140

Machine memory
Posted on January 2, 2024 by David M Willis

140 thoughts on “Machine memory”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    TALKING to people in their FACES? Eew, that’s how you get COVID

    (or, like, social connections!! YUCK)

    1. TemplarKnight

      Social connections can possibly never go away. Those are the real dangers.

      1. Ryan

        If your social connection lasts more than four hours, see a doctor.

        1. Aviator

          If your doctor keeps you waiting in the waiting room for more than four hours, see a lawyer?

        2. clif

          Text a lawyer?

    2. RassilonTDavros

      Seriously, face-to-face human interaction has never even started to feel normal to me since the pandemic began. Not that I wasn’t a shut-in before, but it’s still a hell of a lot worse.

    3. anon

      lol i wonder if jen would go stir crazy if the pandemic had happened in universe. or she’d find ways around it. (tho i guess, double down on drinking)

    4. Furie

      How long ago was COVID for them? Did they miss it after Mike died? Did Mike do it to us from beyond the grave?

      1. Needfuldoer

        I don’t think it happened in the Dumbiverse, if only because comic time passes so slowly.

        1. HueSatLight

          maybe they have covid in dumbiverse-1, and we’ve been reading dumbiverse-2 since the big time skip.

      2. Thag Simmons

        Dumbing of Age is set in (current year), so the shifting timescale means it’s never going to really be set-in stone

      3. Decidedly Orthogonal

        There was a cross-over that implied that DoA didn’t get covid. Also I seem to recal Willis posting something about not including it because otherwise the characters would be in isolation forever. ? Or maybe it was because we didn’t need the reminder that the world is covered in death.

        1. thejeff

          Yeah, it just wouldn’t have worked with the sliding timeline.
          Though to be fair, it could now be thrown into their backstory and wouldn’t affect much in the story. It’s 2024 – this year’s college freshmen were high school freshmen when Covid hit.

        2. Thag Simmons

          Right, but the timescale never stops sliding. Give it five years and the pandemic drifts deeper and deeper into the past

        3. thejeff

          But that’s okay. That still works, as long as it’s just topical comments and not a major plot point.
          It was trying to have the actual first year of Covid take place on stage that couldn’t happen. With schools shut down and all that. For most of a year of real time, but only affecting a couple of weeks of in comic time?

  2. NGPZ

    Re: second panel,

    isn’t the colloquial earthling lingo “MUSCLE memory”?

    1. Aura

      I think this is a freudian slip on Jennifer’s part. It’s a clever hint for the discerning reader that she’s been replaced by a cyborg duplicate 😉

      1. Opus the Poet

        Yep, this is not the Billie/Jennifer we knew and sorta loved, but a Terminator from the far future of 2024.

        1. Cholma

          “I’m a friend of Sally Walkerton, can I speak to her please.”
          “No, she’s taking ukulele lessons right now.”
          [looks around dorm hall] “I’ll be back.”

      2. David DeLaney

        *Carla perks up, unknowingly*

    2. Yumi

      Jennifer confirmed android

    3. Ana Chronistic

      she also uses “catty-cornered” tho

  3. James

    Texting would leave a verifiable record that she willingly engaged Walky in conversation, can’t have that.

    Also this is probably gonna be kind of heavy and yeah, you wanna have that kind of talk in person, or at least closer to in person than a text.

    1. anon

      plus you can’t enjoy their faces/reactions on purpose if you’re gloating, tho i imagine jennifer at least respects sal enough to warn her and by extension walky if their parents do/say anything that raises red flags

  4. Sirksome

    Wow she has lived in forest longer. Is she even still on the cast page?

    1. Needfuldoer

      IIRC the cast page just lists characters by number of appearances.

      Jennifer is currently fifth, after Joyce, Walky, Dorothy, and Amber.

  5. Dante

    Man, I miss Billie so much. Jennifer is plain upsetting. “Sal and/or Walky”, like they’re interchangeable (and even more when it comes to Parents Stuff innit.) Obliterating that tiny smile in Ruth just because TwT I could’ve believed that nostalgic face in panel 2…

    1. Coatl

      Billie had some human empathy, Jennifer is nothing more than a mechanized vision of Raidah’s “exemplary adult”

    2. Sirksome

      Jennifer is definitely a downgrade but I feel like vilifying her here is maybe a slight bit unfair. Ruth is the last person Jen owes any civility to. Frankly a few barbs is the best she could expect.

      1. Li

        Big difference between “owing someone civility” and “deliberately hurting them just bc you can”.

      2. Taffy

        Social debt doesn’t exist.

    3. StClair

      Jennifer is the identity that Billie made after burning “Billie” to cinders.
      Again.

