Dumbing of Age Book Twelve

Dumbing of Age

A college webcomic by David Willis
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June 14, 2026

Persevere

by David M Willis on March 21, 2023 at 12:01 am
  • 03 – Joementum
└ Tags: dorothy, ruth

Discussion (211) ¬

[ Comments RSS ]
  1. Ana Chronistic
    Ana Chronistic
    March 21, 2023 at 12:02 am | #

    Choose Evil

    the opposite of Live

    …wait no?? 😮

    • Dana
      Dana
      March 21, 2023 at 12:05 am | #

      So Lone Star, Now you see that Evil will always triumph, because Good is dumb.

    • JA
      JA
      March 21, 2023 at 12:55 am | #

      The evil ones always seem to live practically forever, so choose evil.

      Except Jimmy Carter. He’s one of the good ones who lived practically forever.

      Or…oh. Oh no…

    • Wizard
      Wizard
      March 21, 2023 at 5:34 am | #

      Why settle for the lesser of two evils? Vote the Elder Party! Cthulu in ’24!

      • milu
        milu
        March 21, 2023 at 8:10 am | #

        Oh that is a wicked slogan

    • Tan
      Tan
      March 21, 2023 at 10:29 am | #

      I don’t want to be one of those people who falls into evil from carelessness or convenience. I want to be the one chooses evil, who embraces it with my whole blackened heart.

      • porthos9438
        porthos9438
        March 21, 2023 at 12:55 pm | #

        Dear Lord, lead us not into temptation. We can find the way on our own.

      • newlland(Henryvolt)
        newlland(Henryvolt)
        March 21, 2023 at 4:21 pm | #

        Congratulations, you have grasped the concept of true pure irredeemable evil. Not may can do that.

  2. shadowcell
    shadowcell
    March 21, 2023 at 12:03 am | #

    Dumbing of Age Book 13: I Can Choose Evil

    • Sombrero
      Sombrero
      March 21, 2023 at 7:14 am | #

      DoA Book 13: Maybe This Has Been a Sunk Cost Fallacy for Too Long.

      • SillyGoose
        SillyGoose
        March 21, 2023 at 8:01 am | #

        DoA Book 13: Evil I’d really like.

        • Ana Chronistic
          Ana Chronistic
          March 22, 2023 at 12:02 am | #

          DoAB13: Is My Brain Lying Again?

  3. Schpoonman
    Schpoonman
    March 21, 2023 at 12:04 am | #

    Yeah, Ruth, I love lemons, too.

    • UrsulaDavina
      UrsulaDavina
      March 21, 2023 at 12:18 am | #

      Ruth’s motto when life gives you lemons put them in a bag and bludgeon your enemies with them.

      • The Wellerman
        The Wellerman
        March 21, 2023 at 12:32 am | #

        “Make life rue the day it thought it could give Dorothy Keener lemons!!!” XD

        • UrsulaDavina
          UrsulaDavina
          March 21, 2023 at 1:17 am | #

          SHE IS THE WOMAN WHO IS GOING TO BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN, WITH THE LEMONS!

          • Bryy
            Bryy
            March 21, 2023 at 9:03 am | #

            She is the one who knocks.

      • SeanR
        SeanR
        March 21, 2023 at 9:46 am | #

        You missed a part. But those lemons in a bag, in slices, along with some broken glass, thumb tacks, or razor blades. You really want your enemies to FEEL it when you bludgeon them with them. Thumb tacks are best, if you can get them, because they don’t destroy the bag as fast.

        P.S. Sorry for flagging you. I missed with the mouse.

        • spriteless aunty
          spriteless aunty
          March 21, 2023 at 10:39 am | #

          Look the point of hitting someone with a bag of lemons is to cause a lot of pain without visible and lawsuitable bruises.

          • SeanR
            SeanR
            March 21, 2023 at 10:16 pm | #

            This only causes shallow scratches. Very shallow. Very painful scratches, but still very shallow.

  4. not someone else
    not someone else
    March 21, 2023 at 12:04 am | #

    I feel like those last three options (narcissism, stubbornness, evil) are very different from each other and it says a lot about Dorothy that she’s put them all in a row like that.

    • Ryan
      Ryan
      March 21, 2023 at 1:34 am | #

      Narcissism and evil are not synonymous but are closely related and frequently intertwined.

      • anon
        anon
        March 21, 2023 at 1:51 am | #

        makes me wonder if there are ‘good’ narcissists. maybe ‘parasocial influencers’ that don’t cause scandals/ones that do makeup/makeover and modelling, tho considering there’s a whole subreddit, ideal that parents woujldnt’ be one

        • AKP
          AKP
          March 21, 2023 at 3:11 am | #

          I mean in terms of the mental health thing, yes. If you set up a narcissist so that the best way to get praise and attention is to engage in constructive pro-social behavior, you get good narcissists. Not necessarily ones you want to be friends with, but good for the world.

          • Pilgrim
            Pilgrim
            March 21, 2023 at 7:17 am | #

            The theme of the 13th Federalist Paper can be summed up as “pit ambition against ambition for the general good” so the theory of beneficial narcissism is literally baked into U.S. governance from the beginning. Hamilton, Madison and Jay recognized the danger of politicians acting from pure self interest but theorized enough of them would come to some sort of equilibrium.

            • Schpoonman
              Schpoonman
              March 21, 2023 at 11:11 am | #

              …God that’s cute in its naivete.

              • thejeff
                thejeff
                March 21, 2023 at 3:02 pm | #

                Given they were basically (re)inventing democracy, I think they can be cut some slack. It’s also not like anyone’s really come up with a better solution since them.

                Some tweaks on different ways to balance, but that’s about it.

        • S.R.
          S.R.
          March 21, 2023 at 9:53 am | #

          True narcissism is a mental illness, so, yes, there are in fact narcissists who try not to hurt people. No mental illness in the world makes everyone who has it into a monster.

          • not someone else
            not someone else
            March 22, 2023 at 12:16 am | #

            Thank you jfc

      • Joy
        Joy
        March 21, 2023 at 9:34 am | #

        That’s ableist to say. Plenty of evil people weren’t narcissistic. Frankly, a lot of people who are labeled that way don’t fall under clinical criteria, whereas there’s good people out there who do.

        I think the Narc label is simply what abusive parents are often labeled with. I prefer the term “abusive.”

        • zee
          zee
          March 21, 2023 at 1:56 pm | #

          I mean, not every use of the word “narcissistic” is referring to the personality disorder. Its still a personality trait based on the story of the guy who turned into a weird flower cuz he liked his face so much. Also a pattern of abuse, I’m not sure if narcissistic abusers always have NPD but it’s still a recognizable pattern.
          You could say that in itself is ableist and the word should be used exclusively in a clinical context, i personally think it’s a useful word for the public vocabulary so I’d disagree. Just like how i think “psychopathic” is a useful word even though it’s not literally diagnosing someone with aspd

          • not someone else
            not someone else
            March 22, 2023 at 12:21 am | #

            Powersliding between definitions- which people do regularly and then pretend they didn’t- is ableist as hell. The idea of “narcissistic abuse” is also very much based on demonizing NPD and broadening it into a pop armchair diagnosis and is not cool.

            Narcissism the regular word is fine but it needs to be clarified more often what someone means due to bad actors, sort of like how you can totally be depressed without actually having Major Depressive Disorder but if you start talking to the public about how you dealt with and treated your depression you should probably specify whether you’re actually talking about the clinical, usually-chronic thing or “yo this celebrity I never met died and I was super bummed for a week until I did yoga about it”.

      • SeanR
        SeanR
        March 21, 2023 at 9:47 am | #

        To me, narcissism is just a facet of Pride, which is one of the Sins. I don’t know how stubbornness got in there.

