False Praise and Failed Aid

By: Jonathan Seidel

Personal potential and demonising derangement  

Skimming through the comment section of a Ricky and Morty episode argued that Jerry’s potential was sapped by Rick and Beth. Jerry is imperfect and at times a bumbling idiot. While Rick may call him a sadistic predator he is just trying to regain his manhood and respect. Ever since Rick has walked back into his life he has time and time again emasculated Jerry. Rick is a talented genius and Jerry an average man. By comparison he is a loser but much of his loser-ness has little to do with his own failings and more to do with Rick’s incredible ability and experience. 

There are moments of excessive cowardice. Yet these cowardly moments are selfish for his own survival. If he were alone then it wouldn’t be all too bad. Maybe a bit unsympathetic but understandably so for survival. Still, overall Jerry stands up for his manhood and respect. In the early seasons he pushes back for his children for Morty’s security, sanity and success. Beth blinded by her father’s approval and risking desertion (don’t know if it was intentional but grammatically "Rick" is one letter away from "risk" something Beth nor Rick are willing to do often) takes her father’s side unwilling to see him leave again. It is not even about patriarchal power but simple respect. Beth and the children choose Rick’s side over and over. Slowly and slowly Rick steals Jerry’s initial place in the family. If anything, Rick is the sadistic predator that everyone initially feels bad for and then slowly gains their trust from Jerry.

Jerry’s actions gradually become more and more laughable due to Rick’s consistent polemics. He demeans Jerry at every turn. While at the start it causes a ruckus of argumentation slowly it devours Jerry’s confidence. He begins to fumble regularly. This only empowers Rick to continue to mock him and everyone to weigh in on this truth. A bully just giving a beat down. Yet Rick created this fumbling by mentally draining Jerry. He has questioned Jerry's confidence spiralling his self-esteem into the gutter. With little assistance from his family and increasing opposition he became the family fool. Rick’s aura is pounced upon and everyone takes jab at Jerry. No support from his loved ones only dehumanises him further. Any action he takes is critiqued. As he is measured to Rick he is seen as inferior because of his inherent average nature. Rick is the new kid in town who acts outside the bounds. He is interesting but given this attraction the opposite effect is targeted at the old kid. He proactively replaces Jerry with teasing and downgrading. 

Worst of all, his most cherished support system betrays him. His wife takes her abandoning father’s side. The kids would rather a cool rule breaking grandfather than a strict caring parent. He is left alone. Whenever he does something good it is overshadowed by Rick or somewhat imperfect and thus not worthwhile. He is regarded with contempt. The audience joins in the contempt party due to the family’s negative regard. He cannot catch a break because no one respects him. The audience follows the character’s reactions. Overlooking Rick’s toxic intervention and the family’s wrongheaded motivations. Perceptively, it seems Jerry is in the wrong. The show continuously tries to frame Jerry in a negative light to demonstrate his foolish existence. Yet most of these examples can be explained in a positive light. Jerry is a simpleton and there is nothing wrong with that. He has his priorities straight and convictions stamped. 

Jerry’s family is a cancer to his success. Family does take priority and therefore he is unable to reach his potential. In alternative universes and post-separation he demonstrates skilful individuality. The family may look down on him and criticise him for his imperfections and his decision but it wasn’t a if he was at total fault. There are always two people in the given conflict and the show consistently paints him as the villain. He is accosted for the decisions of others that impact him. Without them he does pretty well for himself. It may not be a perfect life but demonstrates potential excess. He is deserving of his manhood and respect. Just because he is a simpleton who wishes to drought by his family does not make him some inferior individual. No matter how the show wishes to frame Jerry, he is a capable individual when praised. Once rick challenges Jerry’s manhood all he does is try too hard. He is competing for his family’s respect. Something he shouldn’t have to do. The show takes as a given but that is messed up. Rick’s remarks should have little bearing on Jerry’s capability.