    4. Jamie

      In fairness, in this case, they are kinda interchangeable. She wants to let them both know about stuff, but it’s probably fine if one twin relays to the other instead of requiring they both hear it from her mouth.

  6. Nono

    The friendliest interaction they’ve had in a while, I guess.

    1. Spriteless Aunty

      Indeed. No insults, no blame, no concussion…

      1. egg egg

        jennifer could use a concussion or two

  7. Grayfinity

    Why do I have the feeling she’s going to Jennifer it up?

    1. Kyrik Michalowski

      Because Billie/Jennifer is arrogant, and can’t stop messing things up due to her unwillingness to get help.
      Or because she is an alpha bongo; possibly both

      1. Coatl

        Like Billie, her level of empathy was small but noticeable.

  8. Kyrik Michalowski

    I am dealing with conflicting feelings, and have nothing good to add to this situation.

    Instead let me share a video: https://youtu.be/4hwEkvRojUI?si=zjJfQwa8frl6fjSP

    Start watching at the 16 minute mark. Once you’ve seen it then: You’re welcome/I’m sorry

  9. Yumi

    Jennifer blocked Walky’s number, and she doesn’t want to admit that she wants to unblock it. Walky is unaware that she has blocked him because he hasn’t tried to text her.

    1. True Survivor

      Is this true? I had forgotten it if so.

      1. Mano308gts

        It’s a new fan theory being put forth.

      2. Leorale

        It isn’t true. Yumi has

        1. Leorale

          …understood these characters well enough to select for us an appropriate lie.

          https://www.dumbingofage.com/2015/comic/book-5/04-walking-with-dina/item/

          (apparently I can’t html.)

        2. Yumi

          Somehow the cut-off made the first comment terrifying to me.

        3. Leorale

          Like when you hit Send too soon, and get classics like:
          Dear Jeffrey,
          I am afraid

      3. anon

        considering walky ignores emails he’d prolly be dismissive of jen texting him as well unless it’d be such a rarity for him to be like “oh man this must be serious” (or considering how she and lucy are roommates she would’ve come across him eventually tho i imagine he wouldn’t be walking by more after the last convo he and lucy had)

  10. Bittersweet

    Jennifer please go home, you’re going to either make Walky worse or fix him, and I don’t know which one is more upsetting to me.

    I mean, making him worse is obviously, but she uses those tiny moments of helping people and decency as a crutch for being terrible to a lot of people and I don’t think she needs the help.

    1. Coatl

      With the situation the boy is in now… yes, both options are very dangerous and it is possible that out of desperation to find a solution, Walky does not hesitate to turn to Jennifer.

    2. Jeremiah

      The thought that Jennifer could possibly have the ability to “fix” anyone in any capacity made me laugh so thanks you for that.

    3. GoblinBagsSumo

      I’m just hoping she falls down and breaks her nose or bites her lip (making it swell up) or something. A little karma for her being awful all of the damn time.

    4. zee

      Leer her speak to sal then she hasn’t had screentime in too long

      1. Opus the Poet

        Was that something in your comment? Like, letting an unconscious statement through by accident. As in you really want to leer at Sal…

  11. BBCC

    I mean, Ruth, you’re the one saying ‘all the rage’. 😛

    I kinda feel like Jennifer is looking for an argument. Her talking Walkertons will be fun though.

    1. True Survivor

      I mean she is “Ruthless.” If she is going to use an idiom its going to be the one with the words “all” and “rage.”

    2. Thag Simmons

      That’s still reasonably current, maybe a little old fashioned but it’s also not like she’s saying “egads” something

      1. clif

        Gadzooks! She isn’t.

  12. Suet

    Oh there’s Ruth. Her face in panel 3 is quite fantastic, like she’s pretty amused with Jennifer coming back.

    Grandma’s coming for some smooches, kissy kissy~

  13. Taffy

    She’s here to fuck Walky

    1. Grayfinity

      Dunno why but this made me laugh.

    2. Aura

      And/or Sal

      1. Jo_cubstar

        I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of the twins being interchangeable for sex

        1. Sirksome

          I think it’s less that they are interchangeable but that Jennifer specifically has shown attraction to both of them.

        2. Aura

          Me too tbh, but I couldn’t resist playing off her dialogue above. Guessing you’re also not a huge fan of Walky in this strip then? https://www.dumbingofage.com/2023/comic/book-13/04-but-dont-give-yourself-away/searching-2/

        3. Dara

          that is one of walky’s finest moments xD

        4. jeffepp

          It’s understood that she is expected to marry one of them, and so join the family officially. The parents would prefer Walkie, but either will do.

          Then she will join Carroll, as mother and daughter, to rule Empire!

        5. Slartibeast Button, BIA

          The tighter they squeeze, the more dorms will slip through their fingers.

