Questionable Content 4: Attack of the 60-Inch AnthroPC

[SaintRidley]

Station only leads me to believe that AI in the QC universe are universally jerks on some level.

Good for Potter.

[BRC]

It was well-played and Lt. Potter got what she deserved in the first place, but there's no way that a soldier would have been allowed to accept a gift on the side like that anyways.

What would have happened? She would have almost certainly been reassigned, and probably discharged. There would be an investigation to see if they could figure out what the money was a payment for.
I'm making guesses here, but they would probably freeze her assets (or at least the five million) while they investigate whether or not it was a bribe. She would spend months, maybe years in bureaucratic limbo, with everybody figuring she was guilty of SOMETHING (because AI's don't just "hand over" 5 million in Stocks) while investigators started wandering around the station asking questions, looking for something worth five million in hush money. In the end, it could lead to paranoia about AI's (What are they hiding that they paid a soldier Five Million to keep quiet about it) and suspicions about what exactly happens on the space station. Even if she was eventually cleared due to lack of evidence concerning a cover up, nobody except the station staff and three new-England twentysomethings (A computer expert who owns an AnthroPC, the daughter of the man who runs the station, and a random slacker) would believe her story about "An apology for some embarrassing Facebook photos". Plus those very photos could end up all over the news/internet. She would probably be hounded by people demanding she "Tell the Truth", about what she did to get the Money.


...hrm, thinking about it that way, yeah, her decision makes more sense.


But Still...Five Million, I would be looking for some Space Booze too.

[Kato]

Okay guys, you forget there was a pretty rational (kind of) reason for the gift and Hanners, Marten and Marigold are witnesses. Let's take away the crazy "omg, she would so have gotten kicked out and ended in the gutter" point of view. Can such a gift fix the matter of having posted some (public) aesthetic photographs of a person or is it really like she says something money can not make up for?

[eee]

"Probably not!"

[Tirian]

Lt. Potter gets a pass, but if Station isnt wearing simulated old-timey clothes tomorrow, I want my money back.

[Kato]

Okay, Jeph... what the eff-ing gods are you up to? Why... what... how... We like Hanners, cut it out, already, man

[Yuki Akuma]

He's fleshing out her character background and making her more sympathetic.

Why do you consider this a bad thing?

[Eurus]

Man. "Poor Hanners" just doesn't cut it anymore.

I wonder if it was Station. Given what we've seen of him, I think "fixing" Hannelore might be within his personality. Possibly without asking/telling her.

[Kato]

He's fleshing out her character background and making her more sympathetic.

Why do you consider this a bad thing?

Man. "Poor Hanners" just doesn't cut it anymore.

Because of that. We know Hanners was... what's a good word... a sad person earlier but this is really taking it too far. Maybe it's just me but there is "giving a person a back story" and then there is "creating huge, sappy back stories so we feel sorry for characters we like already anyway".
We... we know she had a tragic past, why emphasize it like that? That's horrivle. I'm not reading QC too feel bad. We are back to the angst now?

[John Cribati]

We... we know she had a tragic past, why emphasize it like that?

So we can see how far she's come from where she used to be?

If anything, this comic has made me happy for her, rather than sad. She's put most of that messy past behind her and doesn't dwell on it, so why should we?

[Coidzor]

Station only leads me to believe that AI in the QC universe are universally jerks on some level.

Good for Potter.

I've been convinced of this for a good while. The only thing is to wait for it to surface. I mean, Momo's mostly just a bit sassy so far. Possibly because Marigold's been most of the target for it and most of it has been for Marigold's improvement.

It's not like he's actually learned anything, and if he actually did learn anything it's things he should already have bloody known before they put him in control of a space habitat.

[Marnath]

I feel bad for the HKs. They shouldn't be posted somewhere they never get a chance to fulfill their primary purpose. That would be like buying that little toaster guy and then never making toast.

[eee]

Life on that station must be FUN. And terrifying. And demented. All at once.

Is it bad that I want to go there?

[dogmac]

Ergh, reading this makes me want to punch out Hanners father. Proof that some people just shouldn't be parents.

[The Glyphstone]

Wait, what did Hanner's dad do this time? The only comment he made was being surprise that Hanners had lipstick on. That's the station doctor, he's not even in this comic.

[Flickerdart]

Well, nice to know that the station has its own security in addition to the military.

I wonder if they have aliens.

[Traab]

Ergh, reading this makes me want to punch out Hanners father. Proof that some people just shouldn't be parents.

Yeah im with glyph, whats wrong with her dad? It sounds to me like he tried everything he could to help his daughter. The only solution left was to commit her to an asylum and she had breakdowns just at the thought of it. Question for the psych majors among us, is hannerlores background something that makes sense? Can you really be that crippled by those issues without some sort of external force making it get that bad?Im lucky, im relatively mentally competent, so its hard for me to comprehend how a persons mind could just turn on them to such a hideous extent.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Yes it is possible. Not a psych major, but... lived through something almost comparable. It doesn't take an external force. It doesn't take ANYTHING. It just happens.

