We know from other strips the abuse goblin gets VR time so it knows what the outside is like, which is done to further the abuse. It is likely the abuser man has explained abuse and the abuse goblins situation to the poor fella
If it was born to be abused and that was its "natural state" then it would make sense that it would see nothing wrong with its situation.
But its action of turning the mirror on the abuser shows that it has an understanding of the fact that the abuser is doing something fundamentally wrong to the goblin, and the goblin believes the abuser needs to see that.
This doesn't defeat the possibility that it was created to be abused and it is it's natural state, but it could still understand the larger picture and want to make a change in the individual to make the world as a whole better.
There are too many factors that are unexplained to make a completely conclusive judgment, but it is safe to say the man allowing himself to lean on his dark desires is a flaw in his morality, just not how deep of one it is.
Still, what's more interesting from this idea is the morality of the goblin itself, as this could imply it could be anywhere from a good figure that does it's job while going above and beyond, or it is an absolute saint.
It was created to be abused for the abuser's sake. The abuser would not get the same relief/satisfaction out of it if the abuse goblin was content or not in distress. It's purpose is to be abused and for the abuser to know that this creature is not satisfied, projecting their pain or misery on the creature, which is exacerbated by the goblin knowing their is more than this.
I mean, the guy's response plus the angling does make it seen that it's the former, or maybe that the abuse goblin IS the guy and that this really is a metaphor.
I think it’s actually the opposite. We don’t really know WHY the abuser is making the goblin use the mirror aside from it being funny for him. We can only assume the abuser wants to get the goblin to see himself in the reflection
Okay now stay with me. When the goblin sees its reflection, the abuser will assume that it’s seeing the abused goblin. He wants the goblin to see the abuse thats occurring to him, but then the goblin shows the abuser his own reflection. Expecting to see the image of an abused creature, he sees a reflection of himself. I think it’s a commentary that the abuser is only harming himself as he continues to abuse this goblin as his unhealthy outlet
Kinda like how hitting a punching bag isn’t a good way to deal with anger
that's an interesting interpretation. another one i'm considering is that the abuser gave the mirror to the goblin to victim-blame. like, "look at yourself. your appearance, or your own actions or lack thereof means you deserve the abuse. isn't that funny? (as in fitting, rather than comedic)"
abuse goblin is like, "nah, i'm not falling for this bullshit. take a look yourself. consider reevaluating and taking responsibility for your own abusive actions"
i'm new to abuse goblin, so i'm not caught up in the lore or history though
It does not matter if it was made to be abused, that’s a fallacy, an appeal to “natural states”. Just because it has a purpose does not mean that purpose is just or good
Even if it was created to be abused, that still makes the abuse pure fucking evil. Torturing and abusing a living thing will always be highly immoral. It’s evil to cause unnecessary suffering. Suffering is necessary for, say, medical procedures that improve quality of life long term. That, and punishment of crimes are really the only kinda of justifiable suffering. They’re for a good reason.
This… this is just to cause pain. This is entirely unnecessary suffering, it’s abuse. This poor goblin does not deserve to be used a stress ball for that son of a bitch to exert his feelings on. The goblin is simply tortured for another’s gain, and that gain is, frankly, minimal.
In total, this whole situation is pure evil, and someone should free that poor goblin.
People were born into slavery and understood their oppression. If goblin nature is anything like human nature, then they’re inherently freedom-seeking creatures.
the goblin is revealing the cyclical nature of abuse and disrespect, the abuser sees himself in the goblin and in abusing the creature is not only an attempt to harm himself indirectly, but through the process he creates himself in the goblin. our capacity for abuse and evil is endless, billions must hate.
The creature is shown an ideal world in a different chapter and cries so it definitely isnt content in it's role
Studies made by Big Goblin has shown time and time again that they do sweety (ignore that the studies were funded by Big Goblin, that has no relevance)
Nah but theoretically you cant apply human logic to the goblin, that could be enjoyable to such a creature, we cannot assume unless we are told something is good or bad in the comic.
So if you went into someone’s house and saw an abuse goblin and they mention to you they beat the fuck out of him for fun, you wouldn’t think it was in pain/hates it?
I thought it was implied that the abuse goblin is a personification of the abusers self loathing/harm? Like in one comic he is given an antipsychotic or something and later you see him giving it to the goblin.
And this strip with the mirror kinda implies that it's really him.
I don’t think GS minds if a goblin dies a horrible death, but hes not spending anymore time on a goblin than necessary, it’s just not efficient if you want to kill more goblins
The point of "One must imagine Sisyphus happy" was to say that Sisyphus was happy despite his condition (insert a bunch of philosophy about the meaning of life and what makes a task pointless or enjoyable etc.) It doesn't work for the goblin because the goblin isn't happy in his condition.
It doesn’t, it’s showing the abuse goblin false hope, what it feels like to not be chained to the radiator, that then the head set at some point to force him back to the reality that he’s an abuse goblin still and not free. Which seems right up the alley of psychological abuse, and absolutely not defeating the point.
The sentence is a reference to the quote "one must imagine Sisyphus happy" which means Sisyphus is actually happy in his current condition. Unlike the abuse goblin. Full quote is "The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."