        • HueSatLight
          HueSatLight
          March 21, 2023 at 11:05 am | #

          Sin is when you do something or are something that some dude claims has somehow injured an omnipotent being, but really it’s about that dude’s ability to control others.

    • Nicoleandmaggie
      Nicoleandmaggie
      March 21, 2023 at 7:49 am | #

      I assume she’s more often accused of being narcissistic or stubborn than evil— the evil thing is new to her.

    • Joy
      Joy
      March 21, 2023 at 9:37 am | #

      Those things are often compared to each other in the environments she’s spent her life in.

  5. Bryy
    Bryy
    March 21, 2023 at 12:04 am | #

    Oh, Dorothy. We’ve all been there.

    Trying to reconcile our new feelings through the lens of our old feelings.

    • The Wellerman
      The Wellerman
      March 21, 2023 at 12:11 am | #

      Yup. She didn’t know as much as she does now, hence the point of going to college, a transformative experience. She must acknowledge that she only ever held unto her original goal under false pretenses, and learn not to frame her more fundamental goal too tightly. Instead of trying to solve “how to I become President”, instead she should solve “how do I help as many people as I can?”

  6. Jamie
    Jamie
    March 21, 2023 at 12:04 am | #

    Ruth for President. Clearly.

    • True Survivor
      True Survivor
      March 21, 2023 at 12:11 am | #

      Hey if Ruth is sufficiently conservative or left-wing she just runs for the other party and bam! that’s a win in an election where the base cares more about hurting the other side than bettering the country on common ground. Plus the “no value voters” – she has those on lock:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWdN4hA-rB0

    • RassilonTDavros
      RassilonTDavros
      March 21, 2023 at 12:12 am | #

      Was gonna say that she would sadly be ineligible because of that pesky natural-born-citizen clause, but then I remembered her Gramps was American, so she might have had dual citizenship from birth.

      • UrsulaDavina
        UrsulaDavina
        March 21, 2023 at 12:14 am | #

        Probably not her Parents were probably Canadian

      • Rose by Any Other Name
        Rose by Any Other Name
        March 21, 2023 at 12:29 am | #

        According to Google, Ruth MIGHT be a US Citizen if her grandfather maintains a residence in the US. If not, then she’s not, even if he is.

        I learned something today about the weird rules concerning citizenship.

        • Fay
          Fay
          March 21, 2023 at 2:46 am | #

          Her grandfather definitely lives in the US- that’s why Ruth is there now, after all. She lived in Canada until her parents died, after which she went to live with her grandpa that lives in the US.

        • Needfuldoer
          Needfuldoer
          March 21, 2023 at 4:36 am | #

          If either of her parents was American, Ruth could have birthright citizenship.

          https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/us-citizenship/Acquisition-US-Citizenship-Child-Born-Abroad.html

          • JBento
            JBento
            March 21, 2023 at 6:54 am | #

            Well, if Clint is an American citizen, that would make Ruth’s mother an American citizen, which would make Ruth an American citizen as well, wouldn’t it?

            • Needfuldoer
              Needfuldoer
              March 21, 2023 at 8:21 am | #

              That’s what I was trying to get at, yeah.

              Sometimes people forget the US immigration and naturalization system was designed to build a nation of immigrants.

              • JBento
                JBento
                March 21, 2023 at 4:53 pm | #

                *And then the Racist Nation attacked…*

      • thejeff
        thejeff
        March 21, 2023 at 7:37 am | #

        Yeah, unless there’s something we don’t know, by far the most likely case is that she’s a dual citizen.
        Clint could have moved from Canada to the US, rather than Ruth’s mom moving to Canada, but there’s no hint of that. Ruth’s mom could have renounced her US citizenship before Ruth was born, but there’s no reason to think that.
        Otherwise, she’s the daughter of an American citizen born abroad who’s lived in the US since she was 16. She’s a citizen.

        • SillyGoose
          SillyGoose
          March 21, 2023 at 8:08 am | #

          I love the amount of work you all put into determining whether a fictional character who doesn’t want to be President would be allowed to.

          • Jamie
            Jamie
            March 22, 2023 at 12:06 am | #

            You know, when I made the joke, I thought about this for five seconds and decided Ruth was probably ineligible and to ignore it for the joke’s sake.

            I appreciate that people worked it out better than I could have.

          • thejeff
            thejeff
            March 22, 2023 at 8:45 am | #

            It’s come up before in other contexts

    • UrsulaDavina
      UrsulaDavina
      March 21, 2023 at 12:13 am | #

      Ruth is Canadian and can’t run for president but Dotty can in theory be Prime Minister of Canada

    • BarerMender
      BarerMender
      March 21, 2023 at 12:14 am | #

      Forget it. Doesn’t qualify. Not born American.

      • jflb96
        jflb96
        March 21, 2023 at 12:18 am | #

        Canada is in America by any sensible definition of the word

        • UrsulaDavina
          UrsulaDavina
          March 21, 2023 at 12:20 am | #

          Don’t call Candians Americans they don’t like that.

        • Dragonfire
          Dragonfire
          March 21, 2023 at 12:41 am | #

          Those’re fighting words.

        • Dana
          Dana
          March 21, 2023 at 1:02 am | #

          I’d say “Under the jurisdiction of the United States of America” is a sensible definition by which it is not.

        • june gloom
          june gloom
          March 21, 2023 at 1:29 am | #

          I hate this semantic game so much.

          • Taffy
            Taffy
            March 21, 2023 at 4:01 am | #

            It’s a stupid game. There are two entire continents with “America” in the name, and I don’t think my guildmates from Brazil would take kindly to being called Americans. Because connotations exist.

            (There’s no SA data center for FF14, so they usually play on NA servers. I see as much Portuguese as I do English, at some RP venues.)

            • Yumi
              Yumi
              March 21, 2023 at 6:14 am | #

              I’ve known some people from various countries who are annoyed at the idea that “American” should/does refer to people from the US precisely because there are two entire continents with “America” in the name. (Also, the Americas aren’t always separate in some continental division.)

              • Mark
                Mark
                March 21, 2023 at 7:04 am | #

                I’ve been a US citizen since birth, and I’m annoyed by it. This confusion makes it hard to talk about two entire continents.

              • Taffy
                Taffy
                March 21, 2023 at 9:27 am | #

                It’s silly that they’re literally named North and South, but people wanna remove those helpful qualifiers. If you wanna refer to every single person from both by the same name, be ready to clarify a lot.

                I do wish the USA had a snappier title for its citizens than “Americans” that a layperson is gonna know about, though. I think it’s more practical for these stupid ambiguities to be removed, but “United States Ian” doesn’t really roll off the tongue.

                • Taffy
                  Taffy
                  March 21, 2023 at 9:28 am | #

                  Thank you, phone, for putting that extra space there an attosecond before my finger hit the Post button, despite me checking twice to make sure you hadn’t.

                  United States Ian, I ask you.

                • milu
                  milu
                  March 21, 2023 at 10:11 am | #

                  Its true, that is truly bizarre way to specify the nationality of Ian

                • milu
                  milu
                  March 21, 2023 at 10:14 am | #

                  Also no american has ever been named Ian. Ian, like Gemma and Liam, is a British word used by writers as shorthand for “this is happening in UK”

            • zee
              zee
              March 21, 2023 at 2:01 pm | #

              My country is in north America and i *despise* that “oh you’re technically American too!” Game. It’s a semantic argument that exists wholely and entirely to be annoying because it has 0 practical use.

              • Taffy
                Taffy
                March 21, 2023 at 2:54 pm | #

                What, you don’t think it’s practical to have to specify “No, I’m not from that shithole just because I happen to live on the same continent”?

