Comic #4708: statistical-flowers-for-algernon

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Description

Here’s a detailed description of the comic:

Panel 1: A doctor is speaking to a patient. The doctor is a middle-aged man wearing glasses, a light gray suit, and has gray hair. He says, “I’m going to give you a pill that’ll double your intelligence.” The patient, a Black woman with curly hair wearing a pink shirt, smiles and responds, “Thanks, Doc!”

Panel 2: The scene changes to indicate time has passed, with a caption that reads "MONTHS LATER…" The doctor continues speaking, with a thoughtful expression, saying, “Now that you’re smarter, I bet you’re feeling more dissociated from society? More horrified by human limitation? More repulsed by the frailty of this tragic farce!” The patient, looking unimpressed, responds with a casual “Nah.”

Panel 3: The doctor replies, “That’s a literary myth. Suicide rate, for instance, is anti-correlated with I.Q. The best statistical evidence suggests greater intelligence increases happiness, cooperativeness, and productivity.”

Panel 4: The patient looks more thoughtful as she responds, “It also makes you annoying, Doc.” The doctor has a smirk and replies, “It’s nice to know you’ve read some of the literature.”

The comic uses humor to discuss perceptions of intelligence and happiness, employing a conversational tone and distinctive character expressions.