It’s a very cartoon flight trail, isn’t it? Like something you’d see out of a late 90s/early 00s Cartoon Network Santa Claus special. Maybe a crossover with the Power Puff Girls.
Joyce is manifesting Dina powers. Especially amazing since Joyce is sucking on a straw, which usually makes some noise. Of course, now that Joyce can SEE, it’s easier for to spot and recognize other people first.
Kind of late for superpowers to enter the story at this point, but flight is cool and Joe is already pretty strong. The campus needs a new watchman now that Amazigirl is retired.
Y’know as a guy I often feel like I have to wrestle with the fact that I have an inherent creepiness I have to fight against. My biggest fear is people seeing me as a creep or a weirdo (what the hell am I doing here) so I tend to act really shy and reserved. Which just makes me seem creepier!
Yep, it’s the price we pay for the rest of our ilk putting their shittiest foot forward. I’m an open guy there’s lots of times I just want to approach a lady casually and strike up a conversation ( like hey cool shirt I love that show too etc.) but I know there’s an inherent fear to responding to a dude who might get the wrong idea from you breathing in his general direction and thus I usually don’t as to not put them in that situation. Which sucks because like you said keeping a respectful distance can also be seen as creepy since dudes have ruined that too.
In short what I’m saying is is we should start over with men, scorch the Earth and begin anew.
There are definitely cues that you can use to make yourself less threatening. My husband goes on walks regularly and has discovered that women are much less likely to give off wary social cues when he’s wearing a pink shirt. People basically universally regard him with joy when he is carrying a plant (which obviously you don’t normally do when walking places but we used to have a plant nursery near us that gave advice if you brought something in). You don’t necessarily have to seem less masculine but if you seem less worried about seeming less masculine you are just less threatening. And similarly if you’re in the process of doing a domestic task like walking a dog or doing work on your computer in a coffee shop. Stuff that makes it clear that you’re not there for women, you’re there to do a thing you want to do and you happen to be sociable.
There’s an age component too. I’m a woman and I like talking to strangers, but I’m much less worried talking to male strangers who are significantly older or younger than me then I am talking to similarly aged men? It’s not because I think similarly aged men are going to be dangerous, it just removes most possibility that anybody is going to hit on me. It means I don’t have to drop that I have a husband earlier in the conversation than I otherwise would to defend against folks getting the wrong idea. Less worrying about pretense. If you have one, dropping that you have a partner will make me less worried about you if you’re a man. This does not help if you’re trying to find people to date, but it might help if you just want to socialize with women.
I am sorry that this is the state of the world for you, the same way that I’m sure that you’re sorry this is the state of the world for the stuff I have to deal with. Gender relations aren’t great for a number of reasons, but the world receiving you as threatening seems really lonely and I have a lot of empathy for the other side of the fence here.
That’s not on you though. It’s a patriarchal culture that conditions men to be predators which as a result make most women naturally more wary of men, especially if you’re big or tall like Joe is. If you’re already aware of it then you don’t need to worry so much and just be yourself. Joe specifically though has been a creep in the past so he should constantly be checking himself.
It doesn’t matter if it’s my fault or not. It still effects me and it will continue to effect me until the day I die. You can say just be yourself but that’s not gonna not make people uncomfortable around me. It’s not gonna keep me from being socially awkward, scared of being judged, and just uncomfortable with putting myself out there.
Jaime
I dunno. I hear what everyone is saying here, but I have never been uncomfortable around men in general. I am uncomfortable around CREEPY men (and by creepy I mean men who stare at me for a long time, make comments about my body, follow me when I’m walking, etc.).
And also…I’m not unsympathtic BUT…female-presenting people ARE statistically at risk from men. I am NOT trying to unfair to any gender here, but, as Sirksome noted, the current patriarchal culture “conditions men to tbe predators” and thus women may be afraid of men. Of course it’s “not all men” but we need more wide-spread social reconstruction until we can expect women (like me) to not be wary of being approached by men we don’t know well.