        6. Schpoonman

          Linda. Carol is Joyce’s mother.

        7. Taffy

          That’s just what they want you to think.

        8. jeffepp

          These evil mothers all look alike, especially once they put on the evil helmets.

  14. DailyBrad

    I wonder which one she gets, Sal or Walky. Both are going to be pretty interesting conversations.

    1. Jeremiah

      I been saying this a lot I will repeat: It will probably be awful for everyone involved so I absolutely approve.

      1. Jamie

        It’s DoA update hour, do you know where your children popcorn is?

    2. Yumi

      Seen more Walky recently, so I hope it’s Sal.

      1. Mark

        She’s going to interrupt Sal and Danny doing something fairly innocent and crushingly adorable.

    3. Taffy

      Sick to death of Walky, so hopefully Sal.

  15. sakamism

    What exactly does she need to talk to them about? The parental units are about to leave town, they still like her more than they like their own children. What’s worth walking across campus to talk to Sal and Walky about?

    1. anon

      maybe something like “your mom was being weird to me earlier, please suck up to her a bit and focus her attention on you so they dont pester me” or so lol

      Or just an excuse to hear their side of the story if not find out if Lucy and Walky ended up being ok since i don’t think lucy came across jen yet or would’ve texted/tweeted that she broke up with him

      1. clif

        She may have learned why they were on campus.

  16. Megan Rivera

    Ruth looks so pretty and vulnerable when she smiles genuinely, I hope that she gets opportunities in the future to feel like that again.

    1. StClair

      Same.

  17. Amelie Wikström

    My time is cheap, my phone plan isn’t. I’d rather walk twenty minutes than call or text someone any day of the week if I can choose. Buut I don’t think that’s at all like Jen’s situation.

    1. drs

      Sweden still has phone plans with set minutes or texts? I think everything in the US is “unlimited” now (though if you use too much data they slow you down).

      1. Amelie Wikström

        Yep, if you’re willing to pay approximately $1.50/month you can enjoy 20 cents/minute calls and some probably hilariously expensive Internet. (I never use it.)

        1. drs

          okay wow that’s cheap per month, don’t think you can go under $30 in the US

        2. HueSatLight

          I do $20 a month for an unlimited talk/text, there’s $15 a month for a limited plan.

        3. HeatherJean

          For $60 plus tax one can buy a new Android 13 Tracfone (which uses Verizon’s network) and a year’s service (1500 minutes voice, 1500 texts, some gigs of data) from HSN or QVC which may not be the lowest cost available in the US but it’s pretty close to it. Google Voice is free, and there are multiple other free services for texts, assuming you have internet access at home, or elsewhere.

          $30/month seems a lot, at least to me. YMMV

    2. anon

      there are apps (if not email in like a free wifi cafe) you can use versus paying for texts but good luck. tho depending on the message i wouldn’t bother to track someone down. although it would be interesting if just sending physical mail/cards to ppl you live close by to would be fun

  18. RacingTurtle

    Becky’s right; these two are a terrible couple

    …they should get back together

  19. HueSatLight

    Walky texts, but he doesn’t feel like someone who texts back if he didn’t start the conversation.

  20. Icalasari

    Now kith

    1. eh, whatever

      Now kin?

      1. Theluxland

        Now knit

        1. David DeLaney

          now cast FIST

        2. Council

          kiffu

  21. PirateTawnee

    Alt-text seeing me just as much as I see it.

  22. Bryy

    Jennifer ain’t ready for Evolved Walky.

    1. Taffy

      What’s he evolved to, a slightly tidier smear on the wall?

  23. M!a

    Billifer wants to confide that she’s put off by Linda. But because it’s Billifer, the real objective is to reinforce her superior status even in their family.

    Because that’s what she does.

    That’s ALL she does.

    1. Bryy

      Bingo. She’ll find some way to convince herself that Linda’s racism is somehow Walky and Sal’s fault.

  24. Fel

    Jennifer’s story is so interesting to me, it’s like an expanded version of how we see characters in The Good Place backslide into old bad habits, but for significantly less relatable reasons.

  25. Bogeywoman

    Aww, panel three Ruth. I still ship. I like toxic-to-healthy dynamics and I want that for them.

    1. NGPZ

      Feeling any better? ?

      I’m getting to at least partly functioning thanks to micro-dosing weed ;-;

      1. Mark

        Happy for you.

    2. Needfuldoer

      Ruth deserves better.

    3. Joyfulldreams

      I want them to get back together because I think Billie actually loved Ruth. I don’t think she loves Asher. She likes him well enough but being with him isn’t really ABOUT him.

      I ALSO love toxic-to-healthy dynamics. I want them to give it another try. Fingers crossed.

