not trigger her at all.

GW

[georgie_leech]

It also probably still smells of a freshly opened mac product, which is so far divorced from biological it might not trigger her at all.

GW

She is still reacting to the hug itself though. That's definitely a "this is very sudden and I don't like these and I don't know how to respond but I want to be supportive so don't freak out" look of moderate discomfort if I ever saw one. That or I'm projecting too hard.

[The Glyphstone]

Call it my cultural programming, but the self-identifying male Winslow in a pink-hued chassis causes a weird mental hiccup, despite the female May in a blue chassis not doing the same. It's a little weird after reflecting on it.

[Yuki Akuma]

Call it my cultural programming, but the self-identifying male Winslow in a pink-hued chassis causes a weird mental hiccup, despite the female May in a blue chassis not doing the same. It's a little weird after reflecting on it.

Real men wear pink.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Real men wear pink.

Indeed:


GW

[John Cribati]

Gender is at least 80% made up and gendering by color is illogical.

[AuthorGirl]

The look on Winslow's new face as he first gained control of it absolutely made my day.

[Fawkes]

Fun fact: pink and blue weren't considered 'gendered' colors until the early 1900s, when pink was seen as a masculine color, and blue as a feminine color. Then they swapped places around the 1940s, because this is all nonsense anyway!

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Fun fact: pink and blue weren't considered 'gendered' colors until the early 1900s, when pink was seen as a masculine color, and blue as a feminine color. Then they swapped places around the 1940s, because this is all nonsense anyway!

I've always heard that blue in the Christian sphere of influence was associated to femininity through the Virgin Mary, while pink wasn't even a colour, just a shade of red, which was manly due to being the colour of blood.

GW

[John Cribati]

Apparently the Pink/Blue swap at least coincided with Hitler marking gay Jewish people with pink triangles.

Godwin's Law knows no bounds.

[Wraith]

Y'know, I kinda like Iris. She's fun and friendly without being the wacky damaged misanthrope that the rest of the cast gets to be. I hope we see more of her.

....Okay, fine; what I mean is, I want to see her together with Winslow more. They're cute individually, but even more so together.

[Kato]

Indeed:


GW

Hm.. Should we have an argument over why this is a terrible example unless you are being sarcastic? Maybe not.

I agree, it feels a bit strange but it goes with the smaller frame and Winslow's character. And because I know how that sounds, I mean it is in line with the general perception of color and character, not my opinion on it.

Also : poor pintsize?

[Cazero]

Hm.. Should we have an argument over why this is a terrible example unless you are being sarcastic? Maybe not.

Terrible example? What's not manly about murdering a deadly animal with a fair chance at fighting back for sport? The part where skill is important?

[Gez]

Call it my cultural programming, but the self-identifying male Winslow in a pink-hued chassis causes a weird mental hiccup, despite the female May in a blue chassis not doing the same. It's a little weird after reflecting on it.

Winslow's color theme as a iPod-with-limbs was white and pastel blue, so it would have made sense to keep the same instead of going for soft pink.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Terrible example? What's not manly about murdering a deadly animal with a fair chance at fighting back for sport? The part where skill is important?

The guy is standing up to and taunting a 500 to 700 kg (1100-1600 lb), full grown, bred to be aggressive bull. The whole thing is cruel and more than a little stupid (although on the other hand, its the only thing keeping an entire subspecies from extinction, so there is that), but unless we are operating on different definitions of "manly" (mine does include the "stupid act of bravery", but I suppose yours might not), it fits like a glove.

In fact, I still think it fits the definition of manly even when its not a man at all:



GW

[Kato]

Okay, not to delve too deep into it, but whether or not something is dangerous doesn't mean it's manly. Annoying a nest full of hornets or pissing of a rabid dog is about as stupid, dangerous and pointless, and I don't see where the big difference is.
Is there skill involved? I guess? Still doesn't make it manly. It's not even like there is a point to the whole thing, except showing off. I guess if I was too include a far larger amount of "stupid" in my definition of manly I'd accept it, but as it stands..