For those who don't know what I'm referring to, I'm talking about the new central character in Extra Sugar Free Gum's advertisments.

Why is this gumball so mad. He never really says exactly WHY he's angry. It's easily construed by the subject of the commercial that he is mad that people are buying Extra sugar free gum instead of him. His anger seems to know no bounds, as he is incredibly mad to the point that he wishes purchasers of Extra gum's mouth go numb and that a nearby pigeon will release excrement onto both the gum chewer and his girlfriend. What could be so possibly disturbing this sentient gumball that he not only wishes ill upon the man who did not purchase him, but also anyone with whom he associates?

For the sake of conversation, let's assume that this gumball is completely sentient and capable of conscious thought. As he is capable of independent motion, human speech, and on top of that is musically inclined I think full sentience is a safe assumption to make. While we could argue that the gumball is a robot or construct, programmed to act in this manner, the utter emotion he exhibits makes this very improbable.

Now that we've made the assumption of the gumball's sentience, let's go into the matter of why he's so upset. If he is sentient, the gumball should have the natural desire of all sentient creatures for its own self preservation. If he is purchased by the avid gum consumer, would it not signify the end of his existence? Being chewed would surely crush any sort of organs that bestow upon him his abnormal intelligence. Even if by some strange unknown biological function, he managed to survive being chewed and inflated into a bubble, there is the chance that he might be swallowed and digested, and if not that, being condemned to a life in a garbage dump or stuck under a car seat somewhere. In his current environment, his existance is secure and guarenteed, without any sort of uncertainty.

Perhaps the gumball feels some sort of responsibility. His function and purpose in life is to be chewed by a human to convey pleasure. According to Immanuel Kant, the purpose of life is to fulfill ones duties. Maybe the gumball feels this sort of Kantian responsibility to be consumed by people. Upon realizing that because of Extra sugar free gum, he will not fulfill this duty, he must experience such an incredible anger that he turns on the very people of whom he has a responsibility to. He feels betrayed by the consumers of gum and his mind fills with anger. He rejects all of the familiar values of the world and wishes nothing but complete destruction upon the person who, in HIS mind, has betrayed him

In a way, one can almost feel admiration for this sentient gumball. Imagine being the only intelligent gumball in a world of unintelligent lifeless gumballs. Some might describe this as a virtual hell. To be the only thinking creature in a world of unthinking creatures, being doomed to be consumed and killed, or worse, spend an eternity as refuse. Even with his sentience and ability to move, he does nothing to do what WE would think of as improving his fate. He remains true to his Kantian destiny, never budging. His frustration is a bit understandable. He has committed himself to a fate worse than death, yet the very fate he has resigned himself to seems to fleet close to him right outside his reach almost mockingly. It is almost natural that his mind would be filled with dissillusionment and anger.

I salute you angry gumball. In a world where you are doomed to annihilation or eternal imprisonment, you stand on the edge of the abyss. A tall red sphere of purpose!

Fight on angry gumball! Fight! For us all! May you one day find the meaning you seek in the eternal abyss....somewhere...out there...