You know that joke about the man who says he’s depressed, and the doctor who tells him to see a clown—only the problem is the patient is that clown? The old chestnut dates back at least 200 years, attributable to an Italian stage performer and a Mexican poet. But if you come across it today, it’s probably thanks to an internet meme , one that likely stems from comic-book writer Alan Moore’s decision to include the gag in Watchmen , his seminal graphic novel with artist Dave Gibbons. In the comic, the joke is juxtaposed against Watchmen ’s inciting incident, the murder of a superhero known as the Comedian, a violent enforcer of American empire who chose to embody his nation’s ideals with a thick layer of cruel irony. Perhaps you can see where this is going.

Including the sad fable of

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