As an old family friend of ours used to say, “Opinions are like assholes, most people have them.” He was kind of a weird guy. Obviously, this was a play on the more popular catch phrase that ends with “everyone has them”. I kind of like his version better.

I fully realize the irony of creating a cartoon that picks on people critiquing things and then writing my opinion about it here on my website. Clearly, I am criticizing the very thing I am making fun of. It’s a crazy world, isn’t it? But if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then it must be that criticism is the highest form of narcissism?

Though it probably goes deeper than that? I sometimes wonder if narcissism really is just an extension of low self-esteem? Narcissism by definition is “excessive interest in or admiration of oneself”. More often than not, those who criticize everything are looking to make themselves out as either more important than the average person or smarter than the average person. Often times this couldn’t be farther from reality. I think in general; everyone just wants to be admired in some form. Sometimes this comes out as having a huge ego and other times it comes off as downright misery.

I am not a psychiatrist by any stretch of the imagination, but when I see this behavior play out in people, it fascinates me. Clearly, I also like to me admired. If I didn’t why would I be a performer? Why would I write songs? Why would I draw cartoons? Obviously, I am looking for some sort of acceptance or admiration. It’s how I was wired. I like to make other people happy. To a fault actually. I tend to put others ahead of me most of the time, to the point it can make me physically unhappy in the process...but then again making someone smile makes me happy, so the cycle keeps on turning. It’s a hell of a conundrum.

People want to be liked. By nature, people want to be important. By circumstance though, most people will never be important on any large scale - or liked in abundance beyond their own small circles. So, it makes them try harder to be respected among their peers. This often comes in the form of criticism. It’s easy to criticize and belittle people and it makes us feel good. It’s like a quick shot of dopamine! As with any dopamine spike, the euphoria wears off rather fast and then we need another hit. So, we criticize again. And again, and again…..and it has always been like this. The only difference between now, and say - 40 years ago, is that everyone has a platform to be heard now. For free. No experience required.

It used to be that you had to spend years building up your credibility before you had the privilege to voice it to the masses. You had to be a journalist, or a broadcaster, or reporter...politician, comedian, entertainer, writer, athlete….and build up a following before you had the platform to spout your opinions to the world. And because you were a well-known “celebrity” people would listen. They would either agree or disagree with you within their own minds, or to close friends and family, and that was about as far as it would go. Mainly because they did not have any access to a platform of their own.

Nowadays, any idiot can voice their opinions instantly via social media or have their own podcast - or draw a cartoon or two - and instantly project it far and wide via the world wide web. Instant dopamine! The flip side to this is that another idiot can immediately spike their own dopamine receptors by disagreeing with you immediately. Sparking a battle of the wits that does nothing more than hurt other people’s feelings than it does to entice people into agreeing with you. It’s kind of disheartening really. It’s just a bunch of people yelling into the noise trying to be heard and it can be a never-ending endeavor if you let it. What’s worse is it can slowly chip away at your soul, deteriorating your own self-worth slowly, until all you are left with is an empty bitterness where your self-esteem used to live. Clearly this is not the case for everybody but for many, it is. It’s just human nature to win at any cost.

Myself, I gave up on that long ago. I disagree with people all the time. But I fight the urge to retaliate by choosing not to fight. Instead, I draw a cartoon and hopefully it makes someone smile. If it doesn’t, that’s cool. I am sure they will let me know in the comments section.

As for the comment section, I’ll be reading it. How could I not? It’s the best free entertainment around! Don’t believe me? Go to any YouTube video and start reading the comments. It doesn’t even matter what it is. It could be the most feel-good story of the year – you will see the dopamine junkies in there trying to start a war with strangers. At this point you will have two options. Get mad and respond OR try to find the amusement in it all. I recommend the second option. But what do I know? That’s just my opinion after all.

That’s today’s cartoon folks! As always, thank you for stopping by and checking them out. It means the world to me! I’ll see you again Sunday with a brand new cartoon.

Cheers,

~tod