Flatland
by Jeff
Image text: Also, I apologize for the time I climbed down into your world and everyone freaked out about the lesbian orgy overseen by a priest.
Flatland is a short story by Edwin Abbott Abbott. Yes, that is really his name. In Flatland, women are represented by lines, and the more important a man is, the more sides he has. The least important male would be a triangle and the priest, in Flatland, has so many sides, he looks like a circle. So, the image text is a reference to how an xkcd stick figure would look to the members of Flatland. The text for Flatland is on Wikisource here, if you feel like browsing on your Wednesday morning.
Miegakure is an actual game in development that will allow the player to move in 4 dimensions. The website is here, with a screen shot that looks eerily similar to panel 2.
And if you didn't realize, Spongebob is a reference to Spongebob Squarepants, the Nickelodeon cartoon about a sponge named Spongebob. Spongebob is a square (as his name implies) - so that is why the character in the comic is able to draw arms and legs on the square to make him look like Spongebob Squarepants.
March 31st, 2010
I think when the square asked “What’s up?”, it has also the double meaning of “what is the up direction?”
March 31st, 2010
Yes, it could be doubly explained as the character teasing the square because he only has 2 dimensions, not “up”. Or also, asking which of his 4 directions is up.
March 31st, 2010
Did you deliberately leave out the explanation for the lesbian orgy priesty thingy?
March 31st, 2010
Nevermind. Next time I’ll READ before commenting.
March 31st, 2010
Actually, I think Flatland is in reference to Carl Sagan’s explanation of 4D.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9KT4M7kiSw
He starts by talking about how in a 2D world (Flatland, represented by the square), a 3D object would appear as a reappearing and disappearing in a 2D world. Carl takes an apple for example, and in the Flatland, the apple would only appear as the 5 dots of it’s bottom. As that apple passes though the world though, those dots gets bigger and bigger, and eventually become whole… right before disappearing again.
So a 4D object in 3D space can exist, but we can only notice the 3D exsistance, as it passes though our plane.
March 31st, 2010
It’s more likely the strip references the novel, because of the character A. Square. I actually think Carl Sagan was referencing the novel, as well.
However, Jeff, you did forget to mention the women are straight lines (hence the “lesbian orgy”) and that Flatland is a novel, not a short story.
April 1st, 2010
Yeah, Carl Sagan was referencing Flatland. You should read it if you haven’t already. It’s good.
April 1st, 2010
What about the tip of the cap to Zork today (type look into the terminal)
April 1st, 2010
There’s also a reference to the single “Go West” by Village People, if you put “go west” in the console you get bits of the lyric.
May 9th, 2010
Spongebob is really funny and hilarious. somebody says that spongebob is gay, is that even true?:.~
May 14th, 2010
Couldn?t be written any better. Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!
May 15th, 2010
Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! I’m sure you had fun writing this article.
May 17th, 2010
Took me time to infer from all the comments, but I categorically enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am satisfied to all the commenters here! It’s many times subtle when you can not just be alert to, but also entertained! I’m sure you had pastime essay this article.
May 18th, 2010
I have recently started using the blogengine.net and I having some problems here? in your blog you stated that we need to enable write permissions on the App_Data folder…unfortunately I don’t understand how to enable it.
May 18th, 2010
That is some inspirational stuff. Never knew that opinions could be this varied. Thanks for the sake of all the enthusiasm to propose such reassuring information here.
July 3rd, 2010
Spongebo and Patrick are really great characters. love them.’`-
August 1st, 2010
spongebob is really funny but she sort of overacts sometimes.*.;
September 28th, 2010
what i like about spongebob is that he is sarcastic and funny`:”
October 20th, 2010
i love the way spongebob laughs, he is really very cheesy.*’
October 25th, 2010
Spongebog is always very cheesy and funny, i like this cartoon character;~”
November 10th, 2010
I too have read all of the comments and while I don’t agree with all of them I do respect their right to post.
January 18th, 2011
I am really thankful to this topic because it really gives great information ~.`
January 19th, 2011
I am really thankful to this topic because it really gives great information ‘*”
January 25th, 2011
Enjoyed reading this. Keep it up!
February 8th, 2011
I agree what a really thoughtfully written story, thank you for sharing it.
July 5th, 2011
I like spongebob because he is wacky and funny, there is no other cartoon character like spongebob: