That’s even worse! He is not doing it intentionally, he is doing it accidentally! As a decent person, he will (or at least should) feel terrible if this leads to accidental cockblocking!
((I might be speaking from my own mastery of accidental cockblocking.))
but we are forgetting one crucial concept that even college students can’t wrap their heads around: even when your 18 or older and coming into college you are still a very hormonal person and let’s face it your body is making demands that is not in your best interest to immediately pursue. for a good narrative we might want there to be a relationship between her and walky but realistically we shouldn’t pressure her into a relationship of any kind simply because he’s available and they have good chemistry.
I will admit this is a touchy subject for me, i am both abstinent and not interested and to be frank i catch a lot of flak from my family and my few friends. but i pride myself with the knowledge that this isn’t home on the range or ancient Babylonia: my marriage prospects won’t evaporate in the next 10 years simply because there are no available women in the closest 100 miles.
Have you ever considered the possibility that your body might be making “hormonal demands” because that is what you should be persuing? You know, as a growth mechanism?
There is little to say for a position which assumes that all pre-marital sex is by necessity of religious belief a bad thing.
“Have you ever considered the possibility that your body might be making ‘hormonal demands’ because that is what you should be persuing? You know, as a growth mechanism?”
I’m sorry, but that’s ridiculous. Just having a desire doesn’t mean you should go with it.
Humans survived on instinct and desire a lot longer than they have on morals.
Oberon has a point. It’s not about following all your desires, but it’s also arrogant to think you know better than 100,000 years of Homo Sapien Sapien existence, and the countless years leading up to that point.
“People shouldn’t eat meat, it’s bad for you and cruel to animals.”
“What do you think we ate before inventing the farm – say, ~10,000 years ago? Oh wait, meat and fruit, essentially.”
I never said anything about dietary choices. Whatever he’s feeling, it doesn’t mean he should try to get back with his ex. He should at least wait until he’s really thought about it.
@Tucker: *laughs* WHAT? Not following your animal instincts (in general apparently, since you are going into diet too) is “arrogant” now? So if I want a woman who is dating another man I should just beat the tar out of him and drag my new mate off, eh?
That was hardly the point. Obviously there is good reason for “civilized” conduct, but there’s a line to be crossed. We agree on a set of rules for interpersonal conduct and mutual safety; it’s those that people impose on themselves for some sort of higher, holier than thou purpose that are a little difficult.
@ tucker; i’m speaking from a purely logical standpoint. when you’re 18 you don’t have anywhere near the kind of experience that would allow you to support a family or someone else. also your hormones just want you to have sex and make babies, but it has been proven by every single nuclear family that jumping into relationships like this is an extremely bad idea.
sin didn’t exist till man contemplated it but now that we know about it; it is impossible to ignore it.
He sarcastically references her “meteoric rise to glory” and then he says “this old boyfriend will just get out of your way.” He’s actively trying to make her feel bad. He’s being civil, but that’s not the same as being nice.
Well since this isn’t a sound comic we can’t just assume he is using some kind of sarcastic tone. Check the facial expression and remember who this character is. Danny isn’t a passive aggressive guy. If anything he is just still being a bit awkward around her. While the strip in which they broke up was over a year ago for us for them it has been maybe a week.
Probably best to not force your own issues on other people.
Well, I for once, believe she totally deserves it for not breaking up with him when she should have and making serious plans about gobbling some other guy’s gooker less than a week after she finally did.
SHE DUMPED HIM. Of course he’s gonna be awkward and bitter around her. Guys have feelings too, you know. 😛
The passive-agressive shit as you call it pretty much comes naturally for someone who just got rejected. He’ll move on, but it’s still fairly recent.
What’s he ruining? The guy has no clue she was crushing on another dude. As far as he knows, she’s so focused on her schoolwork that she can’t handle anything else right now. And he wants her to succeed.
If anything, the thing that would ruin it is her guilt that she broke up with him for her schoolwork but is now possibly seeking a relationship with a guy she just met.
Re Khantalas’ second post, I think Danny may have just actually helped her with her perspective without realizing it, based on that last panel. All of a sudden she’s being confronted with the notion that happiness may not necessarily come from career success.
Which, that being her life’s priority up until now, I can only see Walky being good for her in the long run, with his carefree attitude and all.
That second “yeah” and her facial expression make me think in that moment she’s regretting said meteoric rise to glory, or more specifically the sacrifices it may require.
She didnt set out to delibertly hurt Danny, he was just gliding along on her coat tails with no idea where he was going. And she wanted to get free of him, and did think about how to do it. She wasn’t too nice the way she dumped him, but she did try not to hurt him. That never works, someone always gets hurts when dumped, so, can’t blame him for getting in a little ‘dig’ of his own.
Is this really a ‘dig’ though? I dunno, it just seems like something a normal, overly nice guy would say to his recent ex that he still has feelings for. Especially considering that he has no idea about anything to do with Walky.
It is a dig because he is being flippant about her ambitions. He is also being passive aggressive when implies that he is an old boyfriend that must get out of her way because she doesn’t have time for him (or anybody) while school is on her mind.
I don’t expect him to be any more cordial. Depending on his tone this could even be considered small talk, but I personally aint reading enough humor in his voice.
I read the look on his face and his overall character as totally lacking in malice. He doesn’t really seem to have it in him to pull off that level of subtle passive aggression.
That did kinda come out of left field, didn’t it? This is what, only a couple days later comic-time? Makes it really seem like Dorothy breaking ties with him was the right call, if it’s made him stronger and happier.
This is fine. It’s all part of a long long circular relationship that ends up with Joe in love with Joyce (Because he can’t get her) in love with Danny (Because she can’t get him) in love with Dina (Because he can’t have her) in love with Walky (Because he drew an awesome T-Rex… it’s a good reason right?) in love with McNuggets (Because they are McNuggets)… and then the tragic end when the Author eats said McNuggets, right in front of Waly’s eyes.
Just wait, you’ll see.
This doesn’t feel like a Friday comic. Usually Friday comics have some buildup to something that may or may not happen or generally just leaves us on a cliffhanger. This feels like a tuesday comic or something.
…yeah, I had to go back more than a month to find a Friday that was as you claim Fridays “usually” are. More often Fridays just mark the end of scenes.
I don’t know.. those seem like cliff hangers to me..
“Does the argument turn into something else?”
“What are the tissues going to be USED FOR?!.. why does joe need headphones for use of tissues?”
“Will Mike and Ethan finally make out?”
“Does dina ever finish using the toilet?”
“Journalism.. ”
All valid cliff hangers Mr. Willis. I was truly in suspense.
I’m not saying the passive aggressive feel is coming from anything to do with Walky (which as you said he’s not aware of, and Walky has nothing to do with their issues), but rather the fact she broke up with him purely because of the fact she wants to become president and felt he would stand in her way.
I don’t think this qualifies, though, based on his expression and light attitude. Using that in a passive-aggressive way would necessitate him using it in a more sarcastic or flippant way, but he gives the genuine impression he’s just joking around.
Personally, I’m confused, in what universe do people with real power work 24/7? The workaholic burnouts usually end up the people behind the scenes who have nervous breadowns.
I’ve known a few people whose approach to college was ‘sleep-study-class-study-sleep’. Short breaks might be taken, but it would be surprising to see one of these types out and about during a time block suited to studying.
I thought Danny was being totally okay here. I don’t think he was being passive-aggressive or anything of the sort. Just a sort of nice guy with a lot on his mind.
Yeah, I don’t see where the passive-aggressive idea is coming from, besides people’s natural tendency to try to find an active bad guy in these sort of scenarios.
I think it’s the emphasis on ‘meteoric rise to glory’, which some people are reading as sarcasm. Personally it occurs to me that he might be emphasizing it to remind *himself* of it, as in “Yes, she dumped you for her plans, which means she’s not your girlfriend anymore and you don’t need to feel guilty about lusting after buxom, bespectacled, uninhibited asians.”
I mean, look at his facial expressions. What Dorothy’s doing is the last thing on his mind.
There are a lot of people commenting that apparently don’t know what passive-aggressive means. These are probably the same type of people who use the terms “irregardless” and “same-difference”.
Let’s assume that he’s not being sincere here. If he is being sarcastic as is claimed, then his statement is confrontational which means he’s being flat out assertive . There’s nothing passive-aggressive about it. Passive-aggressive would be saying “Hey I got this for you”, handing her a book on whatever it is she’s there to study (I really don’t remember and I don’t feel like digging through archives to find out), and then walking off.
Let’s not forget “it goes without saying” and “I’m not gonna lie.”
And yes, totally agree. I get called passive-aggressive by my dad all the time, usually in response to my indifference when he’s trying to maintain some misguided sense of superiority over me. People who don’t understand a psychological term shouldn’t toss it around carelessly…
He’s taking a shot at her to make himself feel better. By sarcastically referencing her ambition, he is implying that she isn’t really gonna get anywhere either. It’s typical to downplay the person/thing you got left for. In his case he was dumped for her ambitions.
He is also feeling awkward due to his “confrontation” with Billie and this results in him throwing up a defense mechanism: sarcasm.
So yeah, he’s being a jerk, but it makes perfect sense and its not indicative of his general conduct.
Basically, most people are jerks when they are hurting.
I would agree with you had he not thrown “this old boyfriend” in there. To be that comfortable with labeling himself that way shows he’s moved on to a significant degree. I suspect the encounter with Billie showed him there are more fish out there. Of the two-footed mermaid variety.
Love the comic! Recently read the whole story. Good story lines, neat characters… makes me wish I was going to a university and lived in a dorm. Oh well, that’s what my 2nd major is for when I get there…
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Awkwaaaaaaard.
Danny please don’t ruin things for Dorothy right now. She needs to pursue this.
Which “this” might you be talking about?
This is Danny, he is being utterly serious here. And why shouldn’t he? He’s not omniscent.
His being serious does not prevent him from putting doubts in Dorothy’s mind.
He’s still being a passive-aggressive shit.
No he’s not. He’s being remarkably civil for a guy who was just surprise dumped this week, actually.
That’s even worse! He is not doing it intentionally, he is doing it accidentally! As a decent person, he will (or at least should) feel terrible if this leads to accidental cockblocking!
((I might be speaking from my own mastery of accidental cockblocking.))
but we are forgetting one crucial concept that even college students can’t wrap their heads around: even when your 18 or older and coming into college you are still a very hormonal person and let’s face it your body is making demands that is not in your best interest to immediately pursue. for a good narrative we might want there to be a relationship between her and walky but realistically we shouldn’t pressure her into a relationship of any kind simply because he’s available and they have good chemistry.
I will admit this is a touchy subject for me, i am both abstinent and not interested and to be frank i catch a lot of flak from my family and my few friends. but i pride myself with the knowledge that this isn’t home on the range or ancient Babylonia: my marriage prospects won’t evaporate in the next 10 years simply because there are no available women in the closest 100 miles.
Have you ever considered the possibility that your body might be making “hormonal demands” because that is what you should be persuing? You know, as a growth mechanism?
There is little to say for a position which assumes that all pre-marital sex is by necessity of religious belief a bad thing.
@Oberon: he never said his reason for abstaining was religious belief.
Some folks just don’t have as strong sexual drive as some others. And that’s fine.
@david, actually i have a very strong sex drive; i’m just too much of a bloody romantic for it to be much of a use…
How can doing it accidentally be worse?
“Have you ever considered the possibility that your body might be making ‘hormonal demands’ because that is what you should be persuing? You know, as a growth mechanism?”
I’m sorry, but that’s ridiculous. Just having a desire doesn’t mean you should go with it.
