Faint hint of commentary on (or jab at) Real Life

[Shreav]

In strip 702 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0702.html), if you wanted to, you might suspect there to be some parallels between Gobbotopia and China, and between Cliffport and the USA (or at least the "West" in general).

First, note the similarity between the flag of Gobbotopia and the flag of China (http://images.google.com/images?q=china+flag). Both are red (and darker-red Chinese flags do exist) with a collection of stars around a central star.

Second, consider this exchange between Redcloak's two cleric assistants:

First cleric: Really? We finally got [formal recognition from] Cliffport?
Second cleric: They have a long-standing trade war with the Elves. Once they attacked, Cliffport decided it was best to influence our position on human slavery [Read: human rights abuses] through economic engagement.


Third, the distribution of the textbooks is classic "Communist, authoritarian state," writing history with a distinctively biased slant.

[Optimystik]

I'm sure Gobbotopia is similar in ways to a number of autocratic states. We can't really talk about the real-life parallels here though, as that would be political discussion.

[Shreav]

That's banned? Well, there you go. Apologies to anybody who's offended.

[Optimystik]

No offense taken. Here are the rules of posting. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/announcement.php?f=22&a=1)

Welcome to the Playground :smallsmile:

[Ancalagon]

I also think it's only similar by coincidence because a few basic patterns apply that also apply in RL.

But only because an abstraction might be compared it does not mean the actual case has something to do with each other.

If that was the case, ALL cases could be compared, I think you might even be able to abstract the "struggle of the order vs. Xykon" to a level where you could apply the resulting pattern to any other RL-struggle that you also abstract enough.

[Iuris]

I think the comic is adressing the general principle of "rewriting history via. textbooks" that is present all over the world and all through history (well, for as long as textbooks exist) in countries of all colours and leanings. I could name at least 3 cases of such controversial rewrites in the first 10 seconds.(I won't though, I'd rather not have the thread closed).

So, I'd rather say the giant is just poking fun at the principle, not at any specific country.

[Optimystik]

So, I'd rather say the giant is just poking fun at the principle, not at any specific country.

I agree - it was the OP that mentioned specific countries though.

[Darakonis]

I think any similarity to the Chinese flag is an unfortunate coincidence. Perhaps Rich would make passing political commentary as a one-shot gag, but to tie it into the plot... I don't believe Rich would do that.

Peace
-Darakonis

[Wikimaster]

Or, it could just be a one-off joke.

Edit: Ninja'd?

[Turkish Delight]

Pretty sure the Giant won't do anything with the China connection. It's too political to be anything more than a one-off joke. And the flags aren't similar enough for me to think the Giant was modeling the Gobbotopia flag after the PRC; plenty of flags with little stars on them, y'know.

It is dangerous to speak of these ideas or suggest the Giant was speaking of them. As any China blogger will tell you, the 憤青 are always watching, ready to pounce on 'anti-China elements' with their raging oversensitivity and unwavering reliance on argumentum ad hominem. We must do all in our power to avoid their gaze, lest the forums crumble under the stupid.

[Silencer]

Now OOTS is ready to be banned in China.

Everybody knows China is the only real Giant, and the world is its Playground ;)

[bluewind95]

I loved it. It was awesome, how they completely changed what happened. Beautiful! Seriously, EVERY evil empire/nation/city/whatnot in fiction has to start like this.

SOD spoilers:

Now... knowing how they manipulate the facts... perhaps the paladins didn't do such horrible things as were described by Redcloak? I mean.... look what the hobgoblins did to Azure City and see how Redcloak describes it.


Seriously, though. I loved that textbook thing. I don't care who in the world's done it. I just think it's so, so fitting.

[Kish]

SOD spoilers:

Now... knowing how they manipulate the facts... perhaps the paladins didn't do such horrible things as were described by Redcloak? I mean.... look what the hobgoblins did to Azure City and see how Redcloak describes it.


SoD is not narrated by Redcloak. Could we please put the "Redcloak the first-level cleric created an epic-level illusion of his sister with a katana through her chest for all the readers to see" meme to rest?

[Roland St. Jude]

No offense taken. Here are the rules of posting. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/announcement.php?f=22&a=1)

Welcome to the Playground :smallsmile:

Sheriff of Moddingham: Real world politics is out-of-bounds on this forum.