                • milu
                  milu
                  March 21, 2023 at 6:11 pm | #

                  or off the same continent, as the case may be

        • Taffy
          Taffy
          March 21, 2023 at 3:56 am | #

          No. It’s in North America. The continent. Just saying “American” is shorthand for “from the United States of America”. The country. You know that.

      • anon
        anon
        March 21, 2023 at 1:37 am | #

        maybe the rules will change by then, given how many immigrants are in the US, and maybe ppl going outside of the country to give birth/get healthcare/etc, i wouldn’t be surprised if there was a decade where not many candidates would be born within the us , like even going to like the ‘best’ hospital in the world for birth care or even growing a baby in some kinda lab

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      March 21, 2023 at 12:16 am | #

      Pretty sure Ruth would be ineligible, I don’t think she’s a natural-born citizen

      • Dana
        Dana
        March 21, 2023 at 1:05 am | #

        Fun fact: if Alexander Hamilton had been born in the United States, that requirement probably wouldn’t be in the Constitution. It was put in specifically to disqualify him.

        • John Campbell
          John Campbell
          March 21, 2023 at 2:39 am | #

          None of the Founders were born in the United States, as it didn’t exist prior to then. The early Presidents were covered by the “or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution” clause.

        • Yumi
          Yumi
          March 21, 2023 at 6:15 am | #

          Yeah, and with what John Campbell said, thar part about Hamilton is just… not true.

    • Rose by Any Other Name
      Rose by Any Other Name
      March 21, 2023 at 12:29 am | #

      I’d vote for her.

      • anon
        anon
        March 21, 2023 at 1:40 am | #

        maybe she’ll be on her advisors/staff

    • Slartibeast Button, BIA
      Slartibeast Button, BIA
      March 21, 2023 at 2:43 am | #

      Good luck getting the Femur Confiscation Act passed.

      • Clif
        Clif
        March 21, 2023 at 3:34 am | #

        You haven’t seen the bone lobby in action.

      • Wizard
        Wizard
        March 21, 2023 at 4:49 am | #

        No need. Just claim the femurs were involved in a crime and seize them via asset forfeiture. If they want their femurs back, they’ll have to prove they weren’t used in a crime. Good luck with that, suckers!

        • Agemegos
          Agemegos
          March 21, 2023 at 5:23 am | #

          Notably the femurs have to prove that they were notthe proceeds of crime, because the accusation is made against the femurs, not the owners.

          The owners don’t have standing.

          • SeanR
            SeanR
            March 21, 2023 at 10:02 am | #

            I see what you did there.

          • SeanR
            SeanR
            March 21, 2023 at 10:03 am | #

            Stupid lack of an edit button.
            You could have also said “Legally, the owners don’t have a leg to stand on.”

          • milu
            milu
            March 21, 2023 at 10:07 am | #

            Oh wow

            I love you for that pun

            Or to randomly say it in a different language: ya lyoblyo tibia

    • Mark
      Mark
      March 21, 2023 at 7:00 am | #

      I’d vote for Dorothy over any real-world candidate who has ever run.

  7. Doom Shepherd
    Doom Shepherd
    March 21, 2023 at 12:05 am | #

    Don’t knock evil. It’s fun. And at least it can be reasoned with, unlike stupid.

  8. Stephen Bierce
    Stephen Bierce
    March 21, 2023 at 12:07 am | #

    I’m Evil, my middle name is Misery, wo wo wo wo~o
    Well I’m Evil, so don’t you mess around with me

  9. RassilonTDavros
    RassilonTDavros
    March 21, 2023 at 12:07 am | #

    …I want these two to be best friends now.

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 1:54 am | #

      girlbossing their way up to the top together lol

  10. True Survivor
    True Survivor
    March 21, 2023 at 12:08 am | #

    The more time goes on the more I find myself relating to Dorothy – except the part where she has partners just lining up for her and cleans her room willingly.

    I will die before I organize my bookshelf again – I will die on this hill (off unwashed laundry).

    • Nono
      Nono
      March 21, 2023 at 1:45 am | #

      I read that as having partners that clean her room willingly, and I’m like wow, you can get those?

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        March 21, 2023 at 9:21 am | #

        A good partner will help you keep your living space clean, yes.

      • Joy
        Joy
        March 21, 2023 at 9:41 am | #

        (💧 σωσ) you have to reciprocate in some way. (could be cooking or something else that’s not cleaning but still)

        • milu
          milu
          March 21, 2023 at 10:02 am | #

          Me, a knower of greek: are you covertly sending out an SOS

          Do you.. do you hope that someone gets your message in an emoji

    • Bogeywoman
      Bogeywoman
      March 21, 2023 at 3:08 am | #

      Organising my bookshelf is the only “cleaning” I willingly do

    • mrnoidea
      mrnoidea
      March 21, 2023 at 3:01 pm | #

      Last weekend I had to move the fridge and a few other things out of the kitchen because there was this foul smell coming from somewhere, like a dead rat. But despite killing a few random crickets and scrubbing down the floor and walls by that one fridge, that smell still lingered. And now I gotta check behind the *other* fridge, behind the metal sink fixture that doesn’t move, and maybe I’ll find the horror I’m looking for.

      Cleanliness is a lot of work, but it’s sure necessary.

  11. Gilder
    Gilder
    March 21, 2023 at 12:09 am | #

    I have always wondered about the whole “President” as a goal. It’s got a very “grade-schooler thinks this is the highest echelon” but in life, it’s really not. It holds almost no power without having a workable legislature to help pass laws, Dorothy is way too smart to put all her stock into President as an end goal unless it was to work towards something even larger afterwards. Otherwise, yeah, if this is the first time she’s actually questioned it, she really should have been doing that much sooner than now.

    • Thag Simmons
      Thag Simmons
      March 21, 2023 at 12:18 am | #

      There’s definitely folks who go into politics with an “I’m going to be president someday” mindset but statistically the vast majority of them do not become the president.

    • Rotunda
      Rotunda
      March 21, 2023 at 12:20 am | #

      It seems to have become a habitually way of thinking for her, maybe taking the place of other, less ambitious guiding principals.

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 1:57 am | #

      i’ve heard some ppl say “the president doesn’t do as much as one would think” yet those same ppl would turn around and be like “thanks obama”/blame them directly for stuff

      but yeah given social media scrutinizing everyone i imagine no one would want to. if anything i’d expect some younger ppl that qualify to desperately run so it’s like “just so we don’t have another trump” and working together in a team to keep things afloat/stop from getting worse even if they can’t ‘undo’ the damage from the other presidents’ previous terms

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      March 21, 2023 at 3:11 am | #

      There are plenty of things, both bad and good, that US presidents can do without needing the approval or law-making powers of Congress. Lots of presidents don’t tend to use those powers, at least not when it comes to doing good things that would help the average working-class folks. They do tend to use their executive powers plenty when it benefits the wealthy and large corporations though.

