• snooggums@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    87
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    6 days ago

    This would be profound if Carly and Rodney were guaranteed free healthcare, UBI, and other minimum requirements for living ao that being happy with what you have isn’t crushed by chronic illnesses and endless debt.

    • BrundleFly2077@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      60
      ·
      6 days ago

      This. For me, saddest thing about this comic’s message was the fact that I immediately wondered how they would handle needing a root canal or if one of them broke a leg.

        • Dharma Curious (he/him)@slrpnk.net
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          29
          ·
          edit-2
          6 days ago

          Oh, that’s simple. The root canal they’ll handle by going to the ER, getting antibiotics, and not getting the tooth taken care of until it has to be extracted completely (or just breaks off at the gum line, and taking antibiotics way too often for it)

          The broken leg they’ll get done at the er, too.

          In both cases it’ll lead to debt they likely will ignore, because what the fuck else can they do?

          But the lump? That one they’ll just ignore. It isn’t actively painful, and there’s nothing they can do for it, anyway. So they’ll just die young.

          Money isn’t the root of all evil… But is damn sure the tool of evil.

          • Korhaka@sopuli.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            arrow-down
            17
            ·
            6 days ago

            People managed in the past without healthcare. A lot of them died younger as a result, but you can still live your life without it I guess.

            • conditional_soup@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              5 days ago

              People have managed without oxygen before. I mean, you’ll die in a few minutes as a result, but you can still live your life without it.

    • DJKJuicy@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      edit-2
      5 days ago

      I think the message can be interpreted though. It doesn’t have to be taken so literally.

      I am the exact same person today in my big adult house with my grown-up job as I was 25 years ago in my tiny little apartment living off $9 an hour. Houses, cars, jobs, promotions…these things don’t really change who you actually are. A 25% raise at work won’t make you 25% happier.

      You can still have a job that pays money and benefits and choose to downsize the rest of your life and eliminate all that stress. You don’t need a 3,000 sq. ft. house with a 3 car garage and a marble kitchen island to be happy… You’re still going to be the same you.

      • snooggums@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        5 days ago

        Yes, if you ignore the obvious signs that they are in poverty and bordering on homelessness it is a great message.

        • DJKJuicy@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          5 days ago

          I don’t disagree. I grew up as poor as the characters in this comic and we were definitely not happy like they are. It’s fiction and doesn’t account for the harshness of reality and very callously ignores the lack of a social safety net.

          However, the point of the comic still hits home. Life was much simpler when I was young and poor. The complexities and unnecessary stress of the life I lead now seem almost ridiculous in comparison.