Gerhard Haderer is an Austrian cartoonist who does not shy away from controversial statements. These aren't the type of cartoons you want to look at with your niece or nephew. Not unless you want to explain satire to a 7-year-old. Trust me, you don't. What you'll see is that a lot of these cartoons are relevant to many different time periods. It's like we're living the same mistakes over and over again. Check out and see how many of these you can relate to. #43 will totally make you fall to the floor.
People get into their own little bubble when they take selfies. Every year there are hundreds of cases of people falling off mountains or getting hit by cars just so they can snap the perfect photo. At least they have something to show for their deaths. Not everyone can say that. Some people choke to death and all they have to show for it is an unfinished meal.
This picture perfectly roasts our intense need for selfies, claiming that even in the literal mouth of danger, people would still be more focused on the picture. Think about it though. If you ended up in the mouth of a shark and weren't torn into hundreds of pieces, you had better take the opportunity to snap a photo. After all is said and done you could always use the selfie stick as a weapon.
Phone cameras are getting better and better with every year. They used to only have half a megapixel. Now they have so many megapixels that it's making me realize that I don't even know what a megapixel is. As good as these cameras get, do we really expect them to be better than our eyes? Eyes have unlimited megapixels. Unless you're blind.
These days it's not uncommon to see more people filming an experience than actually enjoying it. In a way I understand it. It's nice to preserve the memories, but a sunset is a sunset. I'm pretty sure we already have enough sunset footage. The point of being there for a sunset is to feel it. Watching it later is just pointless. There are some things you just can't manufacture, which is why our addiction to phones is such a bad thing.
Everybody has their fake smile. I am so in tune with mine that I can physically feel it when I'm giving it, and then I become immediately self conscious. It's the smile I'll give to the hostess at a restaurant. It's like, I want to be polite but I also want to get this social interaction over with as quickly as possible. It's a courtesy we do for each other, yet we can all sniff out a fake smile so it's not really doing anyone any favors.
This drawing takes the idea of a fake smile to a whole new level. By having a dedicated station for fake smiles, it's saying that society demands that you be happy. That's pretty dark. What's even darker is the lack of sanitation station. You think I'm just going to shove that in my mouth without dropping it in some Listerine?
At first glance this picture doesn't look bad. It's the type of beautiful image you might see in a classic Christmas book. The depiction of a mother making cookies. I can smell the cookies right now. Although this lady could add some chocolate or jelly on those cookies. The problems arise when you look behind her. Even though she's trying to her best to hold onto the classic activities of the holidays, the kids around her are into the activities of today: surfing the interwebs on the Facebooks and Youtubes.
I can personally connect to this one. My family used to play games together during the holidays, but as the new generation has taken over, those games have died. Instead everyone is instagramming me passed out drunk with my pants down. Now everyone knows not to leave me alone with the turkey on Thanksgiving.
Right now you can get a laptop cheaper than you could get a yearly newspaper subscription. Seriously, I remember the days when laptops would cost some serious money. Now I buy laptops like I buy gum. If they are at the checkout aisle, I pick one up. Once you have a laptop then you pretty much have an infinite amount of newspapers. That's why it's so common to see a coffee shop full of people on laptops reading fake news instead of good, old fashioned print.
This picture shows us just how alien physical newspapers have become to us. Here we have a bunch of people in a restaurant on laptops, but they're looking at the guy reading a newspaper as if he's the weirdo. In some ways the people have a point. Newspapers lead to waste compared to laptops and phones, but let's not pretend these people aren't just Facebooking.
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. You may be more familiar with that phrasing when it's conveyed by the image of the three wise monkeys. It's an old proverb meant to say that you shouldn't immediately judge things. You must understand them before labeling them as evil. The proverb is used to startling effect when instead of the monkeys we have three priests.
We're all aware of the problems that the churches have had with molestation, and not just molestations, but the cover ups as well. This picture shows us the irony of when we clearly know something is evil, but we choose to do nothing about it. It's quite the opposite of the proverb, which I think is incredibly clever. As clever as this illustration is, let's not forget how disturbing the meaning is behind it.
Now more than ever it seems like there's no faith in the American congress, among many other aspects of the United States government. That's not just our imaginations either. People inside of congress even say it's a madhouse. Not that we needed any evidence. You can see it with the policies that do and don't get passed. Flint, Michigan still doesn't have clean drinking water, but let's have a couple dozen more meetings about the billion dollar border wall.