Humans survived on instinct and desire a lot longer than they have on morals.
Oberon has a point. It’s not about following all your desires, but it’s also arrogant to think you know better than 100,000 years of Homo Sapien Sapien existence, and the countless years leading up to that point.
“People shouldn’t eat meat, it’s bad for you and cruel to animals.”
“What do you think we ate before inventing the farm – say, ~10,000 years ago? Oh wait, meat and fruit, essentially.”
I never said anything about dietary choices. Whatever he’s feeling, it doesn’t mean he should try to get back with his ex. He should at least wait until he’s really thought about it.
@Tucker: *laughs* WHAT? Not following your animal instincts (in general apparently, since you are going into diet too) is “arrogant” now? So if I want a woman who is dating another man I should just beat the tar out of him and drag my new mate off, eh?
@MichaelHaneline
That was hardly the point. Obviously there is good reason for “civilized” conduct, but there’s a line to be crossed. We agree on a set of rules for interpersonal conduct and mutual safety; it’s those that people impose on themselves for some sort of higher, holier than thou purpose that are a little difficult.
Sin didn’t exist until man could contemplate it.
@ tucker; i’m speaking from a purely logical standpoint. when you’re 18 you don’t have anywhere near the kind of experience that would allow you to support a family or someone else. also your hormones just want you to have sex and make babies, but it has been proven by every single nuclear family that jumping into relationships like this is an extremely bad idea.
sin didn’t exist till man contemplated it but now that we know about it; it is impossible to ignore it.
He sarcastically references her “meteoric rise to glory” and then he says “this old boyfriend will just get out of your way.” He’s actively trying to make her feel bad. He’s being civil, but that’s not the same as being nice.
Wow! Ever had a decent banter with somebody you are/were close to? This is how they usually sound, a bit of spice with everything nice.
Well since this isn’t a sound comic we can’t just assume he is using some kind of sarcastic tone. Check the facial expression and remember who this character is. Danny isn’t a passive aggressive guy. If anything he is just still being a bit awkward around her. While the strip in which they broke up was over a year ago for us for them it has been maybe a week.
Probably best to not force your own issues on other people.
Well, I for once, believe she totally deserves it for not breaking up with him when she should have and making serious plans about gobbling some other guy’s gooker less than a week after she finally did.
SHE DUMPED HIM. Of course he’s gonna be awkward and bitter around her. Guys have feelings too, you know. 😛
The passive-agressive shit as you call it pretty much comes naturally for someone who just got rejected. He’ll move on, but it’s still fairly recent.
What’s he ruining? The guy has no clue she was crushing on another dude. As far as he knows, she’s so focused on her schoolwork that she can’t handle anything else right now. And he wants her to succeed.
If anything, the thing that would ruin it is her guilt that she broke up with him for her schoolwork but is now possibly seeking a relationship with a guy she just met.
Re Khantalas’ second post, I think Danny may have just actually helped her with her perspective without realizing it, based on that last panel. All of a sudden she’s being confronted with the notion that happiness may not necessarily come from career success.
Which, that being her life’s priority up until now, I can only see Walky being good for her in the long run, with his carefree attitude and all.
Bumping into your ex is always awkward. Especially when you’re both hiding stuff.
Never had an ex, so I wouldn’t know.
Only after recently becoming exes. After a few months it’s fine.
Is she showing signs of regret?
nah, she is showing signs of “why do I have to be attracted to people!? Why can’t I just be attracted to my inevitable success and world domination?”
I get that feeling all the time
You too?
I just wish my inevitable success and world domination didn’t have such commitment issues.
I have relationship based purely on hate and lust with my inevitable success and world domination.
Ahhh, that’s why she likes Dexter and the Monkey Master! They have so much in common!
“Why can’t I just be attracted to my inevitable success and world domination?”
Her appreciation for the Head Alien starts to make more sense.
That second “yeah” and her facial expression make me think in that moment she’s regretting said meteoric rise to glory, or more specifically the sacrifices it may require.
