Sure thing! For convenience Iāll refer to the guy with his arms in his pockets as SG (shorter guy) and the one on the computer as TG (taller guy).
In the first panel, SG sees TG playing on the computer and is disappointed.Ā SG puts a lot of value in the idea of āmaking things,ā specifically āart,ā and thinks TG is just wasting their time
So he asks them if they wouldnāt rather be āmaking somethingā instead of just playing games and listening to music, implying that TG isnāt doing anything worthwhile or creative with their time
But TG replies that āinterpreting is generative,ā meaning that even if they spend their time just doing fun stuff, the mere act of enjoying something is creating an experience and an interpretation. Talking about something, dancing to music or sharing a piece of art with your friends ISĀ āmaking something,ā and each of those can be worthwhile and artistic.
SG leaves, complaining he ācanāt be an auteur of [interpretation].ā Auteur is a movie term that refers to a filmmaker with artistic control and vision enough to be considered essentially the singular creator of the resulting work of art. Turns out, SG doesnāt just want toĀ āmake things,ā he wants to make things he and others see asĀ āimportant.ā He wants to make art not for the sake of art, but for the sake of being recognized and praised for his art.
This comic really speaks to elitism within the artistic community, the idea that art needs to meet certain standards to be considered art. SGās viewpoint is really traditionalist, that art need to beĀ āapprovedā and validated in order to be consideredĀ āreally art;ā while TG recognizes that art can be as little as just talking about what you love.
TLDR: Art is for everyone, not just some sort of social āartistic elite.ā
