Cogent comment lifted from underneath a youtube video: "on the internet, everything relates to WWII for some reason." Very well. I shall accept that that is largely correct.
It's like Godwin's Rule, which states that "as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1", meaning that as comments continue the chances of some shmendrick throwing Hitler or Nazism into the swamp becomes ever more likely.
Atboth's Variation on Godwin's Rule No. 1: As an online discussion grows, so does the likelyhood of someone making a Monty Python reference.
Atboth's Variation on Godwin's Rule No. 2: Someone's going to bring up Jesus; you can count on it.
A necessary additional factor is that if the comment string includes many or mostly Jewish contributors or intelligent people, not only are Monty Python and Jesus pretty much guaranteed, but it will happen much faster. In the case of a Monty Python reference, the discussion will have been re-invigorated, whereas the Jesus thing will just be an irritant.
In life, as on blogs, Jesus is just an irritant.
That statement was a gratuitous illustration of Variation Number Two.
For which I do not intend to apologize whatsoever.
From Wikipedia: "There is a tradition in many newsgroups and other Internet discussion forums that once such a comparison is made, the thread is finished and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever debate was in progress."
REDUCTIO AD AVE CATULUS VENERANDUM
Last night someone left a comment mentioning Hello Kitty underneath a recent post. That's something that isn't covered by Godwin's Rule or Variations One and Two.
But it gave me a brilliant idea.
Every time you want to reference Hitler or Nazis, say 'Hello Kitty' instead.
This is especially advisable if you are talking about Obama.
And are a screaming Tea-Party loony.
You'll seem saner.
APPENDUM EST VERBO:
By the way, a new word to learn: Instauration.
Definition, according to Merriam- Webster:
"1 : restoration after decay, lapse, or dilapidation"
"2 : an act of instituting or establishing something"
It's from Latin 'instaurare'; to renew, restore.
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2 comments:
I have a found that discussions by the "intelligentsia" often include chapter and verse references to The Princess Bride film and pretty much anything produced by Mel Brooks. Go figure.
Mel Brooks I can understand.
Princess Bride? Good grief!
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