    • Wizard
      Wizard
      March 21, 2023 at 5:32 am | #

      Almost no power without the legislature? Wow, your world sounds nice. Can I come live there?
      Under the strict terms of the Constitution, you’re correct. In the real world, the President wields vast powers with little accountability. Either through legislation or lazy, cowardly inaction, Congress has ceded many of their responsibilities to the executive, including powers the Constitution explicitly delegates to the legislature.
      The use and abuse of executive orders has been a problem for decades, and it’s only getting worse. Not only is this a usurpation that undermines the separation of powers, it also introduces tremendous uncertainty into the legal environment. Whatever the current administration does with the stroke of a pen, for good or ill, the next administration can reverse with that same pen.
      Even more serious is Congress’s irresponsible surrender of power over such critical issues as war and taxation. The Constitution explicitly delegates the power to levy taxes and declare war to Congress, but Presidents have managed to seize powers far beyond their legitimate authority. Instead of a straight-forward declaration of war against a clearly defined enemy, we get open-ended “Authorization(s) for Use of Military Force” that Presidents then stretch beyond all reason. (See Obama’s illegal invasion of Syria for just one example.) Congress has also illegitimately ceded power over certain types of taxation, as well. (See Trump’s idiotic, self-destructive tariffs, which Biden shows no sign of lifting.)
      Congress could readily rein in many of these abuses, if they had any hint of a collective spine. But that shows little sign of happening, for a couple of reasons. First, it would require congresscritters to actually take some responsibility and go on the record, one way or another. They’d much rather avoid the hard decisions and stick to keeping the pork flowing and shaking down donors. Second, there’s our current hyper-partisan environment. Too many people are more concerned about scoring a win for their TEAM, or denying one to the other TEAM, than they are about actually fixing problems. This means that a narrowly divided Congress is pretty useless at curtailing executive overreach. Even if they occasionally manage to pass a law, the lack of anything close to a veto-overriding super majority means the President can effectively tell them to go piss up a rope. The courts aren’t exactly helping, either. All too often, judges tie logic into knots and ignore the plain text of the Constitution in order to defer to the other branches.
      It’s a big, complicated problem, and there’s no way to solve it over night. For that matter, as long as the will doesn’t exist, there’s no way to solve it at all.

      • adam Black
        adam Black
        March 21, 2023 at 6:23 am | #

        You left one out: Congress writes laws that are necessarily incompletely and authorize administration regulations to work.
        Sometimes it’s necessary but often times it’s not and some of the intended guts and bones of the legislation are gutted so industry has an opportunity to nullify parts of the law in it’s regulation and administration.

      • Mark
        Mark
        March 21, 2023 at 7:18 am | #

        That’s what “executive” means. The policymakers make policy and allocate funding, and then the executive has received the authority to turn the policy into action. If the policymakers let the executive talk them into something, that was their decision and their responsibility. They can amend the decision.

        Your second point: YES. Politics in the US today is treated like a sport or a religion, not a serious attempt to help people live together peacefully and further common interests. Probably because the party bosses like it that way — it won’t change until the parties are reformed (or replaced, if they won’t be reformed).

    • Hof1991
      Hof1991
      March 21, 2023 at 10:42 am | #

      It’s like a kid who wants to play a sport as a professional. Nice dream as a kid. The number of things that have to happen that are out of your control is immense. You can be a politician and make a difference without getting beyond state legislatures. Or you can go to Yale and destroy the economy for funzies. No need to get all existential about it.

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      March 21, 2023 at 11:30 am | #

      Yes. It is an underexamined child’s goal. A 19 year old should not be planning their life with the singular goal of getting the the possibly the most exclusive job*. For multiple reasons, which I’m sure have been discussed thoroughly.
      She’s built up reflexes, mentally and conversationally, to deflect that the ideas that undermine that childhood goal. When Raidah brought it up, Dorothy was expecting the conversation to go down the “isn’t that silly” route, because that’s probably what she’s encountered before, either out loud or non-verbally.
      And Dorothy’s crisis is “going to be president” is an identity for her more than it just is a career goal. It’s not a religion, but the crisis is not dissimilar. If there’s phases to it, she’s at the analog to “I’m not sure I’m hearing God’s voice anymore” part.

      * I keep thinking about an interview with some of Obama’s college friends. He wasn’t special in college. As in any of them had what it took. There is a lot of happenstance and opportunities you can’t plan for, 20 years ahead of time.

  12. newlland(Henryvolt)
    newlland(Henryvolt)
    March 21, 2023 at 12:10 am | #

    There’s a question that needs to be asked, did Dorothy decide to choose the path she on out of a sense of duty and to do atleast something in history bring about a good change in the world for the people she would govern? Or was it feeling a sense of accomplishment and Ambition of a high standard?

    Either way I’d sum up the problem she’s having right now as the old saying of “The grass wasn’t greener on the other side.”

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 1:58 am | #

      be nice for more of a flashback, her parents seemed pretty chill while she was always an over achiever growing up according to that patreon preview of her room full of trophies(?), so idk if they had it as a goal for her rather than her learning of/being in an ‘inspiration speech’ rally at school that’d make her want the concept of being the president

    • Keulen
      Keulen
      March 21, 2023 at 3:31 am | #

      I’m definitely wondering that too. What were Dorothy’s motives behind wanting to become president in the first place? Either way, better that she realizes the problems with that dream now. But I’m still curious why she wanted to be president.

    • Blue
      Blue
      March 21, 2023 at 11:27 am | #

      I always thought it was the latter. I’m smart and capable and driven, what’s the most ambitious thing I can aim for?

  13. Bittersweet
    Bittersweet
    March 21, 2023 at 12:10 am | #

    Dorothy and Ruth are just casually representing the two wolves that live rent free inside my head.

    “I MIGHT BE A BAD PERSON AND I SHOULD WORRY ABOUT THIS”

    “Yes, but hear me out; if we do bad on purpose, at least we know where we stand?” (/j to the above)

    I feel so hard for Dorothy here. She needs a hug and to go back to the ground and really figure out why she wants what she wants. I personally think politics could use more people who want to try to do well even if they’re aware it’s an unrealistic endeavor, but she’s never really given a reason for wanting to be President. I actually think something like social work or psychiatry could be up her alley if she can work through her own internalized stigmas and anxieties.

    Or maybe even something like teacher or professor. There are a lot of different avenues to helping and guiding people and she seems to really want to help individuals. She shouldn’t give up on Politics because of Raidah, but it’s time to take a good long look and the mirror and figure out the Why of Dorothy.

    • True Survivor
      True Survivor
      March 21, 2023 at 12:13 am | #

      I agree. You post a lot of wise comments.

    • Nono
      Nono
      March 21, 2023 at 1:50 am | #

      I think the problem with those professions is that sometimes you have to cater to a mass class instead of an individual. And Dorothy seems to have problems with that. She makes spreadsheets of everyone’s issues and wants to cater to everyone. And that’s just a fast track to burn out especially if she’s going to teach a freshman class of 50+ people.

      Therapist might work if she can get herself to learn when to stop helping too much. Or I dunno, dietician or something where she can make individualised care but can’t help too much.

  14. UrsulaDavina
    UrsulaDavina
    March 21, 2023 at 12:12 am | #

    If Dotty is willing to consider this chances are she is not a narcissist or evil. Although stubborn and sometimes she can be a bit of busy-body Ala Joyce.
    But she is 18 or 19 so she shouldn’t judge herself to badly.

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 1:54 am | #

      If only more 18 year olds were this self reflective tbh

  15. newlland(Henryvolt)
    newlland(Henryvolt)
    March 21, 2023 at 12:13 am | #

    Today’s Reddit post….In loving memory of Mike Warner: https://www.reddit.com/r/dumbingofage/comments/11×6956/dumbing_of_age_headcannon_mikes_book_that_held/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

    • True Survivor
      True Survivor
      March 21, 2023 at 12:17 am | #

      You think we are going to get an book where someone finds the book and uses it against the crew? Sort of like that old Justice League movie where the the Legion of Doom steals Batman’s contingency plans for the Justice League?

      • Ascension
        Ascension
        March 21, 2023 at 12:22 am | #

        The funny thing would be if someone finds the book and tries to use it against them, but most of them have experienced enough character development since his death that the tricks outlined don’t work anymore.

        “Joyyyyyce, what if God was maaaaade uuuuup?”

        “…I’ve literally dealt with this already.”

        • RassilonTDavros
          RassilonTDavros
          March 21, 2023 at 12:35 am | #

          That idea reminds me a lot of an old It’s Walky! strip.

