I think the point isn’t what he’s dispensing, though, it’s more about the large number of adherents for Luck Guru, and only one who is seeking wisdom.
It looks like a rabbit’s foot on a little chain.
Actually, I think it’s much clearer in the color version that it is indeed a rabbit’s foot. My confusion was all the little speckles surrounding the people; it makes it look like something is being dropped on them.
Clearly a rabbit’s foot (not too lucky for Mr. Rabbit!). I guess the speckles represent bits and pieces of rock thrown up by the mob scrambling up the “luck” side of the mountain.
@Mike-
I think the little speckles are the links on the chain that holds the rabbit’s foot.
P.S. Recent news reports have underscored the danger of getting caught in traffic jams when ascending high mountains:
I agree it is a rabbit’s foot.
Reminds me of the old adage “It’s better to be lucky than good.”
I agree wholeheartedly with that. Yes, being skillful at something should result in a consistently better result over time, but in any given case, luck can trump skill every time. When I think of my current work situation, which is about as good as I can imagine, I’ve got the same skills I’ve had for years (yes, honed over time), but the luck of getting back in touch with an old friend and colleague who happened to have a business for which I was an excellent fit yielded a better result than years of plugging away had. And I wouldn’t have known him at all if luck hadn’t assigned us to the same out of the way prefecture in Japan those many, many years ago.
Success is developing the skills you need to be good, making yourself as big a target as possible for luck, and seizing the opportunity when it presents itself.
The dots are links on the chain, the speckles are, I assume, little rocklets dislodged by the scrabbling luck-seeking masses. However the calmer and presumably slower and more methodical wisdom-seeking climber is also generating this rockfall.
I haven’t seen a rabbit’s foot on a chain like that since the 1950’s. Are we all geezers here?
Mark, I’m not sure there has been a firm definition of what constitutes a geezer. I still like to think of myself as geezer-adjacent.
“It’s better to be lucky than smart, but it’s easier to be smart twice than lucky twice.”
@Treesong: An excellent point. I agree. You can’t plan on being lucky. But when luck comes, be smart enough to recognize it and make the most of it. I’d also say be humble enough to acknowledge its role. Otherwise you’ll get a swelled head.
“Chance favors the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur
So Bill didn’t know it was a rabbit’s foot, and yet ran it on the same day as an impenetrable “white rabbit” joke in Mutt and Jeff. Unintentional serendipity.
Napoleon Bonaparte — ‘I know he’s a good general, but is he lucky?’
Comics I Don't Understand 
Not much clearer when it was run in color back in 2014:
https://www.creators.com/read/strange-brew/08/14/112537
I think the point isn’t what he’s dispensing, though, it’s more about the large number of adherents for Luck Guru, and only one who is seeking wisdom.
It looks like a rabbit’s foot on a little chain.
Actually, I think it’s much clearer in the color version that it is indeed a rabbit’s foot. My confusion was all the little speckles surrounding the people; it makes it look like something is being dropped on them.
Clearly a rabbit’s foot (not too lucky for Mr. Rabbit!). I guess the speckles represent bits and pieces of rock thrown up by the mob scrambling up the “luck” side of the mountain.
@Mike-
I think the little speckles are the links on the chain that holds the rabbit’s foot.
https://www.pro-lok.com/shop/kalifornia-key-chains/key-accessories/luckygambling/lucky-rabbit-foot/
This panel seems very similar to the “enlightenment vs. entitlement gurus” that appeared in Non Sequitur on May 15th:
P.S. Recent news reports have underscored the danger of getting caught in traffic jams when ascending high mountains:
I agree it is a rabbit’s foot.
Reminds me of the old adage “It’s better to be lucky than good.”
I agree wholeheartedly with that. Yes, being skillful at something should result in a consistently better result over time, but in any given case, luck can trump skill every time. When I think of my current work situation, which is about as good as I can imagine, I’ve got the same skills I’ve had for years (yes, honed over time), but the luck of getting back in touch with an old friend and colleague who happened to have a business for which I was an excellent fit yielded a better result than years of plugging away had. And I wouldn’t have known him at all if luck hadn’t assigned us to the same out of the way prefecture in Japan those many, many years ago.
Success is developing the skills you need to be good, making yourself as big a target as possible for luck, and seizing the opportunity when it presents itself.
The dots are links on the chain, the speckles are, I assume, little rocklets dislodged by the scrabbling luck-seeking masses. However the calmer and presumably slower and more methodical wisdom-seeking climber is also generating this rockfall.
I haven’t seen a rabbit’s foot on a chain like that since the 1950’s. Are we all geezers here?
Mark, I’m not sure there has been a firm definition of what constitutes a geezer. I still like to think of myself as geezer-adjacent.
“It’s better to be lucky than smart, but it’s easier to be smart twice than lucky twice.”
@Treesong: An excellent point. I agree. You can’t plan on being lucky. But when luck comes, be smart enough to recognize it and make the most of it. I’d also say be humble enough to acknowledge its role. Otherwise you’ll get a swelled head.
“Chance favors the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur
So Bill didn’t know it was a rabbit’s foot, and yet ran it on the same day as an impenetrable “white rabbit” joke in Mutt and Jeff. Unintentional serendipity.
Napoleon Bonaparte — ‘I know he’s a good general, but is he lucky?’