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The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

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Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#3
Its actually become a fun game around here. Someone makes an outrageous claim and it starts a race to be the first to call them on it. Phones get drawn like six-guns and its on! We call this little victory of fact finding the "fonesnope". (Or "getting fonesnoped" if you happen to be the claimant). Its a fun party game. Try it.

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#4
As a kid I remember family discussions surrounding the legitimacy of certain pieces of trivia, often reaching the point where people began trying to shout over each other. Eventually, my uncle would pick up the phone, dial a random number and say, "Hi there, you wouldn't happen to know who directed Casablanca would you?"

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#5
I have a rule I always follow, and have convinced many friends of too -- no Googling/Wikipedia-ing in social settings. If nobody knows something (trivia-like), it's almost always a lot more fun to continue not knowing.

Sure, look it up when you get home. But a little group self-discipline goes far in keeping the fine art of bullshitting alive.

(And it's not just the answer that kills the conversation, but also the fact that someone is right and someone is wrong, game over. Much better to keep the game going!)

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#6

The bullshit didn't even have to be believable: "Marilyn Manson was the kid that played Paul from the Wonder Years. Also, he had a rib removed so he could perform autofellatio." Kids everywhere believed that. Hilarious.

We heard that about Gabriele D'Annunzio...

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#7

I have a rule I always follow, and have convinced many friends of too -- no Googling/Wikipedia-ing in social settings. If nobody knows something (trivia-like), it's almost always a lot more fun to continue not knowing. Sure, look it up when you get home. But a little group self-discipline goes far in keeping the fine art of bullshitting alive. (And it's not just the answer that kills the conversation, but also the fa…

Oh wow. Preferred ignorance as entertainment. In hindsight, it is so obvious that this would be a preference in our information overloaded lives.

I agree with you. That sounds like much more fun.

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