Two absurdist anthropomorphized animal cartoons from the latest New Yorker (of 9/7/26, the Dolly Parton issue): Jared Nangle’s beaver resolutely doing what it’s programmed to do; and Joe Dator’s mountain goat trying to take a NYC cab to the nearest precipice.
Beaver: use the tool that fits your hand. Excellent life advice, made slogan-size. Beaver has gone on to do what he was meant to do, regardless of context:
(#1) Real beavers are inclined to act this way, but then real beavers rarely get a chance to do kitchen repairs
Goat: higher, higher. Just putting a goat in an NYC cab was a fine absurdist move. But then:
(#2) Again, real mountain goats come programmed for precipice-leaping, but then they never get the opportunity to take a cab to the ledge
The juxtaposition of knowing urban savvy with raw animal nature is irresistibly hilarious — it makes me laugh out loud every time I see it. A palme d’or graphique for JD.
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