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Happiness" |
I guess the seed for this manga was planted
in my mind when, in my freshman year of college, I heard that
a high school friend, one who I thought was one of the most popular
and well-liked students at school, had hung herself. Of course
the question came to mind, "Why in the world did she do
it?" I still don't know the answer, and this manga doesn't
even try to answer it. But a few months later, I took a Sociology
class, and one of the first things we learned was that there
is a statistical correlation between social relationships and
suicide. It turns out, the less social connections and obligations
a person has, the more likely he or she is to commit suicide.
Well, I can't just sit still in class and take notes; I usually
have to do something else while I'm listening as well, or I'll
get bored. So I started doodling in my upper margins of my notes,
making a story about a young man who tries to kill himself for
no apparent reason. These sketches, modified, became the basis
for most of "The Problem of Happiness." And then the
last parts of the manga are me adding in what (really bothersome!)
things I picked up in Philosophy class, although greatly truncated.
This manga has NOTHING to do with my real life. I think seeing
the first few pages either surprised or even disturbed my brother,
who makes it a general point NOT to read my comics. He couldn't
believe that someone so 'happy-go-lucky' as myself would write
something with the words "Watch me die" in the first
three pages. I'm guessing this manga will turn off a lot of people.
Let me just say, I am not a depressed person, and have never
seriously considered killing myself. (And after someone you know
does it, it really makes you not even want to THINK about doing
it.) But I guess I must have a dark side in me somewhere, if
I can write this manga. But it's certainly not a reflection of
my life or anything (I'm actually having a BETTER time in college
than most of my real-life friends), so don't read too much into
it. And please please PLEASE do not imitate it or anything. As
my father is fond of saying, "Suicide is a permanent solution
to a temporary problem." Makes sense to me.
--Julie
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Happiness"
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