  26. AGV

    I kinda agree with Jennifer here, I’d much prefer to talk face to face than to text

  27. HueSatLight

    Jennifer is terrible with her own life, F’s and D’s. But with other people’s lives she has like a B average (eg: Don’t Stop Billie-ving). We don’t know what the Walkertons were in town for, and probably neither do their kids, since all the times they met turned into fighting.
    Jennifer made it through a meal with them without Linda lashing out at her. She might have learned something she thinks they deserve to know.

  28. Needfuldoer

    Way to twist the phone, B’Jennifer.

  29. Derek

    Never heard it being called “machine memory”, isn’t it muscle memory?

    1. Daibhid C

      I thought that, so I googled “machine memory” in case it was an alternate term, and just got a lot of stuff about computers.

      Also, I’m not sure it gets overerridden as reliably as Jennifer suggests? Like, a few years ago, I was sick, thought “Much to my own surprise, I remember the phone number for work”, and called my first job, a number I hadn’t needed to phone for well over a decade.

      TL;DR: I am not sure Jennifer has throuroughly researched the thing she’s talking about.

    2. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      She’s more machine now than man…

  30. C.T. Phipps

    Wow. She’s just not into Asher at all save as a status symbol.

  31. DarkoNeko

    beep bop I’m a robot and I have machine memory

  32. ValdVin

    .. ‐ … .‐ .-.. .-.. – …. . .-. .- –.

    1. ValdVin

      Strike that last:

      .-. .- –. .

    2. Needfuldoer

      Boop boop, beep bop?

  33. Taffy

    Hand thing

  34. WizardPantaloon

    Aw they love each other

  35. Hof1991

    Jennifer is the new Mike. Here with uncomfortable truths for Walky. Maybe even true ones.

  36. GoblinBagsSumo

    It’s stuff like this that makes me never, ever like Jennifer. I think she is the most toxic person in cast and while I applaud the realistic creation of someone like her and I love what she adds to the story, I really dislike her. I genuinely do not understand why more of the main cast hasn’t shunned her for being awful all of the time.

    1. thejeff

      What is so awful about this?

      I get that she’s done some awful stuff, but this seems a pretty banal interaction with an ex. The previous bit with Asher was far worse.

      1. GoblinBagsSumo

        She’s a jerk to everybody she meets for no reason? Including her boyfriend, including her ex, and literally everybody she runs into. She just turns into a sarcastic jerk for no reason.

        1. thejeff

          The scene with Asher was bad, as I said.
          This? Being a bit sarcastic with an ex, where there are still a lot of screwed up feelings? This is perfectly normal.
          There are reasons to dislike her, but unless you’re already really primed to do so, this scene isn’t one of them.

    2. HueSatLight

      she gave a goofy incorrect answer before the real one. She’s history’s greatest monster.

      1. GoblinBagsSumo

        “Goofy” being a jerk and trying to hurt her ex. Right. Jennifer is a surly butt to every single person she runs into – including those she claims to care about. She’s a very realistic depiction of a college kid with a major chip on her shoulder but compared to any of the other main cast – including Mike – she’s just pretty much always a butthat to people for no reason at all. I dunno why anyone likes her.

        1. HueSatLight

          because being sarcastic doesn’t make someone history’s greatest monster.

        2. HueSatLight

          “It was absentmindedsness… jk, here to see Sal or Walky” ouch, what a viciously cruel thing to say to try to hurt(?) her ex.

        3. Jeremiah

          I mean, she very clearly say that to give the impression that this hall (and therefore her time spend with Ruth) was valuable to her just to them inmeadtly step on that idea just to spite Ruth and show how over her she is, as we had see express before in other ways.

  37. Mym

    Jennifer sucks so bad omg

    1. Taffy

      Good. Characters being pleasantbin any way is bad writing.

      1. Taffy

        Pleasant in*. Godsake

        1. Mym

          Throw her in the pleasantbin where she belongs!!!
          Tho I agree lol

  38. Valerie

    She has to talk face-to-FAAAACE

    (It would be genre-defying and realistic to have these two stay broken up and move on, but we are not here for realism, there are superheroes in this comic)

  39. Yeet

    goddammit jennifer

  40. ESM

    Ruth, no one in this comic ever texts anyone unless it’s physically impossible to talk to them otherwise.

    If people started using the internet to talk to each other, the next thing you know we’re Homestuck and every strip is a still image of Joyce at the computer with ten pages of text beneath it

    1. Jeremiah

      I would actually like to see that, would be interesting.

  41. Rabisch

    Ruth should stop every day to remember how right she was to break up with Billie/Jennifer and how much better her life is without her.

    1. Needfuldoer

      She can see that, but she has to truly believe it.

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