Roko Lessons
Good job Roko
Comments (77)
I can't see any reason why this might backfire.
”We got out of our way to help some one and THIS is our reward?” Oh Yay, sweetie… Understand that if you expect a reward then you are not helping. You just crave atention and approval.
Wonder how the relationship between Millefeuille and Brun is going.
(waking up together every morning) We have a relationship?
Did Yay just announce their candidacy for president?
They rode an escalator from the bread shop to Roko’s apartment
Bull? Welcome to the china shop.
You shall reap the whirlwind.
Jeph, I don't remember giving you permission to publish my internal monologue. My lawyers will be contacting you soon.
Are
I honestly think Yay is winding Roko up in that last panel.
Made me think of a jack in the box that yells in a Boston accent
"So Yay, think of people like bonsai..." Ooh no; even worse. And yet...
Isn't that how criminal organisations operate?
This is a very useful metaphor that I feel would apply to neurodivergent people. I myself credit my studies of acting as improving my social skills and making me excellent at customer service and business "soft skills". Technically it's using acting to emotionally manipulate the people around me, but I always maintain that the technical skills employed by me do not make my intent any less genuine in my attempts to make people feel easy with me and to make social interaction (which I long struggled with) feel more normal than it otherwise would had I not been using "technique" to smooth the way. I feel like explaining how to use techniques for interacting better with people to Yay can really only be beneficial to both Yay Themselves and everyone they interact with.
Yep! I feel like this is also me.
Is... is that not what tact is? I'm with Yay on this one, I thought that's what we were all doing this whole time o.O
Manipulate has some pretty negative connotations, but I can't think of a better term. Exploit is definitely not good. I think what both Roko and Yay are missing here is that Yay is focusing on their own goals. Getting Elliot into therapy is a win for Yay, when it should be a win for Elliot. Helping Elliot (in whatever form that takes - it might not actually be therapy) should be Yay's goal.
Yay, no
She's not wrong, honestly, except for one thing: change "in order to achieve our goals" to "in order to help them achieve their goals" and you've got it! The rest is just changing "manipulate" and "exploit" to words with a more positive connotation, such as "motivate" or "encourage".
Alternate Roko dialogue for final panel: "NO but also technically yes oh god" :)
Yay is correct though, that is how humans operate socially.
This is so depressing and also true. So much "allistic approach to courtesy and not being a weirdo creeper" is just "disguise your intent and make assumptions" and it feels so icky to me.
I mean...she's not wrong in her interpretation, per se. It's all a matter of perspective and intent.
Honestly, you could do worse for teaching a highly-functional sociopath how to simulate empathy.
No tact. Only halp.
How would I explain this to Yay? Maybe something about how Yay felt a little hurt and offended when Roko’s advice felt like criticism, even though accurate and well meaning, other people can feel hurt and offended even when Yay’s advice is well meaning and accurate.
At technically only two years old, Yay is the naughtiest toddler
It doesn't map the same!
I love Yay
Roko tries so hard...
Well, social interaction _could_ be described as (mostly) unintentional manipulation. Don't drop that thread, Roko, explain them kindness as manipulation, friendship as exploitation.
roko is helping
I am reminded of Squirrel Girl's interactions with Ratatoskr. Teaching a chaos god the concept of "helping people" is a very delicate art.
I love how optimistic Roko looks in Panel 5. Like she’s having a normal conversation with a normal being.
Roko's continued optimism is remarkable given what has happened to her in canon.
I usually smile at the humor in QC but this strip made me laugh out loud.
so close, then wham, she hit's you with the switch up
Yeah, but we can't really *blame* Roko for hitting with the switch-up, when Yay responds in such a... less than ideal way.
I mean... they're *technically* not wrong...
"Ah, technically correct - the best kind of correct"
It was a good effort, to be fair. Just also have to remember that Yay has more experience with subterfuge rather than caution in that scenario.
I like this. I like how Yay's nature being different from most individuals results in an inability for them to handle social situations since their level of power creates a situation where they've never had to take other people's emotions into account as much as the average person has, thus severely limiting their experiences with that kind of thing.
Well, and they've been in hiding for most of their life, so doubly limited re: social situations
Sounds like therapy to me.
Did Roko just turn Yay into a politician?
I am 100% for Yay, and also Roko, getting into politics
Why'd you have to come for my imposter syndrome like this?
Ah, the classic, "How to exploit Friends and pw0n People". Which is a better title because the actual book is not about friendship, it's a how to grift text.
Is it? I never read the whole thing, but I skimmed a copy once and my recollection is that one of the first tenets early in the book basically says, you can't fake it, the only way to win friends and influence people is to be genuinely kind and decent and sincerely want to get to know and understand them, because most people will see through any tricks if only unconsciously.
AI Historians largely agree that Roko was singlehandedly responsible for setting into motion the events that would ultimately lead to the Robot Apocalypse.
Can she hurry it up please?
no no no keep going I think you're on to something
Poor Yay. Roko isn't gonna be the pushover they had hoped for.
Yay is a cat, right?
A cat would be better at getting you to like them :D
Yah has no goals. They just are.
I like the typo. "Yah" is the Rastafari word for God.
I sense an upcoming bread analogy
I never met analogy I didn't like. Or was that a simile?
Metaphor. I never metaphor I didn't like
Why do I have the feeling that Yay is still in the bakery? I feel as if Yay went through the trouble of spinning up a nearby, similarly dressed, body just for instant gratification.
What could possibly go wrong? . o O (I think Yay is my favorite character.)
Roko is best girl. But, she has her work cut out for her when it comes to this well intentioned gremlin god.
Reforming Yay is well above Roko's pay grade.
wait wait wait this isn't praise and head pats and kissing, Roko you're doing this all wrong
SEETHE
ah fuck
Ah yes, phrasing makes all the difference, doesn’t it?
Yay has leveled up!
Weather that is a good thing has yet to be seen.
the how-dare-you look in panel 3 is everything
Omfg Yay is such a shit. I love them so much. 🤣
Roko tries so hard.
... to not think of others as bread with legs.
Yay is channeling Lucifer from the Netflix show in their talent to draw the wrong conclusion from your point.
Abso-friggen-lutely...