This depiction of congress doesn't seem all that inaccurate when you consider what's going on in the government. Although I can understand some of the details. After long hours voting on bills you'd get hungry, so I think we can all see the merit in a hot dog stand inside of a congressional assembly. Right now it seems the only thing they're serving up is bologna.
What's sad about this image is that I'm looking at it thinking, "that's actually a pretty good idea." That's totally wrong though. We're less connected to each other now than ever before. Sure, I can text my girlfriend all throughout the day using our smartphones, but I can't even tell you what color her eyes are. We're so deep in our phones I don't need to see her face. Sometimes the only physical time we get together is in front of the TV. At least with that we can be next to each other and stare at the same thing. This image strips away any sense of being together.
When I think about it though, this isn't that different from when I lived with my parents. I'd be in my room watching TV while my mom was in another room watching TV, and my dad was in another room watching TV. Sometimes we were even watching the same thing! What's our problem?
The amount of food available in certain countries, yet stripped away from others, is insane. If I order the Mega Burrito Special from my local taco shop I can be fed for five days with five dollars. Even then I usually just throw the rest of the burrito out... because I can! This image shows the disparity between certain areas, and how unfair economics can be when it comes to giving people livable conditions.
Here we have Euro tomatoes for the same price as Ghana tomatoes, but is that really fair? Ghana can't possibly produce tomatoes on the same level to be competitive to other countries. You can't just say, "Ghana doesn't get tomatoes then," because how are they going to make BLTs? No one wants just a BL. That's BS.
This one is simple, yet true. That's what makes it so effective. Anyone can understand it, even the type of person who this image is about. We're talking about greed, folks. Specifically with money. Some people have so much money that I can't fathom why they would want more. It's not like the Earth has infinite resources. You can't be so rich that you can buy unlimited pants. At some point, we'll run out of pants. I hope that makes sense to you, because it makes sense to me.
People who continually chase money look exactly like this. They have nowhere else to put it after a while. They're just jamming it down their throat further and further until they become a bloated monster. Just a shadow of the kind soul they once were. If there's one rule to remember it's that money changes you.
One thing that we are very used to doing is giving importance and gravitas to old, historical things. That can cause us to not see things for what they truly are. Take the elderly for example. I'm not saying that you shouldn't love the elderly. I'm saying that just because someone's old doesn't mean they aren't a jerk. Don't waste your time giving respect to an old person just because they're old. They have to earn it just like you do. Now, enough picking on the elderly. Let's pick on the white house.
The White House has been in disarray for a while. Like the past couple hundred years. But seriously, it seems like this recent iteration of the US government has been screwing up badly. The magnificent image of the white house isn't so magnificent when it's filled with crap. That's what this image reminds us. All that glitters is not gold.
Honestly, this is probably a much easier-to-stomach version of what actually happens to farming chickens. I have a cousin who works at a chicken farm. He let me check it out, and let me tell you, it was the best argument for veganism that I've ever seen. This image touches on that in a very cartoonish way that might be more palatable for people to understand just what goes into your morning eggs.
By having the egg be a soft boiled egg on a custom tray is an extra jab at the wealthy. Us poor people are out here eating cake mix and water. We're lucky if we get eggs. The wealthy are the type of people who would pay $20 for an artisanal soft boiled egg, boiled inside the chicken. Opulence knows no bounds.
I love how this one slowly hits you. At first you think, "why would they be scuba diving in the desert?" Then you finally understand... because there is no more water. Now, while I think that if the Earth ever got this bad we would be dead before we ever took up desert scuba diving, the message is not lost on me. Anytime I take a shower longer than three minutes I start to get worried about the planet. I live in Southern California which as been in a drought since the 20s. Seriously, until we learn how to drink salt water, this could be a serious issue.
I don't think this is how the end of the world would go down though. A lot of people have the desert depiction in their head, but I think a huge wave will swallow us all before we ever completely dry up. Isn't this fun to talk about?
Like I had mentioned before, sometimes the only quality time I get with my girlfriend is us watching TV together. There we are, romantically staring at the screen watching 'Greys Anatomy.' Both of us having confusing feelings about Patrick Dempsey. Sometimes we're staring at our phones while watching TV too, so we're not even watching the same thing. That's unfortunately what modern romance has become.
