The Smith Family Comic Strip

As The Smith Family comic strip matured, George Smith became increasingly introspective and used his humor to critique several prominent societal issues, specifically overregulation, consumerism, and moral decay in American society. He approached his art not as mere escapism, but as a way to "reach through routine and say something human".

The archives of his comic strip captions reveal specific themes he tackled to reflect on society's flaws:

• The Rat Race and Education: He critiqued modern education and work life, describing the goal of education as a "tranquil passage from the mouse race to the rat race". He also described institutions like schools as "self-perpetuating misconceptions" that force a false social identity and maintain a "toxic civilization".
• Media and Morality: Smith pointed out moral decay by critiquing what people consumed on television, noting that TV programs show an "exaltation of criminality" and that society is so "fond of the brute and the barbarian" that it's a wonder they aren't elected to public office.
• Existential Threats (War and Pollution): He frequently referenced nuclear war and environmental degradation, noting, "If the big boom don't get us..... the polluted everything will". He observed that the advent of the bomb ended the concept of national sovereignty because "we're one race now like it or not," and criticized the world's "moronic preference for boom boom".
• Government Spending: He poked fun at government overreach and taxation, featuring characters remarking that the government "spends the average Americans income every split second".
• The Emptiness of Modern Routine: He addressed the psychological toll of modern life, featuring characters discussing mid-life crises brought on by "dull specialization," "meaninglessness," "spiritual aridity," and "trivial pursuits".