Mark
The thing about social reconstruction is that somebody has to make the first move. Actually millions of somebodies. A lot of somebodies have to be confident but not arrogant; a lot of somebodies have to be careful but not fearful. For a society to evolve, it needs a lot of visible examples.
Sirksome
That’s fine. Take your time. I just wanted to state that you’re not the problem. Most people aren’t as uncomfortable as you think, but not having those thoughts or reassuring yourself is the struggle. I deal with similar emotions. I think a lot of socially awkward people do. It’s relatable. But one think I’ve at least discovered for myself is that it’s rarely as bad as you build up in your mind. Good luck though. Was just trying to help reassure you in as much a friendly way as a quasi-anonymous internet comment can be in a hopefully not ironically creepy was as possible.
Honestly I really don’t think there’s anything inherent in you or anyone for that matter. I’ve been reading The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks and it’s been really helpful to me so just throwing it out there in case it’s useful to you.
Brief eye contact, smile, nod. I know you weren’t asking for advice. Just telling you, as a woman, 100% of the men who’ve been creeps to me in public don’t meet my gaze like you would to acknowledge a person. We can tell the difference between being ogled and quick wordless greeting.
As an aside, Thom Yorke of Radiohead often said later on that he really hates that song now. It was a bit of a throwaway tune that almost didn’t make their first album, and while it did unexpectedly propel them to fame, he often resented how audiences would want them to play it every time. Eventually they started purposefully butchering it on stage, then essentially refused to play it any longer.
Anyway… yeah, the patriarchy fucks basically all of us over in one way or another. It’s true that some have it worse, but it’s also true that being a man under patriarchy is corrupting and soul-destroying. We all need a feminist revolution.
Same thing with Nirvhana and “Smells like Teen Spirit”. Though moreso that Smells like Teen Spirit was them intentionally selling out and then it got WAY bigger than anyone could’ve expected and it was just sorta…all people wanted from them.
a famous novelist character in a novel i was reading recently, who’s probably a bit of a self-insert, goes on about how celebrity culture is literally a mass psychosis. because (according to her) “celebrities” are either very unhappy because fame is a lot like harrassment or, for those who actually seek out that level of attention, completely insane. i guess it’s not a very groundbreaking idea tbf, she probably made some more interesting points i’m forgetting now.
I know what you mean from the other side – I’ve recently realized that I’ve developed a knee-jerk “oh no don’t be too responsive” reaction to any guy directly trying to chat with me in a meetup due to my prior experiences with being friendly towards them being taken as “leading them on”, causing them to become extremely demanding of my time and attention and then varying levels of upset/threatening when I rejected them/didn’t give them what they want. Which is frustrating when I would like to find someone to date, and I’m down to have male friends, but I’m not sure how to feel out a person if just chatting back with them a bit is apparently taken as already signing myself away?
Honestly, you are heads and shoulders above the guys I have met if you are just friendly *without being pushy or demanding about it*. And if you think there is something between you, just ask them out directly and don’t be mad if they say no! That way it’s upfront and the girls don’t have to be as wary of your agenda – none of the guys who considered me a bongo for “leading them on” ever actually asked me out, which was part of the discomfort.
At least to me, being shy and reserved isn’t creepy, being pushy or leering is. So if you are being chill and respectful, which it sounds like you are trying to be, you’re good! Girls may be eyeing you (and any guy) for creepiness at first in self-defence, which might be the vibe that is triggering you, but that’s not personal and should get better once you’ve shown you’re cool!
TLDR: It’s sad that women have to be wary of men for the creepers for good reason, but don’t let it get to you and stay (genuinely) nice and it will be fine, you can just prove yourself non-creepy! I dunno if that helps.