You'd think that nothing could ruin the romanticism of sitting on a park bench with your lover, but this is more close to the reality of that situation. Here we have two people sitting as far away from each other as possible. All while they connect with other people online. It's so bizarre how we hunt for some kind of connection yet ignore the connections all around us. I'm starting to sound like a philosopher. If only I could follow my own philosophy.
I don't mess with fortune tellers, tarot cards, or anything like that. I believe in self-fulfilling prophecies, so if you tell me I'm going to have bad fortune, I believe that I will end up creating the bad fortune. The same can be said about being told good things, but who wants to risk that? I'd rather just live my life minute to minute, hoping nothing goes wrong and happy when things go right.
This cartoon doesn't make me want to visit a fortune teller anymore than I did before. This is exactly my worst case scenario. The fortune teller already knows that once I hear what's coming, I'm going to want to kill myself. I wonder if he had to pay extra for the noose, or if you can get a discount if you bring your own. These are the types of questions a frugal person thinks of.
This is absolutely hilarious to me. We daydream so much about what we want that we don't realize that those things won't change our situation. I've spent countless hours stuck in traffic fantasizing about being in a new, expensive car. The thing is that even if I had that car I'd still be in traffic. Even if I wasn't in traffic, I'd still be the same guy with the same anxieties. It would be better to daydream about how we can better our mindset, but where's the fun in that?
I will take this cartoon to task by saying that when you go from a car that has no stereo or AC, to one that has those things, then these kinds of fantasies are completely legitimate. Yes, AC and a radio will make your ride in traffic better, however, if you're riding around in a 2017 Camry wishing for a sports car, just stop. You've already got it all, my man.
I'm getting a lot of messages from this one. The first is the fairly straightforward concept that the pen is mightier than the sword. Here you have a dude in every piece of tactical gear you can wear, but when surrounded by the proverbial pen (colored pencils in this instance), he is shaken to his core. Also note there are more of them than there are of him. Ultimately our voices are loud and many. That's what terrifies any power who is trying to maintain control through violence.
The other reading of this image is a bit more intense. It reminds me of the Ferguson protests. I see the colored pencil representing people of color. We've seen that military opposition has been sent to clash with many of the protests led by people of color. Replace those pencils with real people and this image isn't so different than something we've already seen before, is it?
Our privacy is practically gone. There really is no escape. You can't even enjoy simple things without worrying about somebody looking in. Especially with the recent Facebook data breaches we see how fleeting any sense of privacy truly can be. Even if you decide to go live in the woods, disconnected from the internet, Google is still up there flashing satellite photos of you. You'd think that some things would still be sacred, but technology finds a way to rob us of any privacy.
In this case the simple pleasure of sunbathing (nude I'm assuming) is taken away. Tall bushes used to be enough to stop a peeping neighbor, but that's just not the case with drones. Drones are especially cheap right now too. For $20 you could have your very own spy footage. That power does not belong in the hands of 99% of people.
I don't expect everyone to know German, nor do I expect everyone to use Google translate to figure out what the guy is saying in this cartoon. Don't worry. I got you. I'll be your official German translator. "Erwarten wir besuch" means "are we expecting visitors?" Look at that. Now you know German!
Here we have two hugely fat people on a very small piece of land. That's how it can feel looking at poorer countries compared to countries with more money. There would be a lot more room on that float if they would take up less space and use it more efficiently. As what we can assume are immigrants are coming towards them, it's obvious what's wasteful and what's not. The argument then is whether these two fat people should have to worry about others.
If you're ever worked an office job then you know that the restroom is a sanctuary. It's the only place you can go and be totally unbothered. That is unless you have a coworker or boss who is one of those bathroom talkers. Just make sure to lift your legs anytime someone walks in and you'll be fine. Then again, some of us have jobs where there literally is no break time. They can't possibly escape to the restroom. In fact, more and more corporate jobs are getting that way. You're lucky if you can even go home without worrying about getting an office call.
In this case it hits very close to home with me. I've been at the point where I've had to take the computer in the restroom with me to work. In reality, I probably didn't need that extra couple minutes of work. The problem is that I felt I needed to work. That's the problem with corporate America. It is killing so many of our souls.
I read a statistic that said Americans have billions of dollars in unused tech in their houses. We all have that extra TV, computer, or cable lying around that we don't know what to do with. It's pretty crazy to think about too, because some people would kill for that computer or television. Those people might even live very close to the same people who readily throw that stuff away once it gets old.
