![A philosophy webcomic about the inevitable anguish of living a brief life in an absurd world. Also Jokes](http://static.existentialcomics.com/title.jpg)
Herbert Spencer Visits Pittsburgh
![Herbert Spencer: "Much like the evolution of species, free market capitalism gives an evolution of society. "
Spencer: "The stronger, more efficient companies survive while the poorly managed ones die off."
Spencer: "The wealthy deserve their position, it is right and natural that superior people who advance society should be at the top."
Spencer: "Likewise, poor laws, in which the government helps the poor with charity, are unnatural. They interfere with the progress of purifying society through the survival of the fittest."
Messenger: "Herbert Spencer, Andrew Carnegie is a great admirer of you and wants to invite you to Pittsburgh to see the advanced industrial production of capitalism in America."
Spencer: "Excellent! A chance to see my ideas in action!"
Andrew Carnegie: "Welcome to Pittsburgh"
Spencer: "Thank you, i can't wait to see how you've improved efficiency so much."
Carnegie: "Great! Let me show you to the factory."
Spencer: "Is the air always this foul? Why doesn't anyone try to prevent the factories from spewing toxic fumes in the air?"
Carnegie: "Ahh, well you see, that's what we call an “externalityâ€."](http://static.existentialcomics.com/comics/HerbertSpencerVisitsPittsburg1.png)
!["Does Capitalism encourage the worst men to have power? No, Americans are just bad."
Carnegie: "You see, we don't have to pay for polluting the air, so if i spent extra money to prevent spewing toxins into the air constantly, and my competitors didn't, i would go out of business. "
Spencer: "Of course..."
Carnegie: "Here is the factory, in all its glory."
Spencer: "Good god, these men look practically dead."
Carnegie: "Well yes, they work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week in the scorching heat."
Spencer: "I think this one might be dead."
Carnegie: "No, he is just... napping, I'm sure."
Spencer: "Right..."
Carnegie: "Although you must agree, if i valued safety over profits and my competitors didn't, well... survival of the fittest, right?"
Spencer: "Why don't they just unionize so they can bargain for safety measures and days off?"
Carnegie: "Well, as you know I respect unions and would never prevent that."
Carnegie, whispering: "...at least that's what I tell the press, if my workers try to unionize I just shoot them."
Carnegie: "So as you see, it's a scientific fact that someone like me should rise to the top. There is nothing unnatural or evil about it."
Carnegie: "So what do you think of the great industrial Pittsburgh?"
Spencer: "Six months residence here would justify suicide."](http://static.existentialcomics.com/comics/HerbertSpencerVisitsPittsburg2.png)
"Does Capitalism encourage the worst men to have power? No, Americans are just bad."
Permanent Link to this Comic: https://existentialcomics.com/comic/370
Potluck Economics
![](http://static.existentialcomics.com/comics/potluckEconomics1.png)
!["What did you bring again, Marx?"
"I brought the cake."
"I thought Engels brought that."
"Uh...it's from both of us."](http://static.existentialcomics.com/comics/potluckEconomics2.png)
"What did you bring again, Marx?"
"I brought the cake."
"I thought Engels brought that."
"Uh...it's from both of us."
Permanent Link to this Comic: https://existentialcomics.com/comic/280