          …huh, Mike was pretty much tied with Blaine for closest DoA equivalent to the Head Alien, wasn’t he. (not counting the fictional-in-universe Dexter, I mean.)

      • RassilonTDavros
        RassilonTDavros
        March 21, 2023 at 12:30 am | #

        I think it would be interesting if his book had enough details to, say, expose the mob’s involvement in the mass kidnapping. And which cops are mob stooges. Especially since Asher’s firmly a part of the main cast now, and the cop who shot Blaine in the hospital is implied in one of the Patreon strips to be connected to… somebody. (First strip for August 2020, for reference.)

  16. Mano308gts
    Mano308gts
    March 21, 2023 at 12:15 am | #

    Man, this girl is spiraling right out of control…

    But also, it should legitimately never be someone’s end-goal to be ome the President, esp. not during high school/college- end goal to go into Politics (TM), or to make an attempt to reach the Senate.. but a whole lot of highly successful politicians never make it past the House of Representatives (if that far)… And after 3 terms there, they’re literally set for life.

    • Bryy
      Bryy
      March 21, 2023 at 12:36 am | #

      A lot of college freshmen hold on to the high school notion of careers being an assembly line.

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 2:03 am | #

      makes me wonder how many ppl could ‘fail upwards’ into being president

      Flash forward 25 years into the future where Danny is president and everyone’s wonder how the hell it happened (not that danny is especially incompetent/unambitious but first name that popped in my head lol)

      • JBento
        JBento
        March 21, 2023 at 6:59 am | #

        Danny is definitely especially unambitious, and good for him.

    • thejeff
      thejeff
      March 21, 2023 at 8:30 am | #

      Idon’t really see a problem with having President as the end goal. A lot of politicians do, though they’re not usually quite so open about it.

      I would have liked to see more of what she thought the rest of the political career would be like. Senator? Governor (which is a more common route to the Presidency)?

  17. The Wellerman
    The Wellerman
    March 21, 2023 at 12:23 am | #

    Don’t worry, Dorothy. Just choose the evil you can live with as a fallback. Like for instance making totally evil Satanic video games. 😛😈

    • RassilonTDavros
      RassilonTDavros
      March 21, 2023 at 12:37 am | #

      Dorothy and Joyce Perform a Satanism: a Dumbing of Age Pornographique

      • The Wellerman
        The Wellerman
        March 21, 2023 at 12:43 am | #

        Well seeing that they’re both atheists, Joyce is a comic artist with a growing audience, and Dorothy’s brain is like a spreadsheet, they already have a massive head start. All they need to do is channel their autism and find a coder to bring their ideas to life.

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 2:05 am | #

      Video games are love tho ;P

      Unless you plan to be a freemium pusher or so XD

      • The Wellerman
        The Wellerman
        March 21, 2023 at 2:17 am | #

        😊 Awe thanks. And nah, it’s possible to make a totally evil satanic game without the horrendous practice of micro-transactions.

  18. UrsulaDavina
    UrsulaDavina
    March 21, 2023 at 12:31 am | #

    Don’t choose evil they say they have cookies but there stale store bought off brand anise flavored pizzelles. Cookies shouldn’t taste like black licorice!

    • anonymsly
      anonymsly
      March 21, 2023 at 1:14 am | #

      Truly the most evil of cookies.

      • UrsulaDavina
        UrsulaDavina
        March 21, 2023 at 1:25 am | #

        People say that oatmeal rasin are evil but they are full of fiber and that helps with you’re bowl movements. Ya know what ansie does? It lowers your potassium levels! Not only does It taste like death but it has adverse health effects true evil!

        • Mark
          Mark
          March 21, 2023 at 7:28 am | #

          Well, unless you have hyperkalemia.

          Oatmeal-raisin cookies are tasty,and the one and only case of cooking with raisins that doesn’t make them seem like something squidgy that fell into the bowl when nobody was looking.

    • Joy
      Joy
      March 21, 2023 at 9:43 am | #

      Wrong. 0_o

      You just don’t appreciate the flavor enough and that’s a fact /my opinion

      • UrsulaDavina
        UrsulaDavina
        March 21, 2023 at 8:27 pm | #

        It’s what I imagine death taste like it’s so sweet it taste bitter

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      March 21, 2023 at 3:08 pm | #

      I like black licorice.

      Besides, what’s potassium done for me lately?

      • JBento
        JBento
        March 21, 2023 at 4:01 pm | #

        Kept the electric potential in your cells and served as a counterbalance in transporter proteins?

  19. DailyBrad
    DailyBrad
    March 21, 2023 at 12:33 am | #

    Better to be asking these questions now than when she’s in her 30s.

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 1:14 am | #

      ain’t nothing wrong with having doubts in your 30s 🙃

      As long as you don’t indulge in self desctructive tendencies

      • DailyBrad
        DailyBrad
        March 21, 2023 at 1:28 am | #

        Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m in my 30s, and I have plenty of doubts.

        I just mean that the sooner she confronts some feelings, it’ll probably be better for her. Though, there’s no escaping from feeling like time has been wasted. When you’re older, it’s more time, but when you’re younger, you are generally less experienced at handling some of those feelings.

        So, there’s no easy way to handle this, but hopefully, getting to it earlier will be good for her.

    • ArcaneDarkness
      ArcaneDarkness
      March 21, 2023 at 11:39 am | #

      oof, I have 30 and found the strip truly relatable, I do agree with your comment but I also felt a punch from it.

  20. Dr. Gonzo
    Dr. Gonzo
    March 21, 2023 at 12:34 am | #

    It’s here for all their differences in terms of background, socio-political religious/irreligious outlook, Joyce and Dorothy are really alike. While the jury is still out on the Autism question both are driven by very obsessive compulsive behaviors and vexing all consuming anxieties, thoughts and doubts.

    • spriteless aunty
      spriteless aunty
      March 21, 2023 at 11:13 am | #

      Indeed. They could bond over their loss of faith.

  21. HueSatLight
    HueSatLight
    March 21, 2023 at 12:56 am | #

    whoa slow down, it’s not narcissist or evil, just silly and poorly thought out. Inertia.
    Feels like the false dichotomy between “having drive” and “being a narcissist” is a defense mechanism.

    • Blue
      Blue
      March 21, 2023 at 11:23 am | #

      I think it’s related to the recent Yale choice where furthering her goal would mean taking an action she’s not morally comfortable with, and she sees the logical endpoint of iterating that behavior.

  22. BBCC
    BBCC
    March 21, 2023 at 1:06 am | #

    Sorry ladies, y’all are too self aware and care too much about other people to truly be evil.

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 1:08 am | #

      i’m sure there are plenty of self aware ppl knowing what they’re doing is bad as opposed to justifying it. Though the caring is a good sign that dorothy wouldn’t go fully on corrupt tho that’d be an entertaining one shot where she’s a full on dictator and julia grey has to take her down ;p

      • BBCC
        BBCC
        March 21, 2023 at 6:47 pm | #

        Yeah, you need the combo of self aware and caring. Just one or the other won’t help.

  23. anon
    anon
    March 21, 2023 at 1:07 am | #

    lol even with ‘evil’, even Ruth wouldn’t be pro-war crimes…Right?

  24. Dara
    Dara
    March 21, 2023 at 1:09 am | #

    Ruth, Ruth – I presume that’s you in the alt-text – you don’t want to cause problems. No. You want to be the problem. It’s kind of like the difference between villainy and supervillainy, and you and I both know you have it in you for evil greatness. So reach for the stars, Ruth…

    …and steal them.

  25. Dday
    Dday
    March 21, 2023 at 2:05 am | #

    Dorothy made the smart choice finding someone she disclose this stuff to. Now she needs to separate the issue she’s having with her feelings from the crisis she’s having with her values.