Rick is presented as Jerry’s foil. A capable alpha who takes charge and sets Jerry in his place. As the seasons progress and his behaviour becomes comedic it is not hard to see why an audience would either conclude normal Jerry behaviour or Rick exposed him. Yet in none of these examples are all the variables taken into account. Rick’s framing need not be accepted. His perception of Jerry is accepted by his family and then subsequently Jerry himself. As he fails over and over he becomes that which Rick called him. Yet it was statistically destined to occur once Jerry blundered enough to believe that Rick was correct. This is not the Jerry of the early seasons nor the solo Jerry. It is quite plausible that Rick’s attacks are viscous out of envy and resentment. There is what to tease Jerry about but his insults are maliciously laced to dehumanise and dethrone. He cannot be second fiddle to Jerry. The show portrays rick as a troubled man who trying to make things right but this is not. No matter how much he aids Jerry it is to demonstrate his superiority.        

Shifting a caring strong minded Jerry to a bumbling idiot over the seasons champions Rick as the saviour to the family. Yet it is his teasing and jabs at Jerry that fortify this fall off behaviour on this part. Rick is able to torment Jerry and able to normalise it. Teasing is not too bad, it is harmless. Yet day in day out attacks create a normalcy. Everyone is so caught up in Rick’s cool-ness and other unhealthy baggage that they accept Jerry’s inferiority. When Jerry’s actions measure to something potentially similar to Rick’s framing he ousts Jerry. He manipulated the circumstances to devalue Jerry’s influence. He manufactured consent from the family and the audience. Reactive access to torment Jerry with zero barriers. At least the president has a secret service. Jerry has no one and betrayed so easily it is daunting. His personality does not do any favours but can’t blame the guy that much when a foreigner steals your family and makes you the bad guy by provoking their insecurities.

Procreating Aliens

By: Jonathan Seidel

Meeseeks enter the world without their consent. Their existence from birth is painful. The longer they exist the more tormenting their existence. Yet it is their involuntary essence and joy that is proud of purposeful life.

The question of Rick’s device as ethical is debatable. Bringing beings into the world involuntarily. Knowing full well of their painful existence. Happy to do the task but there is a limit to that pride and joy. Morally speaking choosing to must be met with an obvious task that can void the pain that is sure to come. An inquiry that connotes a dilemma dealing with unasked premeditated action. The effect on the other is burdensome. Their existence while helpful and joyous is met quickly with resentment and haste. Wishing to do whatever it is to die quickly. The pain of existence is overbearing, demoralising the conscience and depraving the amplifying guilt.

The desire to be cool or ace a math test. Well meeseeks can help with that. Just birth them free of charge. It’s the mission to serve so don’t worry about their instability. Just focus on the prize. Focus on their enthusiasm. It is alright their completion says everything needed to know. They are happy to help. Completing their mission is their entirety of existence. Their joy to assist complicates the ethical dilemma. If they are happy what could be wrong. If they were unhappy the creator could undo his creation. The creation jumps at his creator’s feet. Ecstatic to assist in any endeavour. A noble effort for those entrusted with the art of mission statement. A soldier till the end unaware of the impending danger. Recycled for their own grand utility. 

Meeseeks are aware of the eventual disaster if they cannot fulfil their task. The pain of failure. The pain of elongated neurosis. It has the prideful beginning that lends to a dangerous future. They know the consequences of their inadequacy but arrogantly believe they can fulfil any task. They are experts in task completion. It is not a talent but a program. A life source to excel. They can’t but succeed. The dread of failure is symptomatic of their own futility. It is unheard of. Calling other meeseeks for help is an inspirational call for the more nuanced cases. The joy of help turns dire. Dissolving into fear and trembling before the never ending burden. They cannot leave their post. They must fulfil their task. This is not a construct but an embedded matrix. It is their calling and their DNA. Their mental fortitude cannot handle override. Outside of assisting is oblivion. 

A consultant eager to assist the client. They are consultants before beings. Their job outweighs their feelings. Jubilance empowers the work. A sensation of the pre-modelled network. Their existence is tied to their mission. They cannot but do their job. Bound to the job intensifies the quickest motif of silent relation. Spawned to perfect an imperfect cause. That is the totality of their being. They belong to the spawner. Indebted to his will. He wishes for their help and they reciprocate. He gave them life. He brought them into existence. A trivial expression of the spawner. Simply pressing a button to summon them. To introduce them to existence. Yet at the moment they are bound to the spawner. They do his bidding not anyone else’s. An invisible rope links the two until the task is complete.