This image shows us the truth about how disposable we treat our electronics. I've actually seen this happen on my street with furniture and gadgets. Every week there is new trash thrown about the streets. Sometimes you find a gem to take home, but mostly it's all wreckage. It makes you wonder what things will look like decades from now when we are all forced to walk on broken TVs.
This image gives me a heavy George Orwell 'Animal Farm' vibe. If you haven't read that book I highly suggest it. It might be about animals, but that book is a very accurate portrayal of human behavior. In the end of that book the pigs that have taken over the farm slowly start to become human after they've finally gotten everything they wanted. Not just regular, nice humans like in a fairytale. They turn into the worst kind of greedy human you could be: a rich, white male. Just kidding. Don't get triggered.
The truth is that the current power base in the United States is a majority of white males just like in this picture. The clown noses show that these are not men to be taken seriously. Sure, they may be in power, but they are no better than clowns. Too bad the joke is on us.
This cartoon doesn't have as much of an impact without knowing what it's parodying. There is a painting by Albrecht Dürer called 'Praying Hands' that looks very similar to the picture depicted here, except the hands are praying out at the viewer. In this case, the hands have been switched to a middle finger going outward. Nothing explains what the artist is trying to say here better than social media.
While the 'Praying Hands' image is all about praying to and for others, the middle finger is a big F-You to the world. Instead of trying to spread love inward and outward, we've become so focused on shouting our own opinions. If you got in a Facebook argument recently, it's time to realize that you didn't change anyone's mind. All you did was made two people made.
Seriously, doesn't it feel like 10 year olds look like 18 year olds now and 80 year olds look like 40 year olds? I don't know what happened, but I don't remember it being like that. I remember girls being scared of makeup and boys being scared of girls. That was while we were still in high school.
While this image might be funny, I've definitely seen this type of person before. No one is saying you can't be old and look good, but at a certain age you don't need to be doing THAT. The biggest problem is that we're telling old people that it's not OK to be old, and we're telling young people that it's not OK to be young. By "we" I mean the media, but the only reason the media does that is because we support it.
I'm all for eating healthy and treating your body right. It may not look it but I am. One look at my belly and you know I'm not at optimal health. Then again, I never said I practiced that kind of lifestyle. I just said that I am all for it. Even though I'm all for it, I still think there are ways you can push it too far. Once you get into crystals and counting your macronutrients I start to lose interest.
This image attacks the overly-healthy people who push it a little too far. Those aren't' even vegetables. Those are plants that dogs pee on. They aren't meant for eating. Then you see those rocks in the water. It took me five years to get used to cucumber in my water. I don't know if I'm ready for stone nutrients yet.
Do you remember decades ago when stadiums just had regular names. I'm talking about places like Candlestick Park. There's something pure to that. Now it's Pac Bell Park. In five years when Pac Bell goes bankrupt it'll be Amazon Park or something else. We're just so used to brands getting into every little aspect of our lives that we're normalized to it. It won't be long before we're asking, "you're having a baby soon, right? Which company is sponsoring it?"
Following that train of thought it's not hard to imagine companies trying to sponsor the last supper. We're talking about the biggest dinner in recorded history. It seems ridiculous, but of course that would happen. Think about all the events that we currently take part of that could have been more special if we didn't let brands be a part of them.
Here we have another take on the "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil." This one is a bit of a different take since it still uses the monkeys. How much farther can they stray from the original meaning if they are still using monkeys? I'm glad you asked (or am I glad I asked? I'm just glad someone asked).
Putting these monkeys in business suits is what ties it all together. A business suit implies those in power, whether that be the government or corporations. Not that government and corporations are all that different these days. By putting the monkeys in suits the artist is implying that those in power don't want you to condemn their actions. They want you to follow without question. It totally perverts the original meaning of the proverb, which makes for a powerful message.
Recently certain schools have started mandating that every student wears a clear backpack so the school can see what's inside. Along with high fences and metal detector, it's as if schools are becoming more and more like prisons. I have friends who are teachers in the public school system and they will tell you first hand that it's like a prison. That's not just because of the food, either.
At first glance this just looks like a cartoon of a prison. Where's the fun in that? Then you notice the ball and think, "poor inmates. They lost their ball." The thing is, inmates don't play with colorful balls like that. That's a children's ball, which means that that's a school. The artist wants you to see the future of our schools. The only way to stop it is to start treating our kids like kids, not prisoners.