    Step 1:
    Take some time to just observe your feelings without judging them or assigning value to them. Just feel your feelings and they get processed.

    Step 2:
    Take some time to think seriously about what you value, what you think (at least currently) is truly important to you. This is a lot easier after you allowed yourself some space to process your feelings. Sure, it could be what you think you could contribute in the realm of politics. If you take the time to soberly consider why politics is important to you in the first place.

    The last thing someone who’s like 19 should be doing is making some eternal vow over the vector of their life based on immediate feelings of doubt *or* desire, that sort of thing can change with the wind. And being in a state of judging your own feelings and drives is the worst possible time to make an important decision (also generally not helpful)

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 2:10 am | #

      Ruth isn’t a bad choice but would love for her to have this same convo with Leslie too, and maybe even robin because of her experiences, to get some adult perspectives too. Well, as ‘adult’ as leslie/robin is within the doa-verse

      • Dday
        Dday
        March 21, 2023 at 2:52 am | #

        I would legitimately be interested in seeing Robin try to explain why she initially got interested in politics to Dorothy, that would be a delight. Leslie is certainly the closest available character who can play the part of um… “nurturing, wise elder person” so I grok that instinct.
        I’m for real interested in finding out how Ruth of all people will respond to all of this, I don’t think anyone has ever turned to her in this manner. Honestly, just the fact that Dotty found someone she can say all of this stuff to out loud is probably the most important part.

        • JBento
          JBento
          March 21, 2023 at 4:00 pm | #

          Robin: “It sounded like a sweet gig with good pay and no actual work. And hey, it was.”

    • anon
      anon
      March 21, 2023 at 2:12 am | #

      and yeah , minor tangent, nothing’s set in stone at 19 yet there are ppl who expect you to know what you want like right as you enter high school. like in first grade when you’re asked ‘what do you wanna be in the future’ that’s just for ‘fun’/possibly planting a seed of ambition for the future, but there def is pressure to immediately go to college after graduating and finding a major or so.

  26. Masumi
    Masumi
    March 21, 2023 at 2:40 am | #

    Me, I chose stubbornness.

  27. John Campbell
    John Campbell
    March 21, 2023 at 2:42 am | #

    Well, acting with integrity didn’t work out so hot for Ruth last time around. Maybe it’s time to try evil.

  28. Clif
    Clif
    March 21, 2023 at 3:44 am | #

    Ruth’s actually good at this. Who knew?

  29. Taffy
    Taffy
    March 21, 2023 at 4:07 am | #

    Dorothy, I fucking swear. Get hooked on an MMO and start getting big into RP. Or at least play D&D as an ambitious and sexy fire genasi. The point is, roleplaying can be a safe way to explore things you want IRL, without much potential for actual harm.

    • Masumi
      Masumi
      March 21, 2023 at 5:45 am | #

      Going by that logic, turns out I wanna do as much magic damage as is mathematically possible; plus pints for sparkliness.

      … Okay, now what?

      • Masumi
        Masumi
        March 21, 2023 at 5:46 am | #

        (I studied chemistry, but *they didn’t let me blow stuff up* 😭)

      • Taffy
        Taffy
        March 21, 2023 at 6:18 am | #

        You could become a high-ranking member of a church. They have a lot of magic and do a lot of damage.

      • JBento
        JBento
        March 21, 2023 at 7:01 am | #

        Warlock, spam sparkly Eldritch Blasts every turn.

  30. Acher4
    Acher4
    March 21, 2023 at 4:13 am | #

    Ruth’s face today is def going to be a new avatar…

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      March 21, 2023 at 4:16 am | #

      But whose?

      • Needfuldoer
        Needfuldoer
        March 21, 2023 at 4:28 am | #

        It is a mystery.

        • Bryy
          Bryy
          March 21, 2023 at 9:06 am | #

          Def not mine, as I forgot how to do it.

  31. Raen
    Raen
    March 21, 2023 at 4:16 am | #

    Jesus Christ, was Dorothy really that dead-set on being POTUS, specifically?

    • eh, whatever
      eh, whatever
      March 21, 2023 at 7:05 am | #

      …did you somehow refuse to believe your eyes for all these years?

  32. DarkoNeko
    DarkoNeko
    March 21, 2023 at 4:57 am | #

    come on, become the first non tainted president of the US ever ! or something.

    • Bryy
      Bryy
      March 21, 2023 at 9:25 am | #

      In all seriousness, it’s depressing how fast ideal candidates get in office and become shit.

  33. Amós Batista
    Amós Batista
    March 21, 2023 at 5:03 am | #

    Somebody have said talking to Ruth was a great idea…

  34. Chris
    Chris
    March 21, 2023 at 5:28 am | #

    I got an AAS at a community college, some 40+ years ago. Never attended Uni. Never lived in the dorms.

    Is this the kind of thing a real RA deals with? Is it a women’s dorm thing?

    (Sorry, but the worst thing I can imagine a men’s RA dealing with is “where do we buy kegs?”)

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      March 21, 2023 at 2:16 pm | #

      I (m) did occasionally bounce what I was thinking about off of my RA (f), and what I was thinking about was grappling with understanding the world in a new way. The male RA was at the way other end of the floor. I don’t know how much he engaged with the people living closer to him, but I think it was more than the Beck RA does in the strip.

      If I were to run into her now, I guess I’d say, sorry for being dumb, thank you for helping out.

  35. Thomas
    Thomas
    March 21, 2023 at 6:55 am | #

    Drive and Ambition are different from Getting What You Want In Live.
    One thing doesn’t automatically lead to the other.

    • Blue
      Blue
      March 21, 2023 at 11:19 am | #

      Personally I think the answer is in continuing to examine what you do want in life and allowing that to change, rather than being blindly ambitious with only a nebulous goal.

  36. ValdVin
    ValdVin
    March 21, 2023 at 7:05 am | #

    Is Dotty talking about the “sunk cost fallacy” in front of a Maple Leafs poster?

    Does she know anything about them?

    • Blue
      Blue
      March 21, 2023 at 11:18 am | #

      Dotty know anything about sportsball? Perish the thought.

      • ValdVin
        ValdVin
        March 21, 2023 at 11:36 am | #

        Well, until there are electoral votes to be had in Ontario…

        But Ruth? Willis has set up the ultimate Leafs fan joke for her.

        PS And he retweeted this (https://twitter.com/damnyouwillis/status/1638166658169688071) so maybe I should retire on this high note.

  37. Sombrero
    Sombrero
    March 21, 2023 at 7:12 am | #

    I thought this was going in the direction of Ruth oozing empathy (much to her chagrin), but maybe what we’ll get is Ruth getting a crush on Dorothy.

    • a/snow/mous/e
      a/snow/mous/e
      March 21, 2023 at 1:17 pm | #

      …I mean she’s just doing the basic RA thing of listening to people’s problems? I know it’s weird to see Ruth taking her position seriously instead of using it as an excuse to be an asshole, but it doesn’t really strike me as leading into anything.

      • Sombrero
        Sombrero
        March 21, 2023 at 2:00 pm | #

        Ruth has a history in being attracted to the kind of feeling Dorothy is currently projecting.

      • Mark
        Mark
        March 21, 2023 at 6:11 pm | #

        Ruth is also not constantly dealing with crushing emotions now, so, maybe not feeling so negative?

  38. milu
    milu
    March 21, 2023 at 8:47 am | #

    Twist: Dorothy’s parents actually belong to a secret society who have dedicated their lives to a long-term plan aiming to bring about a human extinction, or at least massive reduction in global population and to limit the effects of anthropogenic climate change (disclaimer: please dont do this, also overpopulation is a racist-capitalist red herring not a actual pressing issue). Dorothy is unwittingly a sleeper agent they have trained and conditioned her from birth to become potus and be activated to sign the right documents when the time comes.