175 thoughts on “Ping”
Ana Chronistic
Joe launched into the ceiling by the power of snowflakes
Thag Simmons
Joe hits his head on the ceiling and suddenly we’re in an amnesia arc
MIB4u
just love this idea …
Schpoonman
It’s a very cartoon flight trail, isn’t it? Like something you’d see out of a late 90s/early 00s Cartoon Network Santa Claus special. Maybe a crossover with the Power Puff Girls.
showler
Joyce is actually Yor and she was mad about his comment.
Wizard
Some kind of compressed gas jets in his shoes. Even as Joe is propelled upwards, the rapidly expanding gas cools and condenses.
Caro
i KNEW yesterday’s tooltip would come true
BBCC
Surpriiiiiiiiise! XD That is the best Joe reaction in a minute.
Wraithy2773
Okay, Amber I can buy having a terrible spot check, but damn, Joe, you’re supposed to be good at using your peripheral vision to spot chicks!
John Campbell
Joyce crept in below his eye level.
Wizard
Seems unlikely. Considering Joe’s height, he should be used to looking down.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
His love for Joyce is interfering with his chick-sense.
Steelbright
He was staring too hard into the depths of his own anxiety and nothing else got through
Tawdry Quirks
Joyce rolled a natural 20 on her stealth skill check. Joe didn’t stand a chance.
Ophidiophile
Joyce is manifesting Dina powers. Especially amazing since Joyce is sucking on a straw, which usually makes some noise. Of course, now that Joyce can SEE, it’s easier for to spot and recognize other people first.
eh, whatever
Only makes noise if you’re getting air in, like when you’re almost finished.
showler
Joyce has displayed teleportation powers before.
Wizard
I thought that only worked if it involved Dorothy.
DailyBrad
Uh oh, swerve, he’s getting Raptured.
Rose by Any Other Name
Best comment. Bravo.
milu
turns out the Jews were the Chosen all along! woopsie!
Nathan
Joe must return to his home planet now.
newlland(Henryvolt)
Joe died on the way home
Doctor_Who
(Mario-jump-sound.wav)
milu
Joe hits a mushroom but he’s already big! pointless.
Cmasta1992
First time his eyebrows jumped off his face and now his whole everything jumped off
Sirksome
Either Joyce and/or Amber have latent telekinesis or Joe just discovered he can fly. Which is it though?
Ed Rhodes
“Not fly. Jump good!”
Roborat
Wow, haven’t seen a Samurai Jack reference in the wild for quite a while.
Smallmoon
But Joyce’s latent abductee power in this universe is Lteleportation… 😛
Keulen
Joyce has been able to teleport for a while now.
The Wellerman
Certainly a bizarre twist!!! ?
Also happy Pi Day / Einstein’s Birthday to all who celebrate!
*plays “Roundabout” by Yes! on hacked muzak*
Joe Moose
Ah yes, one of their best. Woot woot!
True Survivor
Happy Pi Day to you as well. Oh, the 14 is also my friend’s birthday – I should call them in the morning. Thanks for the reminder!
Needfuldoer
mmmmm, pie
WalkerOfSorrow
I would have opted for Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush.
zee
Also white day to those who do it. Hope all you lassies get chocolate and your gacha bishonen get sexy suit skins
RacingTurtle
I hope whatever was in his other hand is okay
Doctor_Who
It’s a bowl of cereal.
PirateTawnee
Steve is gonna be furious.
The Wellerman
Steve from Minecraft? XD
Needfuldoer
Steve from Questionable Content.
RacingTurtle
lol, that’s amazing
Joe Moose
Damn, boy! White guys *can* jump!
[movie reference btw]
sakamism
Kind of late for superpowers to enter the story at this point, but flight is cool and Joe is already pretty strong. The campus needs a new watchman now that Amazigirl is retired.
Smallmoon
I mean, powers were introduced at LATEST in 2017…
Steamweed
“The Joyce is coming from inside the house!”
Yotomoe
Usually Joyce is coming form inside the Landry room.
Opus the Poet
Take my imaginary upvote!
GUIGUI
Was about to say that.