Once you're in the game of playing with the stocks, you start to forget that there are real lives on the line. What could mean a small loss for you could mean that whole families are out of a jobs. That's a confusing world in and of itself, but I'm sure it gets much harder to deal with if you are thinking about the ramifications of your actions. Most stock brokers must be so cold-hearted and numb that they don't even realize when they themselves are on the brink of self destruction.
Here you see a group of stock brokers literally on the edge of peril. Some of them are too focused on their work to even notice while the others look just about ready to jump. Consider the fact that the United States is on the verge of an economic collapse and the fact that they are so close to the edge is even more chilling.
If you've followed the airline industry for the past couple decades you'd know that airline pilot is one of the lowest paid skilled job you can have. It's like teacher. These are some of the most important jobs in society, yet they are getting paid peanuts. It's up there with teachers in the category of jobs that should pay way more. Why do they do it? Because they love to fly. Because someone has to do it. Because they come from a long line of pilots. Who knows? They deserve a living wage no matter what.
This cartoon shows just how desperate the situation has become. Here you have pilots panhandling at the airport. When you have to ask for charity it's one thing. When you have to ask for charity while at your place of work, that's another.
Vacation time is precious. Most jobs don't even give vacation time anymore. They want you at work constantly, even if you're not being productive. They'd rather have a corpse there than not. It's like corporations survive off of the power of your soul. When people finally do get vacations they end up being at the same time everyone else is taking their vacation. What fun is that? I love Disneyland, but so does everyone else so the only time I go is when it's raining. You might get wet, but at least you can hit all the rides without lines.
The people depicted in this photo are all vacationing at the same time, which means jam packed traffic. Let's break it down. You get a week vacation so you drive for ten hours each way with the family. That's a full day of your vacation just traveling.
Unfortunately I can't help you with the translation on the sign above this image. Google translate has its limits. All I got was some nonsense. I think the image by itself conveys what's going on well enough. We've all had that boss that wants to pretend they're your friend. That type of boss is never really ever going to be your friend. They just say that so you'll do things for them.
In this case we see a boss's office who is clearly trying to portray themselves as something they are not. They want you to see them as a revolutionary, just like you. They don't want you to see them as "the man." It's all just a clever ploy to keep you working the way that they want you to work. Don't give in! Resist!
At first glance those may look like satellites orbiting the Earth, but on closer inspection we see that they are trash cans. What's so bad about throwing trash cans up into space? All You have to do is make sure you throw the cans super far into orbit. There's plenty of room out there in space. You could even say there's a lot of space in space. To be honest, this isn't so much of a critique on society as it is a good idea.
Although it may be a decent solution to our trash problems, it sheds light on the fact that we even need a solution. Think about ketchup packets alone. Those things aren't going anywhere. I have enough in my kitchen drawer to provide all the ketchup the world needs, yet we continue making them.
The United States election of 2016 was an interesting one to say the least. Many people had a very easy time voting for Mr. Trump, while others had just as easy a time voting for Mrs. Clinton. Still, there was a huge portion of the population that just couldn't decide. Not because either candidate was the best either. People had a hard time deciding because it was like choosing the lesser of two evils.
Some would argue that Donald Trump has turned out to be far more than a pest, but we'll never know what a Hillary Clinton presidency would look like. I think there would be a lot less discussion about Stormy Daniels and pee. That is something I'm willing to bet on. This perfectly sums up what many Americans went through, and why over a quarter of the population didn't even bother voting.
My theory on how the world would end isn't like in the movies or sci-fi books. It's always a slow, scary process in works of fiction. I think one day I'll be taking a walk and think, "wow, it got hot all of a sudden," and then that will be it. With one flash we'll all be gone. Doesn't that sound a lot better than running away from tsunamis and fire tornados? Maybe Dwayne the Rock Johnson could survive a geostorm, but not most of us.
In this depiction of global warming we see a slow burn. People are so used to the scorching heat that they're cooking steaks outside. I've heard of frying an egg on the sidewalk, but this is a little ridiculous. You better like your steak extra rare and your skill well-done.
This cartoon would be creepy enough with one detail or the other. A bunch of cameras constantly in your face is enough to make most people feel uncomfortable on its own. Then you throw in the idea of these clear-plastic clothes and that's a creepy idea alone too. Put them together and it's truly Orwellian. Seeing as though we've already seen schools use clear-plastic backpacks, this is getting a little too real. It's a logical next step.