    So it turns out the dream was evil all along.

    This may or may not be plagiarized from a british tv show with stylishly saturated colours and a killer soundtrack despite a problematic premise

    • Taffy
      Taffy
      March 21, 2023 at 9:18 am | #

      I appreciate the disclaimer. A lot of us comment section regulars have the power and resources to depopulate the planet in severe ways at a moment’s notice, and it’s good to have someone keeping us honest.

      • milu
        milu
        March 21, 2023 at 9:46 am | #

        Honestly exterminating all of humanity is a bit of a dick move. I felt someone should say it

        • JBento
          JBento
          March 21, 2023 at 3:57 pm | #

          Ugh, fine, what are my other options? I never get to have any fun. 🙁

          • milu
            milu
            March 21, 2023 at 6:06 pm | #

            birdwatching and crochet. those are the two hobbies

    • HueSatLight
      HueSatLight
      March 21, 2023 at 2:04 pm | #

      oh no, I left my button that destroys the universe in my room.

    • JBento
      JBento
      March 21, 2023 at 3:57 pm | #

      And what would this british tv show that this may or may not be plagiarised from?

      • HueSatLight
        HueSatLight
        March 21, 2023 at 4:24 pm | #

        I flubbed the quote. https://www.dumbingofage.com/wwdd/

        • JBento
          JBento
          March 21, 2023 at 4:55 pm | #

          Sorry, I was asking milu. XD

          • milu
            milu
            March 21, 2023 at 6:05 pm | #

            ah that would be Utopia. if it was plagiarized that is.

            • milu
              milu
              March 21, 2023 at 6:10 pm | #

              (it may or may not actually be loosely inspired therefrom)

            • milu
              milu
              March 21, 2023 at 6:26 pm | #

              (a taste of the killer soundtrack by Cristobal Tapia de Veer.)

  39. Hat
    Hat
    March 21, 2023 at 10:43 am | #

    I love DoA, but sometimes it’s very important to ignore the age of these characters.

    I’m just imagining if, in real life, I met a college freshman who was suddenly having a panic attack because she’s wondering if her childhood dream of being president is what she really wanted.

    • a/snow/mous/e
      a/snow/mous/e
      March 21, 2023 at 1:41 pm | #

      idk, is it that weird? if you come from a supportive family who have been setting you up for college, you’ve had childhood dreams of doing some big important job, you’ve spent your primary education taking and excelling the relevant classes and joining the relevant clubs, and now suddenly you’re shoved off into a dormitory and made to officially declare “this is what I want to do for the rest of my life”… you’re in a totally new environment and your parents aren’t there to coddle you anymore, people are prodding you about your goals, and when you sit down and think about them, you suddenly realize that you don’t really have much of a plan other than those vague dreams you came up with as a little kid… not to mention struggling with courses or adjustment to independent living… it’s not that weird to be stressed and wondering if the future you’ve been trying to set out for yourself is going to be everything you hoped for, or if it’s time for a sudden course-correction.

      • Hat
        Hat
        March 22, 2023 at 9:14 am | #

        Yeah it’s not uncommon at all.

        I meant that, as a comparatively Old Person, this just a typical type A freshman meltdown. It doesn’t make it less meaningful for Dorothy, but it also is hard to take too seriously. She’ll get over it, hopefully expand her horizons a bit, and then either get focused again and be more certain, or she’ll find something more important to her.

        A lot of childhood moments are like that- they feel Big, and they are to the kid, but they are so rote and common in the human experience that Old People can sometimes be dismissive of them,

  40. Rogue 7
    Rogue 7
    March 21, 2023 at 10:46 am | #

    This is a tough one. I hope to god Dorothy is being hyperbolic and that she’s not seriously contemplating that her dreams might have been evil. Because she absolutely wanted to use the power of the presidency to do good.

    Deciding that her ambition wasn’t actually what she wanted is all well and good, but I really, *really* hope that she’s not condemning herself for having them.

    This is definitely a bit personal to me- I graduated college with the intent of joining the State Department- I never wanted to be President, but I did want to go into some aspect of government. I realized it wasn’t for me- 1) my anxiety and that type of job do *not* mix well, 2) I realized I like teaching better- but it was a perfectly fine objective to have, and I’m not a bad person for having it.

    • Blue
      Blue
      March 21, 2023 at 11:16 am | #

      My take is that if you would do literally anything to achieve your goal, that could someday include evil things

      • temporaryobsessor
        temporaryobsessor
        March 21, 2023 at 12:44 pm | #

        A major flaw with all forms of government is those who are willing to do evil things to gain power are more likely to gain power.

        • milu
          milu
          March 21, 2023 at 6:08 pm | #

          unless they have been strictly trained from childhood to become philosopher-kings. that is a foolproof plan

      • Rogue 7
        Rogue 7
        March 21, 2023 at 2:50 pm | #

        Yes, but where on Earth is Dorothy getting the idea that she would do those evil things from? Raidah’s quip about war criminals? I would honestly lose some respect for Willis if Dorothy’s convictions were so weak that they could be shaken by what’s ultimately a talking point rather than an actual argument. If he wants to set it up so that Dorothy starts advocating for anarcho-communism, that’s fine, but it needs more setup.

        • Mark
          Mark
          March 21, 2023 at 6:17 pm | #

          I think she’s been thrown off balance, by someone who pushed in a direction she wasn’t expecting, but not toppled. Let’s wait and see how she recovers.

    • newlland(Henryvolt)
      newlland(Henryvolt)
      March 21, 2023 at 4:06 pm | #

      I feel like she always assumed she would be doing the right thing in her political career, it never came across her mind that the job itself would probably be pushing her towards doing any atrocities. Not being aware of that can be a dangerous thing when you’re committing yourself to a mindset where your willing do anything to achieve a specific goal.

  41. Felian
    Felian
    March 21, 2023 at 2:36 pm | #

    I don’t feel like Ruth is very suitable as an RA. She’s not really got her shit together.
    I mean, you can still struggle even when you are a parent / guardian / authority, but i think she’s not fit as a therapist figure if she makes it about herself instead of actively listening and helping Dorothy find out what she needs to know.

    • Slartibeast Button, BIA
      Slartibeast Button, BIA
      March 21, 2023 at 3:49 pm | #

      I believe she is an RA because her grandfather insists on it, either to save money or because it looks good on your resume.

    • pope suburban
      pope suburban
      March 21, 2023 at 6:20 pm | #

      I want to see where this goes before I make a judgment on how Ruth is handling this specific instance. She’s shown herself to be aware that sometimes, the scripted response is not what is wanted (like when she talked to Amber about having an abusive father), and that some people need to ease into talking about feelings (like she did with Walky, and when Walky called her out, she really did seem to take that to heart). It could be that Ruth is taking a more measured entry into this, and trying to relate to Dorothy when she talks about lying in therapy/feeling unsure. She and Dorothy do have more of a peer relationship than an authority-figure one; Ruth went to Dorothy for breakup advice, after all, which shows she’s aware of both her shortcomings and Dorothy’s astuteness. So this may yet be a productive conversation for both, not unlike the exchange between Jennifer and Joyce when they talked about changing and growing as people.

      But also yeah generally, Ruth has no business doing this and it’s basically at her grandfather’s strong insistence that IU keeps her in the position. You’re right about that, globally. I just had some interesting thoughts as a result of your perfectly cromulent assessment of the situation,

      • Felian
        Felian
        March 22, 2023 at 11:19 pm | #

        You are absolutely correct in seeing first how this plays out. The strip after this shows some actually useful advice!
        But ugh, people getting jobs because of *connections* rather than *suitability* really sucks…

  42. Carms
    Carms
    March 21, 2023 at 5:38 pm | #

    Keep Going Dorothy! These are Good Concerns. Keep them! Hold them close. You’re trying to Change The World and these concerns need to be there when you’re trying to Change The World.
    Do you think Robin has these concerns? No.
    You levelled up! You get a new feat!
    You probably want your self-accountability to be more like a hand to hold on the path than a gun against your head though.