Meeseeks are enslaved to the spawner’s wishes. Completing their apprenticeship is jolly affirmation. A dubious task conceived for absolute obedience. A god amongst men. The masterful command is a brief inquiry of the excellent crafter. The spawner is ignorant and impotent. He needs the meeseeks to reach his goal. He needs a sidekick to elevate his prestige. Meeseeks take no pride no honour in their work. Their work is their life and that is sufficient for their serene death. The spawner is inadequate and relies on craft excellence to boast his image. He takes all the credit. His helper hides behind the scenes. Does not regret nor retract his duty. No ulterior motive. True servitude for the sake of the result. Though the ego masterfully imbues itself in prideful exaggeration. The spawner is lucky. He has a superpower. He employs his secret weapon for his advantage. He has an ultimate butler. The butler honest and humble. It is all for the sake of the spawner. Yet he shows little respect in retrospect. Taking it all for granted.

Do the desires of the spawner concern with the meeseek’s wishes? Is there jolly existence to be abused? Their existence hinged on belonging to the spawner’s magic trick. They are under the spell and cannot escape. Once the task has been claimed it cannot be revoked. The spawner has trapped himself and the meeseek in an endless game. Once the game of Zathura has begun there is no stopping until the game has ended. Until Zathura is reached. Winning is the way to reverse all the potential wrongdoing occurring. A metaphysical bond cultivated in the absence of realistic objections. Backing out is a no go. The meeseek cannot die until the task has been completed. The dread of living beyond purpose is destructive and disorienting. He will live forever gnawing at each moment. A painful endeavour decided by the spawner’s change of heart. Making a decision and then backing out when he has faulted. Unwilling to see the task through. 

The spawner’s decision has horrid repercussions on the meeseeks. He is immortal. Unable to ever die. Seemingly an amazing power. Yet a painful one. An enduring destiny of distraught haunting the being. His being is bound to his essence. No Sartrean preaching will change his DNA. He is built to serve his goal. A goal that must be completed to cease. A desire to die. To end the torment. To feel accomplished. The inability to cease is a failure. A failure of existence. A faulty mechanic unable to return to his origin. Unable to end the cycle. Forced to wander for the rest of eternity. A death blow to the fated oblivion. Void of any possible accumulation. Void of any maturity. Concentrating on the mission statement until the mission has been voided. A monolithic perspective on living. There is no other way to live. Bred to complete. Without is slighted and underachieved 

As long as the spawner lives without the task complete meeseeks persist. Their immortality is depended on the spawner’s life force. They are bound together. If the spawner dies so does the meeseeks. Alive as long as the spawner can still fulfil his goal. Once the spawner passes on so does his task. An impossible possibility is cancelled out. One way to bring peace to his gruesome existence. Lay low and endure. All due to some selfish arrogance. A blemished aspiration. An experiment gone awry. Abandoning to save face and start over. Yet the meeseek remains alone and pained. No love and no concern. To avoid such pain there is a way out. Murder the spawner. A quasi-oedipal complex. Murder the spawner to marry death. Find peace in the spawner’s erasure. The pride of the father is diminished with his death. The son can finally take his place in peace. Wishing for death unforgiven in the lack of resilience and persistence. Betraying the son orphaning him to live alone and incinerate his belonging. 

His being must become something else. He must split his essence from his existence. No matter his connection to the spawner will remain. There is no way of erasing the ontological link. It is embedded in the DNA. It is a conditional link. One that hinges on commitment. Once that commitment is completed or nullified death arrives. A beautiful cycle of life. The neurosis stalks the elongated irregularity. Ready to die but unable to go. Days pass and the stress deepens. Depressions haunts the irreversible. A mistake born of pride and killed with zeal. Until acceptance reaches its highest point, meeseeks suffer. A struggling past for an unprovoked assistant. 

I'm Mr. Meeseeks and I Want to Die

By: Jonathan Seidel

Mr. Meeseeks and chronic pain

Existence is pain. Jerry Smith is accountable for the perpetuated suffering of the meeseeks. A species wishing to cease after their purpose has been fulfilled. The pain from failed purpose is a chronic illness agonising the meeseeks. 

