What is his "terrible news"?

Forums: Humor, Webcomic, Xkcd, Clarifying Question, Absurdist Humor
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https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/university_age.png

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I don't understand this particular punchline. Am I missing some science or physics or math joke (which XKCD is known for)?

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Type: Question • Score: 3 • Views: 431 • Replies: 6

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View best answer, chosen by tsarstepan

@tsarstepan,

The rival has also increased its age by 5 years.

I'm not a Science or Maths guy.

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I'm guessing the implication is that he invented time travel and, oops, other stuff got changed.

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@jespah,

No.

He has been in charge 5 years so everything is older by 5 years.

Even though 3 is bigger than 5, the rival isn't stuck in stasis, it aged at the same time.

Do I really have to explain this?

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@tsarstepan,

This is just a guess, and may have nothing to do with that punchline, but...

...when I was a kid, my mother and father were both older than me...

...now I am older than they.

But I have some bad news.

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@izzythepush,

izzythepush wrote:

No.

He has been in charge 5 years so everything is older by 5 years.

Even though 3 is bigger than 5, the rival isn't stuck in stasis, it aged at the same time.

Do I really have to explain this?

I get it now. I overthought the whole thing and ignored the obviousness of the first sentence.

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@tsarstepan,

Thank you.

The most frustrating thing is even after I've given the correct/obvious answer people keep giving their own answers.

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What is his "terrible news"?

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