Yotomoe
Y’know as a guy I often feel like I have to wrestle with the fact that I have an inherent creepiness I have to fight against. My biggest fear is people seeing me as a creep or a weirdo (what the hell am I doing here) so I tend to act really shy and reserved. Which just makes me seem creepier!
Slartibeast Button, BIA
Yup, same here.
newlland(Henryvolt)
Amber probably knew she was right behind her and is screwing with them.
Scruffy looking nerfherder
Yep, it’s the price we pay for the rest of our ilk putting their shittiest foot forward. I’m an open guy there’s lots of times I just want to approach a lady casually and strike up a conversation ( like hey cool shirt I love that show too etc.) but I know there’s an inherent fear to responding to a dude who might get the wrong idea from you breathing in his general direction and thus I usually don’t as to not put them in that situation. Which sucks because like you said keeping a respectful distance can also be seen as creepy since dudes have ruined that too.
In short what I’m saying is is we should start over with men, scorch the Earth and begin anew.
AKP
There are definitely cues that you can use to make yourself less threatening. My husband goes on walks regularly and has discovered that women are much less likely to give off wary social cues when he’s wearing a pink shirt. People basically universally regard him with joy when he is carrying a plant (which obviously you don’t normally do when walking places but we used to have a plant nursery near us that gave advice if you brought something in). You don’t necessarily have to seem less masculine but if you seem less worried about seeming less masculine you are just less threatening. And similarly if you’re in the process of doing a domestic task like walking a dog or doing work on your computer in a coffee shop. Stuff that makes it clear that you’re not there for women, you’re there to do a thing you want to do and you happen to be sociable.
There’s an age component too. I’m a woman and I like talking to strangers, but I’m much less worried talking to male strangers who are significantly older or younger than me then I am talking to similarly aged men? It’s not because I think similarly aged men are going to be dangerous, it just removes most possibility that anybody is going to hit on me. It means I don’t have to drop that I have a husband earlier in the conversation than I otherwise would to defend against folks getting the wrong idea. Less worrying about pretense. If you have one, dropping that you have a partner will make me less worried about you if you’re a man. This does not help if you’re trying to find people to date, but it might help if you just want to socialize with women.
I am sorry that this is the state of the world for you, the same way that I’m sure that you’re sorry this is the state of the world for the stuff I have to deal with. Gender relations aren’t great for a number of reasons, but the world receiving you as threatening seems really lonely and I have a lot of empathy for the other side of the fence here.
Sirksome
That’s not on you though. It’s a patriarchal culture that conditions men to be predators which as a result make most women naturally more wary of men, especially if you’re big or tall like Joe is. If you’re already aware of it then you don’t need to worry so much and just be yourself. Joe specifically though has been a creep in the past so he should constantly be checking himself.
Yotomoe
It doesn’t matter if it’s my fault or not. It still effects me and it will continue to effect me until the day I die. You can say just be yourself but that’s not gonna not make people uncomfortable around me. It’s not gonna keep me from being socially awkward, scared of being judged, and just uncomfortable with putting myself out there.
Jaime
I dunno. I hear what everyone is saying here, but I have never been uncomfortable around men in general. I am uncomfortable around CREEPY men (and by creepy I mean men who stare at me for a long time, make comments about my body, follow me when I’m walking, etc.).
And also…I’m not unsympathtic BUT…female-presenting people ARE statistically at risk from men. I am NOT trying to unfair to any gender here, but, as Sirksome noted, the current patriarchal culture “conditions men to tbe predators” and thus women may be afraid of men. Of course it’s “not all men” but we need more wide-spread social reconstruction until we can expect women (like me) to not be wary of being approached by men we don’t know well.
Mark
The thing about social reconstruction is that somebody has to make the first move. Actually millions of somebodies. A lot of somebodies have to be confident but not arrogant; a lot of somebodies have to be careful but not fearful. For a society to evolve, it needs a lot of visible examples.