Mr. Meekseeks is a species that is called upon from a button box to help fulfil the presser’s desire. The individual presses the button Mr. Meeseeks offs into existence and asks the individual how they would like to be assisted. He then helps fulfil the individual’s desire. Similar to a genie but this creature is not magical, he is scientific. Helping Summer and Beth fulfil their desires through conversation and commodification. For Jerry, they do not magically make him good at golf but teach him to choke up and follow through. It is the absence of magic that allows Jerry to continue to fail. Mr. Meeseeks is a Rick creation that completes the demise of the user in the fastest amount of time. A purpose and then vanishes in thin air. 

Jerry’s perpetuated failures agitate Mr. Meeseeks to press the box himself for another Mr. Meeseeks to appear and ask him to assist him to fulfil Jerry’s wish. This becomes a trend of Mr. Meeseeks calling upon more Mr. Meeseeks to help Jerry. The agitation slowly flows into desperation. Rebelling against one another and then against Jerry. Threatening him to fulfil his goal or else. Unwilling to take no for an answer. Jerry against all olds with Beth by his side sinks a handicap shot. Loud cheers for the Mr. Meeseeks roar as they disappear in thin air. Overjoyed that their mission has been complete and the dread gone. Two years of Jerry failure is finally over. The aggressive species calm in complacent joy that it is over and they can disappear. 

Cessation for Mr. Meeseeks is the ultimate goal. They assist with a task but once that is completed they move on. A singular mission lead them to their doom. Yet their mind does not see cessation as a bad thing. Their end is glorious. They have completed their goal. Their entire purpose was fulfilled in minutes of their advice. It is their assistance that leads to the success. A minimalist perspective of doing good. Feeling whole at the serenity of monolingual destiny uncorrupted by ulterior motives. A singular motive and expectation. A fated existed devoid of envy. The joy to be alive is briefly for the task. It is relative to the required result. Helping out their handlers is the monumental task. Supporting and doing their job is overjoyed. No need for elongated relationships. Once the job is complete the strings are cut. It is all for the sake of the liberation.

The meeseeks do not seek any relation from their aid. Their efforts are the core of their being. It is through their own failures that they team up against each other and then team up against Jerry. There is no give and take. The only take on their part is the satisfaction of completing the mission. Yet it’s the mission not the person themselves. It is a piece of machinery that fulfils a request. Once the request is completed poof, they are gone. There is no time to create relationships so they turn on themselves and then on Jerry. Beth tries to kiss the Mr. Meeseeks who assisted her all caught up in emotion. Before their lips touch, he disappears. The mission is the goal and that is all. The measure of sentience is questioned in their passivity to endure longer. There is an ambivalence for bonding but that is is the central framing of their creation. They do not seek validation but success. Doing their job correctly to kick off in joyous affirmation. 

Wired to complete a mission, they cannot die until the task is complete. Stabbed, shot they are unable to cease. They turn on themselves frustrated at Jerry’s failures but quickly realise the only way out is killing Jerry. They can bash each other but no matter the bruises, they won’t perish. They are immortal so long as the task is uncompleted. Incredibly powerful invincible yet unconvincingly disastrous. They do not relish in this power but instead are focused on dying. Whether it is because they are intelligently deficient or not, they are programmed to do their mission instead of ponder their capabilities. Their immorality comes with pain. A daunting existence. Unable to perform their basic function. Their basic function takes priority over their god-like power. Single-minded to a finite goal without consideration of their capabilities.           

Meeseeks are self-aware of their powers. They know they are immortal and yet still wish to die. To the receiver that may seem incredibly ludicrous. Why would an immortal individual seek death in the premature steps of his life. There is so much to live for. Yet it is a design flaw to persist beyond primary function. It a curse to continue living. A foreign cause that leads to unknown territory. It is unclear if the meeseeks feel pain. They claim existence is pain but do not explain what they entirely means. Moreover, their joyous motivation at the onset of birth has little connection with pain. Yet it is possible their function is pained but passion overpowers or pain enters the frame as stress builds from perpetuated failure. In this regard, the unknown immortality is scarring. A mission is accepted and then when it is completed heaven is waiting. Yet, without that death is far way. Dreaming of death is salvation. 