CHOOSE A SIDE, NO COWARDS

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  • Polls Archive
CONVENTION APPEARANCES


May 3, 2025 - FCBD @ Laughing Ogre Comics in Columbus, Ohio

David M Willis! avatar
David M Willis!
@damnyouwillis.bsky.social
damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 5h
I think you mean the Slug-Maker
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 6h
today in #9chickweedlane i guess we're memory-holing again that 1997 story where amos and edda kissed for the first time after she, uh, got shot at school
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 6h
this has real "leia comforting luke for losing a guy he just met after her planet got exploded" energy
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 7h
Dumbing of Age: "Locate" www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/b... #webcomics #webcomic
www.dumbingofage.com
Locate
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 14h
butts disease
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Unnatural Selections @soundmirrors.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
It’s been awhile since I’ve more seriously read up on Ugaritic and Canaanite religions (alas, w/semi dated scholarship), but this is interesting, and not in a peaceful matriarchal fantasy kind of way.
theradr.bsky.social's user avatarRabbi Danya Ruttenberg @theradr.bsky.social ⋅ 20d
If you do a close read not only of the Bible but the archeology, it starts to look like the Israelites, & all but a couple of Judean kings, worshipped a goddess for pretty much the whole First Temple era. The implications of this are... far ranging-- & her name might not be what we've believed.
header image - Israelite Goddess Mystery Quest
www.lifeisasacredtext.com
Israelite Goddess Mystery Quest
smashing pillars / tracing echoes
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
Have some sticker ideas for Toyhax
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
fellas, is hasbro trying to make toys for children again
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 18h
Erase Soundwave's mouth! Recolor him light blue! ...don't correct Ratbat's miscolored face in the next panel
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 20h
So, I put my mind to it and retaught myself 3D modeling.
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 21h
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
who wore it better
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damnyouwillis.bsky.social's user avatar
David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
Dumbing of Age: "Pervasively" www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/b... #webcomics #webcomic
www.dumbingofage.com
Pervasively
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indigo-k.com's user avatar
-indy ✨ (he/him) @indigo-k.com ⋅ 1d
WIP: Taking a break for dinner, and then back to finish this later tonight:
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gwensnyder.bsky.social's user avatar
Gwen Snyder is uncivil @gwensnyder.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
I will say for the umpteenth time that the Democratic establishment is terrible at understanding enthusiasm math. An energized base is crucial to winning fights-- electoral and otherwise-- because they will drag the low info folks out to vote and protest and engage. You NEED that energy.
gwensnyder.bsky.social's user avatarGwen Snyder is uncivil @gwensnyder.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
It's not just that he and his policies are unpopular, there's a clear and demonstrated enthusiasm differential now. His base is energetically absent, ours is livid and out in the streets.
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fakeeyes.bsky.social's user avatar
FakeEyes @fakeeyes.bsky.social ⋅ 1d
Pretty good Spider-Man figure, I don’t care what they say.
Spider-Man doing that thing you expect. It’s the butt thing. Why have I done this to myself? Is this my life? Yes.
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zaratustra.bsky.social's user avatar
zaratustra @zaratustra.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
@damnyouwillis.bsky.social adjacent to your interests
adashtra.bsky.social's user avatarAsh Parrish @adashtra.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Turns out the guy was Chuck Ayers, a nationally recognized cartoonist and creator of Crankshaft. He had a lot to say but the thing that struck me was that when he talked about whats going on now, I could see he was holding back emotion. All this still hurts him to see 55 (!!) years later.
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katiestp.bsky.social's user avatar
Katie @katiestp.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Right now, these sweet kids have no clue how impactful this period in history will be for them, but I hope they will be proud of the time they made the best protest sign ever: The green one that says “Trump eats boogers” #NoKings
Kids and adults standing on a pedestrian bridge over the highway with protest signs that say fascists out and no Trump no ice. The best one is green and says Trump eats boogers.
katiestp.bsky.social's user avatarKatie @katiestp.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
We can’t make the actual event at the capitol today, so you’ll find us with the kids on University with our signs (and I might bring the megaphone too). Even if you can’t make it to the capitol - come out in your own neighborhoods, even if it’s for a few minutes. Be seen. Be heard. #nokings
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anguirus.bsky.social's user avatar
Anguirus @anguirus.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
rude of you to call me out like this @damnyouwillis.bsky.social
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
www.ebay.com/itm/23614371... five hours left on this weirdo in the box weirdo not in the box is not for sale
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charliejane.bsky.social's user avatar
Charlie Jane "Lessons in Magic and Disaster" Anders 🏳️‍⚧ @charliejane.bsky.social ⋅ 3d
At Comic-Con 2009 I was getting misgendered a fair bit and feeling anxious AF about it. Robert Downey Jr. was doing a press conf for Sherlock Holmes. I wanted to shout out a question but hated drawing attn to myself. I did it anyway. He gestured at me: "the lady in the blue shirt." I was so happy.
bolt451.bsky.social's user avatarHunter S Schafer @bolt451.bsky.social ⋅ 3d
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
dawn these are not the same things you had an abusive boyfriend wilbur had a live-in sex stranger who he chose over your safety because he was getting laid, until the moment something almost happened to HIS GOLDFISH
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
Dumbing of Age: "Counter-protest" www.dumbingofage.com/2025/comic/b... #webcomics #webcomic
www.dumbingofage.com
Counter-protest
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
(June 19, 2026)
It's Joyce!  Directing our attention leftwards!
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 2d
yeah maybe joyce switching to paramore from dc talk last storyline was a good move variety.com/2025/music/n...
header image - Hayley Williams Hopes Christian Music Industry ‘Crumbles’ Amid Michael Tait Scandal: ‘F— All of You Who Knew and Didn’t Say Anything’
variety.com
Hayley Williams Hopes Christian Music Industry ‘Crumbles’ Amid Michael Tait Scandal: ‘F— All of You Who Knew and Didn’t Say Anything’
Paramore singer Hayley Williams has reacted angrily to news of accusations against Christian music star Michael Tait, saying, 'I hope the CCM industry crumbles.'
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daisyfm.net's user avatar
DaisyFM ✒︎ @daisyfm.net ⋅ 3d
I think it's been long enough that we should all be able to agree that Charles Martinet sounds nothing like what Mario is supposed to sound like.
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david malki ! 🔩 New game! BOLTED 🔩 @davidmalki.com ⋅ 2d
The universe told me "Stop obsessively collecting 19th century illustrations. Here. Now you have plenty. You are done now. Go do the second half of your deal, where you make more things out of them"
video thumbnail
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wackd.bsky.social's user avatar
Wack'd @wackd.bsky.social ⋅ 3d
oh this is a hot take and i'm extremely here for it
daisyfm.net's user avatarDaisyFM ✒︎ @daisyfm.net ⋅ 3d
I think it's been long enough that we should all be able to agree that Charles Martinet sounds nothing like what Mario is supposed to sound like.
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David M Willis! @damnyouwillis.bsky.social ⋅ 3d
www.ebay.com/itm/23614976... bid on my HFTD Leader Class Starscream!
header image - Transformers Hunt for the Decepticons Leader Class ROTF Starscream, complete 653569490937| eBay
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Transformers Hunt for the Decepticons Leader Class ROTF Starscream, complete 653569490937| eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Transformers Hunt for the Decepticons Leader Class ROTF Starscream, complete at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many pro...
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