What's funny is that I've seen outfits like that on fashion runways. Don't you see Kanye designing something like that? I might even wear the shirt, though I think I'd do everyone a favor and skip the pants. It's one thing when you're wearing something like that to make a statement. It's another thing when the government has mandated that you wear it.
Being one of those high-society rich people seems like it must be so incredibly boring. You're always expected to act and dress a certain way, and all the wrong qualities are valued. Maybe it takes a certain type of person to be that wealthy, or maybe it's the wealth that makes them that way. I'll let you know if and when I ever get more than $800 in my savings account.
This cartoon really shows how boring and homogenous high society can really be. All the men look exactly the same: ugly and fat. All the women look like they got plastic surgery to look exactly the same: like human ducks. It's actually really sad seeing the lack of creativity and self from the super rich. I wouldn't do well at a party like that. I'd be the guy cracking jokes in the back.
Music debates are as old as time itself. Back in the caveman days the older cavemen would talk about how the best music was rocks hitting the cave wall. The kids would be all about coconut music. Neither side was right. That's just how music flows. Everyone could use to be a little more open minded about what's good music and what isn't. It doesn't matter that your favorite band is better than someone else's. Unless your favorite band is your own band.
This picture is probably already happening at a retirement home somewhere. Arguing about music already feels tacky, but seeing these elderly people do it is especially childish. I guess it's true that there really is no such thing as an adult. There are just people who are older and people who are younger. No one knows what they're doing.
Young people make fun of old people for not understanding how to work new technology, but you never hear about it the other way around. Young people are constantly baffled by older things. Give a kid a washing board and he wouldn't know what to do with it. That's the most simple object in the world too. Everything can be confusing if you're not used to it.
Here we see teens struggling to work an old TV. Sure, they know how to Google, but the concept of buttons is baffling to them. This seems a little ridiculous to me, but you never what people are capable of. Or NOT capable of in this instance. The parents on the left are obviously not confused, but can they at least do more than stand there like A-holes?
The sad truth is that we can all relate to throwing a Summer down the toilet. I think back to when I was in school and had completely free Summers. I wasted them all. Every single one of them. I just sat in front of the TV and complained how bored I was. I'd kill for that again. Now that I'm an adult, Summer is meaningless. It just means I'm still working but now it's hot.
What's sad about this picture is that this woman has all the accessories for a great Summer vacation, yet somehow still wasted it. Too often we get caught up in all the accessories that we forget what something is actually about. Summer is about sitting in the sun with friends for hours just talking. Who cares if you're at the beach or not. It's about the being.
I love these cartoons because some of them have so much to unpack that you don't even know where to start. This one instantly reminds me of a begging tactic I've heard practiced in India where they'll burn a child's eyes with acid so that people feel worse for him and give more money. It's manufacturing an issue to get more charity. It's horrible, yet there's also a weird grey area that gets created from it. The person still deserves money after all, right?
In this case we see how we tend to judge victimhood, or have a hierarchy on who deserves our charity. In realizing that someone without any legs deserves more charity than someone with one leg, we forget that the person with only one leg needs help as well. We're so into comparing people and situations that it does more harm than good.
This is frightening image of raw Russian power. I'm already afraid of Russians. I have some friends from there and they are the toughest people I know. The men are tough. The women are tough. Everyone is tough. I've even had a friend from Russia tell me that taking over America has been Russia's plan for half a century. They've been powering their people up over decades to one day unleash an army of super humans.
This cartoon speaks to the Russian doping that came to light via the movie 'Icarus.' Sure, it's a little crass, but it gets the job done. These guys were so juiced up that not even the urinals were safe. I think we can all relate to this. You know what I'm talking about. Maybe you had a 48 ounce soda for some reason and couldn't find a toilet.
Let me give you a little secret to life. You could say that it's the key to life. Be in the moment. That's it. If you can do that, then you can succeed in everything. Once you let go of what could be, you accept what is. That's important if you're ever going to live a happy life. Or else you end up sad at home, wishing you had a party to go to. Then you're sad at a party, wishing you could be home. The answer isn't anywhere other than in yourself.