[Mr. Zolrane]

No offense but you're one of those people who ship Penny and Sheldon in Big Bang Theory as well, aren't you?
Okay, opposite to Sheldon yes, Hanners has expressed... well, sexual desire (for firefighters) but last time I recall she was still engrossed by the idea of exchanging body fluids. A hug is one thing, a kiss or let alone coitus is vastly different for a mysophobe (or what Hanners condition might be, but probably something in that direction)
Marten is a... normal guy. He'd surely not commit himself to a relationship that excludes sex (even if it would be no different than being single)
Maybe I could see Hanners getting a crush on Marten, even though that is very unlikely but I see no way of Marten feeling the same way, not in the near future and I dare say never. So, shipping googles or not, I don't see it happening.

(also, on earlier, I got no issue with Hanners but she was introduced as a rather creepy stalker... how can you support a relationship with her? )

Hehe, I don't actually watch BBT, but I'm told Sheldon has a girlfriend now. Good for him.

As for Marten's end of the equation, let's look at his relationship history that we've seen so far since QC's inception: A false start with Faye due to her issues, a relationship with Dora that he kind of rushed into, which went well for a while but was ultimately thwarted by Dora's issues which waited to reveal the fact that they still existed until what might have been the worst possible moment and the more recent mess with Padma, in which he jumped into sex almost immediately, and his own... whatever it was ruined that as well (I was not overly fond of the Padma arc if only because I couldn't quite figure out what Jeph was trying to tell us about Marten, though that may have been the point. Anyway, I digress).

What's the common thread in all of these? In each case Marten went into things missing an important piece of information about either the girl's personality or issues or his own. Hannelore certainly has issues (I'll take my obvious statement of the year award now) but they're mostly a known quantity, and if something started between her and Marten, they'd be able to work through things slowly and carefully. They would have to go slow to make it work, and the fact they went slow will be the only reason it doesn't blow up in their faces like Marten's other relationships. Does that make sense?

Meh, she wasnt really a stalker like the people you get restraining orders against. She was a very socially awkward girl that really wanted to make friends and had no clue on how to go about doing it. Once the initial confessions were out of the way, she has displayed absolutely no stalkerish tendencies.

And due to my sporadic forum presence, Traab has once again taken the words right out of my mouth.

As for being totally against the exchange of fluids in any way, you are right, she is that way.... now. But things have been improving with her greatly. I could forsee a time coming very soon when a kiss to the cheek would be acceptable for her. Then once her comfort level grows, a kiss on the lips, (no tongue, close mouthed only) and some touching that once again doesnt involve fluids. She has expressed a desire to be able to date, so I think she would be consciously working towards improving her comfort zones. But yeah, sex is likely WAY down the road for her.

But yeah, like I said, definitely a long road.

Ah, dammit. I (once again) blame my German heritage and as of yet lack of real life English training... that or the fact that I just misspoke.



Okay, she wasn't that creepy but still a bit... and getting possible love interest vibes from ger back than seems really weird to me.


Dunno... yeah, she has expressed the desire but... I'm totally talking out of my ass with this since I never knew a mysophobe, I'd think there a big steo between 'wanting to date' (etc) and actually being able to do so. Many people with such conditions wish they'd not be afflicted by them but there are just things... I'm not sure if they can't be cured but if they take a long time, I dare assume. Maybe if the comic runs for another... dunno... few years it could possibly happen... but I just don't see it happening. Also, she wouldn't be Hanners anymore to me

That's the problem with writing exceptionally quirky characters (I know this from experience): positive character development tends to bring them closer to normality, and some members of the audience lose interest in the character. The alternative, however, is progressively Flanderizing them into caricatures. The former option strikes me as much, much more desirable.

Okay, Jeph... what the eff-ing gods are you up to? Why... what... how... We like Hanners, cut it out, already, man

He's fleshing out her character background and making her more sympathetic.

Why do you consider this a bad thing?

We... we know she had a tragic past, why emphasize it like that? That's horrivle. I'm not reading QC too feel bad. We are back to the angst now?

I don't think the point was to feel bad. The point was to underscore how massively improved she is over how she once was. Taken by itself, yeah, it's horrifying, but the fact that it's sandwiched between two comics of Hannelore playing racquetball with her friends and getting ready to enjoy a party with those same friends is telling.

[Marnath]

I don't think the point was to feel bad. The point was to underscore how massively improved she is over how she once was. Taken by itself, yeah, it's horrifying, but the fact that it's sandwiched between two comics of Hannelore playing racquetball with her friends and getting ready to enjoy a party with those same friends is telling.

That's what I arrived at too more or less. After I got over the whole "OMG a blond Alma! Run for your life Marten O.O !!!!" bit which was my first reaction. I half expected her to come around the corner in that last panel and melt them.

[dogmac]

OK, what did Hanners father do?

