In a sense, all of my comics are about human society in some way.
On the surface, my comics might often seem to be about reindeer on an island, or rats in cages, but I always choose scenarios that stand in for human society.
Social problems stem from the unintended consequences of our actions as individuals. They stem from the parts of ourselves that we neglect and ignore. When multiplied across millions of people, what we ignore as individuals become joint social problems.
Featured on this page are the comics that are most explicitly about the way that we conduct ourselves as a culture, as a civilisation, as a society.
The Town Without Television, Part 1: Notel
A classic study into the impact of television on a community. In 1973, researchers studied the last remaining Canadian town without TV reception, and ran ‘before’ and ‘after’ experiments.
Amusing Ourselves to Death
Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" and George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four" presented different visions of the future. Orwell feared that we would be controlled by force. Huxley feared that we would be controlled by distraction and triviality.
Rat Park
A classic experiment into drug addiction science. Would rats choose to take drugs if given a stimulating environment and social company?
I Used to Be Racist
Growing up in regional Australia in the 1990s, I adopted the casual racism of the schoolyard. As an adult, I had to educate myself out of these racist attitudes.
What the Dumbwaiter Hides
Thomas Jefferson invented the dumbwaiter to hide the slaves that he used to run his mansion. Today, we use the 'dumbwaiter' of globalisation to hide the dark parts of our supply chains.
Who Owns the Million Dollar Baseball?
In 2004 the Boston Red Sox won the baseball World Series, breaking an 86-year drought. But controversy erupted when the player who caught the winning ball kept it as a personal souvenir. Comic about the winner-takes-all attitude of successful people who "did it all themselves".
Setting the foundation: the overlooked public factors of individual success
Blog post expanding on the themes of my comic "Who Owns the Million Dollar Baseball?" Rich people only become wealthy with the help of the broader society that allows them the chance to succeed.
Hitler Denial
Today, global action to stop climate change is inconceivable. Yet, in 1938, global action to stop Nazi Germany was also inconceivable. The world was in Hitler denial.
Doing It All Alone
Many successful people view other members of society as irrelevant to their own personal fortune. Those who "did it all themselves" overlook many important ingredients to their success.