I bet she’s regretting not staying to watch the commentary on the season of Monkey Master that she just watched.
The commentary is always the best part.
Ahh guilt the most powerful weapon in the passive aggressive arsenal.
I thought that was radiation?
Passive aggressives emit radiation?
Yes – and lots of it. Deadly, deadly infrared radiation.
Background radiation, yeah.
All creatures emit radiation.
Ouch.
I shouldn’t be laughing at this, should I?
Why not? I’m laughing 🙂
The awkwardness is overpowering.
Hopefully not overpowering enough to turn Dorothy celibate.
Between projects indeed
She’s definitely between something.
I think he and Billie got along better then he’s letting on. *wink wink*
Dang Danny. He didn’t mean to but he let her have it a little bit there.
That sinking feeling when you realize you were a hypocritical douchebag to your boyfriend at the time.
Right on the money
This is funny. In that “you-have-to-laugh-to-diffuse-the-tension” way.
hehehehe *sweatdrops*
she needs to ignore danny long enough to get some from walky
She didnt set out to delibertly hurt Danny, he was just gliding along on her coat tails with no idea where he was going. And she wanted to get free of him, and did think about how to do it. She wasn’t too nice the way she dumped him, but she did try not to hurt him. That never works, someone always gets hurts when dumped, so, can’t blame him for getting in a little ‘dig’ of his own.
Is this really a ‘dig’ though? I dunno, it just seems like something a normal, overly nice guy would say to his recent ex that he still has feelings for. Especially considering that he has no idea about anything to do with Walky.
It is a dig because he is being flippant about her ambitions. He is also being passive aggressive when implies that he is an old boyfriend that must get out of her way because she doesn’t have time for him (or anybody) while school is on her mind.
I don’t expect him to be any more cordial. Depending on his tone this could even be considered small talk, but I personally aint reading enough humor in his voice.
I read the look on his face and his overall character as totally lacking in malice. He doesn’t really seem to have it in him to pull off that level of subtle passive aggression.
I agree!!!
I don’t care about danny. I just want her and Walky to be together!
Danny, stop being a tool.
Stop it forever.
You tool.
Hehe, “actualizing”
Wow Danny, didn’t think you had it in you. Way to be.
That did kinda come out of left field, didn’t it? This is what, only a couple days later comic-time? Makes it really seem like Dorothy breaking ties with him was the right call, if it’s made him stronger and happier.
This is fine. It’s all part of a long long circular relationship that ends up with Joe in love with Joyce (Because he can’t get her) in love with Danny (Because she can’t get him) in love with Dina (Because he can’t have her) in love with Walky (Because he drew an awesome T-Rex… it’s a good reason right?) in love with McNuggets (Because they are McNuggets)… and then the tragic end when the Author eats said McNuggets, right in front of Waly’s eyes.
Just wait, you’ll see.
Circles, hu? I thought with Willis writing the story, these become pentagons or something. Or was it Dodecahedrons?
This doesn’t feel like a Friday comic. Usually Friday comics have some buildup to something that may or may not happen or generally just leaves us on a cliffhanger. This feels like a tuesday comic or something.
These are all Friday comics:
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-2/02-choosing-my-religion/do/
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-2/02-choosing-my-religion/tissue/
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-2/02-choosing-my-religion/primal/
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-2/02-choosing-my-religion/angry/
http://www.dumbingofage.com/2012/comic/book-2/02-choosing-my-religion/journalism/
…yeah, I had to go back more than a month to find a Friday that was as you claim Fridays “usually” are. More often Fridays just mark the end of scenes.
I don’t know.. those seem like cliff hangers to me..
“Does the argument turn into something else?”
“What are the tissues going to be USED FOR?!.. why does joe need headphones for use of tissues?”
“Will Mike and Ethan finally make out?”
“Does dina ever finish using the toilet?”
“Journalism.. ”
All valid cliff hangers Mr. Willis. I was truly in suspense.