Sirksome
That’s fine. Take your time. I just wanted to state that you’re not the problem. Most people aren’t as uncomfortable as you think, but not having those thoughts or reassuring yourself is the struggle. I deal with similar emotions. I think a lot of socially awkward people do. It’s relatable. But one think I’ve at least discovered for myself is that it’s rarely as bad as you build up in your mind. Good luck though. Was just trying to help reassure you in as much a friendly way as a quasi-anonymous internet comment can be in a hopefully not ironically creepy was as possible.
thenamelesssamurai
Honestly I really don’t think there’s anything inherent in you or anyone for that matter. I’ve been reading The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by bell hooks and it’s been really helpful to me so just throwing it out there in case it’s useful to you.
Jaime
(Sorry – I flagged your comment by accident because I clicked in the slightly wrong place! I don’t know how to unflag it!)
BUT I meant to say that bell hooks is the GOAT about pretty much everything and ABSOLUTELY worth a read!
milu
seconded!!
Needfuldoer
Yaay, self-fulfilling prophecies!
*sarcastic, unenthusiastic party horn*
eh, whatever
Imposter syndrome.
Amós Batista
Ugh, that hits hard… I’m sorry about it, Yotomoe…
Badgermole
Brief eye contact, smile, nod. I know you weren’t asking for advice. Just telling you, as a woman, 100% of the men who’ve been creeps to me in public don’t meet my gaze like you would to acknowledge a person. We can tell the difference between being ogled and quick wordless greeting.
milu
As an aside, Thom Yorke of Radiohead often said later on that he really hates that song now. It was a bit of a throwaway tune that almost didn’t make their first album, and while it did unexpectedly propel them to fame, he often resented how audiences would want them to play it every time. Eventually they started purposefully butchering it on stage, then essentially refused to play it any longer.
Anyway… yeah, the patriarchy fucks basically all of us over in one way or another. It’s true that some have it worse, but it’s also true that being a man under patriarchy is corrupting and soul-destroying. We all need a feminist revolution.
Yotomoe
Same thing with Nirvhana and “Smells like Teen Spirit”. Though moreso that Smells like Teen Spirit was them intentionally selling out and then it got WAY bigger than anyone could’ve expected and it was just sorta…all people wanted from them.
milu
hah, yeah. fame must really suck sometimes.
a famous novelist character in a novel i was reading recently, who’s probably a bit of a self-insert, goes on about how celebrity culture is literally a mass psychosis. because (according to her) “celebrities” are either very unhappy because fame is a lot like harrassment or, for those who actually seek out that level of attention, completely insane. i guess it’s not a very groundbreaking idea tbf, she probably made some more interesting points i’m forgetting now.
Saria
I know what you mean from the other side – I’ve recently realized that I’ve developed a knee-jerk “oh no don’t be too responsive” reaction to any guy directly trying to chat with me in a meetup due to my prior experiences with being friendly towards them being taken as “leading them on”, causing them to become extremely demanding of my time and attention and then varying levels of upset/threatening when I rejected them/didn’t give them what they want. Which is frustrating when I would like to find someone to date, and I’m down to have male friends, but I’m not sure how to feel out a person if just chatting back with them a bit is apparently taken as already signing myself away?
Honestly, you are heads and shoulders above the guys I have met if you are just friendly *without being pushy or demanding about it*. And if you think there is something between you, just ask them out directly and don’t be mad if they say no! That way it’s upfront and the girls don’t have to be as wary of your agenda – none of the guys who considered me a bongo for “leading them on” ever actually asked me out, which was part of the discomfort.
At least to me, being shy and reserved isn’t creepy, being pushy or leering is. So if you are being chill and respectful, which it sounds like you are trying to be, you’re good! Girls may be eyeing you (and any guy) for creepiness at first in self-defence, which might be the vibe that is triggering you, but that’s not personal and should get better once you’ve shown you’re cool!
TLDR: It’s sad that women have to be wary of men for the creepers for good reason, but don’t let it get to you and stay (genuinely) nice and it will be fine, you can just prove yourself non-creepy! I dunno if that helps.
Mr. Random