So many people can relate to this cartoon. You're miserable at work thinking about being home, or being on vacation. In reality though you'll just be miserable there too. It's like the image with the sports car that we saw earlier. We're chasing happiness everywhere else except for within ourselves.
We've all been forced to drive behind bicyclists at one point or another and been completely annoyed. I biked the streets of Los Angeles for many years, so I understand how important bike safety is, especially when put in the hands of the driver, but even I hate them. It's like, I get it, cars should share the road with you, but don't act like a jerk about it.
One of the bicyclists depicted here is even giving the middle finger while three of them take up the whole lane. That's pretty common behavior unfortunately. Instead of acting grateful to have the lane, they act like everyone else is a problem. The outfits are problem number two. I'm not saying you need to be fashionable while riding, but at least be aware of what looks good on your body type.
It's bizarre that two of the most volatile world leaders in recent history would also have two of the most insane hairstyles we've ever seen on someone in power. Trump's questionable quaff has been part of the American conversation for years ever since he was more cartoonishly popularized by The Apprentice. Kim Jong-Un has a different style. He has the high and tight hair do. I'm pretty sure the villain in the first 'Driver' movie had the same haircut.
I'm sure these two could be amazing friends if they'd stop arguing and start sharing hair tips. Isn't that true for all of us? Let's stop calling each other names and start telling each other which shampoo we use. No, really. I'd like to know. I usually go for whatever bottle I can get from the hotel.
Who remembers Pippy Longstocking? She was a precocious young pirate character who I vaguely remember. We have a lot of those characters from our childhood that make an impact on us, and in some ways stay with us forever. Look at someone like Shirley Temple. We still share her movies to the young people of this world. The thing is, when was the last time you saw a shirley temple movie starring old Shirley? No one wants to see it. We want to remember Shirley as the little girl from our childhood.
That's the point this image makes by showing Pippy Longstocking in all her glory. She's got the face we know and remember, but her body reveals the truth. This is the reality for everyone we know and love, yet we idolize and remember the young version. It's just one of the ways we make the elderly invisible in modern culture.
Christmas is always a melancholy time for me. I think I've always struggled with the fact that I really love the whole materialism aspect of the holiday, but I also see it as being very wrong. When I'm stressed out trying to find the right gift or worried that someone is spending too much on me, that's when I stop feeling the beautiful Christmas spirit. What's depicted in this image is exactly what I fear the most.
Christmas should be about the moments you get to spend with each other. It's become more about the presents, so that once the presents are over, there's nothing left of the holiday. Even though you have all these new, nice things, you're still left feeling the same emptiness. She's looking good in that lingerie though. I'm glad she's getting good use out of it.
The harsh reality about global warming is that some organisms just won't be able to live if it gets hotter than they can stand. Mostly that means microorganisms, but just looking at the endangered species list you can see that we have bigger problems too. That's not even to think about what kind of diseases are hiding in the melting ice. It's a lot to think about, so let's be like congress and just ignore it.
This cartoon shows an extreme version of what I'm talking about. We're talking about it getting so hot that little animals just burst into flames. I definitely don't see a pug lasting very long in 120 degree heat. I don't' even see myself lasting that long in heat like that. I think it's a good time to get into the air conditioning business.
Homophobia can get downright silly. Silly is such a lighthearted word for something as disgusting as homophobia, but it's true. I know of some guys who won't even wipe their butt well because they think it's gay to touch themselves there. I'm not saying you need to paint a rainbow on your face and march at Pride festival, but not wiping seems like a bit much, doesn't it?
In this case we see the president of Russia, Vladmir Putin. He's a known homophobe so clearly he wouldn't want his bobsledding team to be behind each other. Everyone knows that being behind another man makes you gay. *rolls eyes*. I would love to see how a bobsled like that does, though. I'm thinking it ends in a crash, which could be cool. Bobsledding could be the new Nascar.
We're just starting to feel the effects of a problem no one has had to deal with before: children who have had cameras in their faces for their entire lives. Certainly cameras have been around for a long time, but the last decade has seen an exponential increase in cameras. Not only are they in our hands, they are also in surveillance items all around us. Cameras are no longer a luxury item for many. They are like an accessory like your keys.
That's got to affect a child into adulthood. Their every move has been recorded and judged by people all over the world. While everyone is filming this baby, did anyone think to hold it? Baby's don't need instagram accounts. They need love. Get the phone out of your baby's face and do some good old fashioned peek-a-boo.
