This cartoon has so many different connotations from people. I changed the text at the last minute, originally it said, “Don’t you miss when only computers got viruses?” But that’s not true since people have always gotten viruses, so I changed it to this instead.

So many of the comments left by readers seem to have struck each one differently.  I saw it as both people stuck in a rut and the wife is constantly saying, “Be patient, it’s the new normal,” or something like that.

Others saw it differently. One lady commented, “Same normal for her: still picking up his crap.” I didn’t see it like that, I saw it as her being loving and handing him a mask so he could be safe. This reader saw it as if he dropped his mask on the floor and she picked it up and was handing it for him! Interesting.

Another person said they hated the phrase the first time they saw it. Someone else said, “They are trying to brain wash us with that phrase.” Another mentioned the Karen meme, which I don’t think I knew about before I named her. Many people repeated that they hated the phrase. Others said, “I like Karen,” or “Listen to Karen and wear your mask.” It could be the Karen meme thing that adds to the comedy, who knows, but people seem to relate to it. Also, I am wondering when they say they “hate that phrase,” do they mean anything to do with Karen or the “new normal?” Things that make you go hmmm.