"Good Joe probably has been in and out of jail" (archived from Tumblr)

[incorrecthorse]

Transcription of Joe and Cleo's conversation from the March 11th crafts stream. The first half was originally transcribed by openbagtwo, the rest is mine. Context: Joe had just done an impression of himself from when he worked as a database / systems admin.

Joe: (quoting a chatter) “Corporate Joe is terrifying.” You know, that’s the thing though, any kind of multiverse setting... I struggle watching almost any multiverse thing because, just, the horror of encountering slightly different versions of myself. Like, I’m so close to completely off the rails that I’m just like, ninety percent of these would be the Joker, and then the rest would be like, Poison Ivy. (Joe starts laughing.) It’s not great.

Cleo: So you think you’re just evil in another world. Alternate universe Joe is evil.

Joe: Well, I don’t think Poison Ivy is evil. I think she’s an eco-terrorist who has very strong convictions.

Cleo: Hmm… So what you’re saying is that in a different universe, (chuckling) you could be an eco-terrorist.

Joe: I mean, I really think that… we’ve talked about this, like with the Evil Wels or Evil X, what does the Evil Joe look like? I feel like Evil Joe is too self-absorbed making videos to go out there and pour sugar into the gas tanks of logging company machinery. Like, I think that I’m the one who’s too lazy to be Good Joe. I think that Good Joe probably has been in and out of jail.

Cleo: It’s a statement. It is a statement.

Joe: Yeah. I think I play it too safe! But, you know, I do what I want, y’know… (trails off) Which I think is maybe an apathetic form of evil, in some way. Like, I dunno.

Cleo: It’s a statement. I’m not sure if it’s accurate, but y’know, I guess we’ll see.

Joe: Yeah… I mean, so like, I was at this book reading, or not, like a panel with the author for this book the other day. And it’s a memoir of one of my professors at Vanderbilt. And this lady sitting next to me was like eighty years old. And she’s like, “Oh, what brings you to this?”

Joe: And I’m like, “Oh, well” – it’s a posthumous memoir, so the author’s actually passed away before it was published, but, I was like, “Rev. Lawson was one of my professors at college and so y’know, I wanted to come here from his son and see, y’know, what the author— the co-author has to say about the book, so I’m excited about that”.

Joe: And she’s just like, “Oh man, Rev. Lawson’s the best, I was part of his congregation when they arrested all of us for protesting (Cleo starts laughing) the methodist assembly not allowing gay people in the ministry. And it’s the only time I’ve been arrested, but if you’re gonna get arrested, you get arrested with James Lawson!”

Joe: And I’m like yeah, that’s… this is the sort of eighty-year-old lady i want to sit next to at a book something— panel thing. (Joe chuckles.)

Cleo: That’s fair.

Joe: I dunno, I’m just saying, like, some of the most influential people in this town have not been afraid to be disruptive at personal threat to their safety and whatnot and I have not been that brave (chuckles), so I dunno. I’m just saying.

Cleo: Mhm, thats fair.

Joe: Like— y’know, maybe I’m just around people who are more aggressively good than I am that I am hesitant to, y’know, label myself that way if that makes sense. At best I’m probably Neutral Joe. (Joe chuckles again.)

Cleo: I mean, it’s a statement that you don’t think you’re the good version of yourself.

Joe: I think the good version of myself would work harder toward helping people in justice. I feel like I do okay.

Cleo: Mhm.

Joe: But I have not dedicated my life to the improvement of society. So... and like I said, maybe it’s just because I have been in a city where people who have done that, like James Lawson and Bernard Lafayette, like, are around, or at least they were until recently – the two guys I’ve just mentioned have passed away recently – but like y’know, so I just might have a higher standard for what is good.

Cleo: Potentially, yeah.

Joe: Yes. So I might be… I’m being pedantic, probably.

Cleo: (in mock disbelief) You?!

Joe: I know!

Cleo: Joe is pedantic?! Huh! Live and learn! Oof!

After a few seconds of silence, Joe starts humming a tune.

Joe: Mokole [chatter] says, “Never judge myself by others’ standards”. No, I’m judging myself by my standards!

Cleo: I think that’s the problem. That is the problem.

Joe: (at the same time) …what part of that was unclear. My standards are different from other people’s! And I think… (Joe goes silent.)

Cleo: Yes?

Joe: Yeah. I’m agreeing with you that I shouldn’t judge myself by other people’s standards because I’m already not doing that. Cleo made it clear my standards are not other people’s. And I’m happy about that, so, I dunno what to tell you about that.

Cleo giggles.

Originally posted on Tumblr on 2026-03-11. I'm still procrastinating on setting up the rest of this community but at least this is another repost :p

Comments

[schneefink]

Yess the fact that Joe thinks of himself as at best Neutral Joe is so very him and also fascinating.