Did Dina ever finish using the toilet?!
I know you’re joking, but the first one genuinely does seem like kind of a cliffhanger to me.
I’m joking?
Now see … Mr. Willis here IS being passive aggressive.
Danny is just being awkward.
So, I know his expression is that of awkward “I’m totally okay”, but does that last line of Danny’s come off as a bit passive aggressive?
Hardly! It was just a playful banter (given he was in no way aware of what had happened between walky and dorothy one comic ago).
I’m not saying the passive aggressive feel is coming from anything to do with Walky (which as you said he’s not aware of, and Walky has nothing to do with their issues), but rather the fact she broke up with him purely because of the fact she wants to become president and felt he would stand in her way.
I don’t think this qualifies, though, based on his expression and light attitude. Using that in a passive-aggressive way would necessitate him using it in a more sarcastic or flippant way, but he gives the genuine impression he’s just joking around.
Personally, I’m confused, in what universe do people with real power work 24/7? The workaholic burnouts usually end up the people behind the scenes who have nervous breadowns.
College?
I’ve known a few people whose approach to college was ‘sleep-study-class-study-sleep’. Short breaks might be taken, but it would be surprising to see one of these types out and about during a time block suited to studying.
“Between projects” in the sense of “between one loverboy and the next”.
I see what you did there, Dorothy.
She’s going to get into a threesome?
Dorothy sandwich!
I thought Danny was being totally okay here. I don’t think he was being passive-aggressive or anything of the sort. Just a sort of nice guy with a lot on his mind.
Yeah, I don’t see where the passive-aggressive idea is coming from, besides people’s natural tendency to try to find an active bad guy in these sort of scenarios.
I think it’s the emphasis on ‘meteoric rise to glory’, which some people are reading as sarcasm. Personally it occurs to me that he might be emphasizing it to remind *himself* of it, as in “Yes, she dumped you for her plans, which means she’s not your girlfriend anymore and you don’t need to feel guilty about lusting after buxom, bespectacled, uninhibited asians.”
I mean, look at his facial expressions. What Dorothy’s doing is the last thing on his mind.
There are a lot of people commenting that apparently don’t know what passive-aggressive means. These are probably the same type of people who use the terms “irregardless” and “same-difference”.
Let’s assume that he’s not being sincere here. If he is being sarcastic as is claimed, then his statement is confrontational which means he’s being flat out assertive . There’s nothing passive-aggressive about it. Passive-aggressive would be saying “Hey I got this for you”, handing her a book on whatever it is she’s there to study (I really don’t remember and I don’t feel like digging through archives to find out), and then walking off.
Let’s not forget “it goes without saying” and “I’m not gonna lie.”
And yes, totally agree. I get called passive-aggressive by my dad all the time, usually in response to my indifference when he’s trying to maintain some misguided sense of superiority over me. People who don’t understand a psychological term shouldn’t toss it around carelessly…
He’s taking a shot at her to make himself feel better. By sarcastically referencing her ambition, he is implying that she isn’t really gonna get anywhere either. It’s typical to downplay the person/thing you got left for. In his case he was dumped for her ambitions.
He is also feeling awkward due to his “confrontation” with Billie and this results in him throwing up a defense mechanism: sarcasm.
So yeah, he’s being a jerk, but it makes perfect sense and its not indicative of his general conduct.
Basically, most people are jerks when they are hurting.
I would agree with you had he not thrown “this old boyfriend” in there. To be that comfortable with labeling himself that way shows he’s moved on to a significant degree. I suspect the encounter with Billie showed him there are more fish out there. Of the two-footed mermaid variety.
Love the comic! Recently read the whole story. Good story lines, neat characters… makes me wish I was going to a university and lived in a dorm. Oh well, that’s what my 2nd major is for when I get there…
Now Dumbing of Age has you and she will never let you go now.
Re-reading this, and is it just me or is Danny being a huge jackass in the last panel?