John Kossler stated in the alt text of this comic that The Word Weary is NOT against government, but that the author distrusts people in authority because they will use their authority to "fuck him sideways." This comes up often in the narrative- and not just in the cartoonish villainy of The Mayor. Each of the characters (even many of the minor ones) is oppressed in some way or another: John is constantly tormented by Jason and Yorick, who are the dominant members of their group while Sam is suffering from sleep deprivation and is constantly abused by the customers at the restaurant he manages but is unable to quit because his boss can't promote a new person to his position. Stan Becks, the debt collector who lies to Elly forces her to pay back her mother's credit card is pressured by his