Comic #3513: 2014-12-29
Description
Here’s a detailed description of the comic:
Panel 1:
- Background: Red.
- A character, an older Black man with glasses and a serious expression, is speaking.
- Text: "In economics, there is a concept called 'dollar auction:' You auction a dollar. The winner and runner-up both pay the amount that they bid for the dollar."
Panel 2:
- Background: White.
- A character, a middle-aged man with dark hair, is animatedly talking with a thoughtful look.
- Text: "I've bid 99 cents, and he's bid $1.00… so… if I give up, I lose 99 cents. But, if I bid $1.01, and win, I only lose a cent. So… I should keep bidding."
Panel 3:
- Background: Red.
- A character, a young woman with a light brown shirt and short hair, appears to be pondering.
- Text: "The point of the concept is to illustrate that rational choices can lead to irrational behavior. If I lose, I'm out infinity dollars. But if I win, I'm only out infinity-minus-one dollars."
Panel 4:
- Background: White.
- A character, a woman with dark hair, seems contemplative, while a man with light skin and a bald head looks troubled.
- Text: "But sometimes I wonder about its applications in real life. I'll wait for my spouse to call off the marriage. That’ll be easier."
Footer:
- Website attribution: "smbc-comics.com"
This description captures the characters, dialogue, and a visual idea of the panels while ensuring accessibility.