He brought her up in an environment that was completely abnormal, depriving her from any relationship with anyone her own age. When it became blatently obvious that this was causing her major mental health issues, he neither transferred to somewhere that was more "normal" where she could get some real therapy, nor got a full time psych on the station. There isn't even a full time doctor there! Instead he drugged the hell out of her and tied her down. Finally, when she was so far gone that it appeared she would never recover, he considered institutionalising her.

And finally when she decided to move away from her home, he said "see ya" without attempting to set up any support for her at all.

Hanners has survived her parents. One day she is going to realise she is the way she is because of their almost criminal neglect of her.

The majority of mental health issues is caused by childhood abuse. I'd put Hanners in that group. Her Dad undoubtedly loves her, but not in a way that is any use to her whatsoever.

[MightyTim]

OK, what did Hanners father do?

He brought her up in an environment that was completely abnormal, depriving her from any relationship with anyone her own age. When it became blatently obvious that this was causing her major mental health issues, he neither transferred to somewhere that was more "normal" where she could get some real therapy, nor got a full time psych on the station. There isn't even a full time doctor there! Instead he drugged the hell out of her and tied her down. Finally, when she was so far gone that it appeared she would never recover, he considered institutionalising her.

And finally when she decided to move away from her home, he said "see ya" without attempting to set up any support for her at all.

Hanners has survived her parents. One day she is going to realise she is the way she is because of their almost criminal neglect of her.

The majority of mental health issues is caused by childhood abuse. I'd put Hanners in that group. Her Dad undoubtedly loves her, but not in a way that is any use to her whatsoever.

I find it difficult to conclude that a futuristic space station full of scientists wouldn't be able to deduce that that Hanners' lack of interaction with kids her age was the cause of her problems. (The only alternative would be that they did know and chose not to provide the best care for her, which is undermined by the fact that her father clearly cares for her.)

So I disagree with the assertion.

[Yuki Akuma]

On the other hand, some people really do have incredibly severe OCD with no clear developmental reasoning. Some people are simply different for no apparent reason.

[BRC]

OK, what did Hanners father do?

He brought her up in an environment that was completely abnormal, depriving her from any relationship with anyone her own age. When it became blatently obvious that this was causing her major mental health issues, he neither transferred to somewhere that was more "normal" where she could get some real therapy, nor got a full time psych on the station. There isn't even a full time doctor there! Instead he drugged the hell out of her and tied her down. Finally, when she was so far gone that it appeared she would never recover, he considered institutionalising her.

And finally when she decided to move away from her home, he said "see ya" without attempting to set up any support for her at all.

Hanners has survived her parents. One day she is going to realise she is the way she is because of their almost criminal neglect of her.

The majority of mental health issues is caused by childhood abuse. I'd put Hanners in that group. Her Dad undoubtedly loves her, but not in a way that is any use to her whatsoever.

Eh, it's not that hard to understand her Father's decisions. He's raising her on his space station, by the time her mental issues started showing, the damage was already done. On the station she was in a clean, safe environment where she was under the watchful eye of somebody that cared about her ( In this case, Station), and friends and family could easily visit.

Sending her down to earth in her mental state would probably mean sending her to her mother, which would have been a massive shock. Imagine, you grow up on a space station, with a loving, if absent-minded father. Then, while your psyche is already incredibly fragile, you're sent away from everything you know back down to earth, to dirty, smelly, stranger-filled Earth. On earth, she might be put in a Hospital somewhere and left there, her Mother and Father are both too busy to visit regularly, same with most of the scientists on the station. She might be taken care of financially, but she would basically be alone, just her, the doctors, and her problems.

The other option is she stays with her Mother, who is always flying around the world being a ruthless corporate overlord, and probably doesn't have time to take care of a mentally fragile daughter she barely knows.

And right now there isn't a full-time Physician there, there could have been one when she was growing up, and there could be a highly qualified psychologist who was taking care of her. Actually, looking at the comic itself, they DID have a full-time therapist. In fact, they went through dozens of them. And how do we know she didn't have any support. She could have arranged for her therapist before she moved down to earth, her dad could have started her with some money.


So yeah, she had dedicated therapists, a close friend she could talk to without triggering her phobia (Station), a safe, sterile environment. Growing up on the station may have done the damage, but once it was done, she was receiving what sounds like the best care possible,

[Eldan]

It's quite likely that her parents gave her money. I can't remember ever having seen her do any work.

[qbit]

she counts(or has counted) things for money

she apparently once counted a guys hair because of an argument the guy had with his wife.

[Eldan]

Oh, right. That.

[Coidzor]

Oh, right. That.

Ahh, exploitation.

[The Glyphstone]

Sounds more like a hobby she can get paid for, really. That sort of job can't really give her a steady income, or a substantial one, so she's probably getting subsidized somehow.

[Shadow of the Sun]

Except a compulsion to count isn't a hobby.

A lot of people confuse OCD with OCPD in fiction.

As someone with OCD, who had it really bad when he was young, I don't see much issues with the portrayal of Hanners. In fact, I think she's one of the more realistic portrayals of OCD in fiction, probably because Jeph has OCD himself.