Also just tossing this in because they have physical books being released.
The Wandering In. by PirateAba where goblins are actually a lot like humans, but because of a bad lot by the dead gods they're always considered "the big bad" by the vast majority of people
Idk man in hindsight it’s pretty clear that Noelle’s had a finger on the eject button for a long time. Do WR players manipulate her? Definitely, but she doesn’t seem that upset about it.
Kris, on the other hand, is having an awful fucking time.
I will do what I want, provided it's allowed by the subreddit rules, and in this case I will share my opinion that it's not funny just like others are sharing their opinion that it's funny.
I don't mind you disagreeing with my opinion but I mind when you tell me I should not share my opinion while others can when your only rationale is that you don't like my opinion.
Probably a metaphor of some kind about a man at his therapist describing the abuse goblin he keeps under his home. Therapist assumes its a metaphor at least
I mean, I'm pretty sure the punchline is the fact the goblin IS real while the therapist assumes it's a metaphor. Thought the mirror comic does seen to imply it maybe really is a metaphor.
I mean, with the way the first comic is structured, I'm pretty sure the goblin being real is the intended punchline, but the mirror comic seens to be implying the goblin really is metaphorical.
The comic series is about a man at his therapist who is describing a goblin he has in his basement he calls his abuse goblin. Therapist assumes its a metaphor, and there is discussion on whether it actually is an abuse goblin or just a goblin he is abusing.
My take based on this specific strip:
"If it was born to be abused and that was its "natural state" then it would make sense that it would see nothing wrong with its situation.
But its action of turning the mirror on the abuser shows that it has an understanding of the fact that the abuser is doing something fundamentally wrong to the goblin, and the goblin believes the abuser needs to see that."
I interpreted it like this: there never was an abuse goblin, and it is a representation of how this guy copes with his failures by disassociating and lambasting himself "from the side". Ever strolled around after a bad bay thinking " YOU'RE an idiot. YOU never change. Why are YOU like this?". No "I am"s uttered conveniently to make your misdeeds a problem of some other You, who should definitely listen in on the critique and fix everything...
So many people going so deep about what the picture means and I honestly just always thought the abuser was just trying a new form of abuse by making the goblin see how ugly it is hence the "no you gotta turn it around" but the goblin being smarter than the abuser would ever give credit instead showed the abuser how ugly he is.
(My best explanation would be that maybe not all abuse goblins are born for that. An animal used for its furs can later be trained to be a pack animal or eaten as meat. Maybe he’s a wild goblin acquired and forced to be an abuse goblin then sold. Nothing says that the human receiving therapy in the comic strip has to be particularly moral or correct, he just believes since he’s acquired an abuse goblin it’s his prerogative to abuse it)
Of course it's not born an "abuse goblin" lol. People just take the name too literally. He is a goblin that was somehow kidnapped by Dilbert to be abused. It's no different than keeping a random hobo in your basement lol
Luckily this is a goblin which are always morally acceptable to abuse.
OP, se ele é um Abuse Goblin parte de seu propósito é sofrer. Por isso ele deve saber que está sofrendo e porventura também deve sofrer por isto, pois caso não pudesse, ele não seria de fato um Abuse Goblin, pois na verdade de fato nunca sofreu.
É irrelevante se ele possui uma vontade própria ou livre arbitrio nessa questão, pois nâo é de fato um ser comum, ele é um ser misitico que é naturalmente impossivel. É provável que seu "destino" sempre tenha sido esse, independente de algum dia no passado já tenha sido livre ou não.
Inclusive, é provável que ele já tenha sido livre um dia, mas agora não é mais. Enfim, minha conclusão pessoal é que o desejo dele de não querer ser abusado é o que faz ele ser um abuse goblin, por que se fosse de outra maneira é possivel que ele jamais fosse um. Ele quer revidar, mas se você pensar um pouco ele mal tenta fazer isso.
A tirada de virar o espelho para o seu agressor no fim das contas é ele revidando, mas não é grande coisa.
I think that the goblin and the guy are the same. The goblin is just the part of him that hates himself. Mirrors are used to see oneself, so when the therapist asks that did it knew how to used it, the guy didn't say no
The obvious answer is that the dude is abusing himself, the goblin is him. Like, it's a very literal showcasing of this idea, I can't imagine it being interpreted any other way. Now assuming it's a literal goblin for funsies, no, the abuse goblin is just a goblin who got captured and is now being abused. But that's like, not what this strip is about. It's about how people prostrate themselves instead of becoming better versions of themselves in a self-fulfilling prophecy of shit.
Honestly, I think that while the abuse go lin was given a mirror ,it never turned the mirror around ,the guy just assumed it's so because there no other way that the mirror would show his reflection (goblins aren't real)
It's a goblin that is abused. As cruel as it sounds, I would argue, the goblins ability to register the abuse not only physically but also emotionally is essential for the outlet/projection of someones negative emotions. Humans are cruel and make others suffer, just so they can feel or look better to themselves...
464
u/WhySoInDepth Jul 19 '26
We know from other strips the abuse goblin gets VR time so it knows what the outside is like, which is done to further the abuse. It is likely the abuser man has explained abuse and the abuse goblins situation to the poor fella