35 Years Later, ‘The Far Side’ Predicted One of Our Biggest Trends

When a work of art is described as "ahead of its time," it's usually a compliment. That's not always the case when people talk about "Cow Tools," a 1982 installment of The Far Side by Gary Larson. The single-panel comic is abstract at best, with no discernible punchline in the traditional sense. However, decades later, the comic is credited with predicting the rise of internet meme humor — or perhaps even influencing it. Tracking the public response to this work over 34 years provides a unique view of our evolving sense of humor, and it may re-orient discussions about how our monolithic online culture has developed.