Pain is unprocessed existential dread. Meeseeks suffer because they living beyond their intent and they do not know what to do beyond that. Failing to complete their mission causes internal rage as they wish to die. That is their duty and desire. Staying alive past the normative is a reflection of inadequacy and thus a depressive consequence. The two day old Mr. Meeseeks complains of Jerry’s lost cause but the newer meeseeks treat him as a failure. Looking torn up from countless attempts to help Jerry. He is sapped of his strength. His one goal has been undercut with premature decadence. A blow to his being. Unable to assist Jerry forces him to continue living without purpose. He is a simpleton. While immortal, he is lost in the universe. Unwilling and unable to adapt to his new circumstances he wallows in his depressive conduct. The murderous decision is a last ditch effort to void the dread of overdue living. 

Desiring death is the exact opposite of human aspiration. Living beings choose life. Mortal and finite wish to live their life to the fullest. Yet the immortal wish to go. Their construction is a flaw. Death is a clarification of their simple layout. With little performance obscurity, the completion is the definite cessation of sentience. Human complexity and intellectual diversity seeks multipurpose. Humans are not designed to fulfil goals and vanish. Human purpose has been constructed with religion and cultural frameworks to solidify order. The dread of human existence is living with zero purpose or a failed purpose. To endure beyond the mental suffocation. Meeseeks cannot endure. They do not know how to do. They begin to physically deteriorate as their minds begin to implode. The physiological apparent decline is an emotional assault. They are not built to endure. Perseverance is not a strength nor an aspect of their being. If Jerry escaped their wrath and they were forced to live in their depressive aura, in time they would evolve potentially. Yet it is clear the perpetuated pain is mind riddling. Not meant to live for so long is simply the normative failure.

Leading to the biggest question of feeling pain. This is never answered. Do they feel pain but push through positively to finish the mission or does it emerge after an expectation is quashed by a failed request. If the former, pushing on is incredibly dreadful. Wishing to die is not only part of their programming but a salvation to their pain. A type of medicine to their awful existence. If pain is embraced from failures. Like a scorching sun that only becomes painful if persist for a long time. It is a gradual discomfort. Pain is either natural or mental. The latter can be fixed, the former cannot. Reality is too painful to live. Siding on the side of the latter does not mitigate its impact. Their entire life is turned upside down. This can lead to a lonely existence and painful discolouring of resilience. Wishing to die is not a cowardice solution. It is who they are. They are meant to die. As soon as possible. There is no fear nor prejudice. The human mind cannot accept non-being. Survival is the most important but for meeseeks that is not worth it. Pain is not worth it. 

Meeseeks suicide is task completion. It is not absent meaning death but fully meaning death. The greatest death in nordic lore is to die a warrior on the battlefield. To then rejoice in Valhalla. A task completed as a warrior for the gods. An incredible achievement. Martyrdom is another archaic example in religious communities. Dying for the sake of heaven brings that person to the edenic salvation. Another task completed. Yet in the absurd world there is no salvation. Rebellion against unrelenting suicide is formidable as there is nothing beyond. Yet death is blissful. Death is the end but it is also the serene nothingness. There will be no more joy but also no more struggle. The game has ended and comfort is effortlessly attained in the non-being emptiness. The sufferer sees this as a validated response. No matter the bodily capability. There is always a choice to keep living but if the cons outweigh the joys of life, it is debatably worthwhile. Death is the end of enjoyment but it is also the end of pain. Meeseeks die to never be bred again and yet the mental exhaustion is deeply unfounded. Humans have immense strength but there is a boiling point and a credible rationale. 

Suicide is a taboo and depressing discussion. We care because of its finality as well as our connection to the person. Our view on death is negative as a grim reaper stealing our loved ones. Suicide is an active choice. While coerced by the overwhelming pain the lack of medicinal assistance provides the sole solution. To be dead is to be liberated from constant oppression. Suffering has ceased and bliss has engulfed the shamed. The revolt need be hindered. Advocating suffering at the expense of existence is selfish. Day and day out is demoralising. Yet they push on. Stop shouting at the result and respect the process. How much the individual endured until they decided to end it is commendable. It is dreadfully difficult. Encouraging suicide is not the alternative. There is a certain understanding to the sufferers. It is madness. They are unwell but there is little medical aid. Periodic pain does not measure to permanent pain. Letting the struggler choose their best use without any coercive manipulation in such a delicate situation is of utmost importance.