My friends and I occasionally have the weirdest conversations at meals.
Exhibit A:
Today I was debating the definition of "normal" with a guy I know through a friend (whom I know through a couple other friends). Basically, he was being the devil's advocate and arguing from the normal=majority definition that the majority are abnormal and thus the word becomes meaningless because that means abnormality is normal and logically impossible. Think about it... if what's normal is what constitutes the majority, ok. But a lot of people do not fit into the majority, right? Perhaps a majority don't? Then, it's in the majority to be abnormal... and thus, to be abnormal is to be normal, and vice versa. He admitted the logical flaw at the end and we all started laughing.
Exhibit B:
Immediately succeeding aforesaid debate about normality, another friend and I picked up a previous conversation.... regarding the question of what superpower one would choose if one could have it for the asking. He had chosen immortality, and thus the conversation turned to the possibilities latent in an unending life (like in Tuck Everlasting, where one would not even age). One could be mayor of Washington, D.C., for example, and work for however long it took to gain control over the electrical supply to Congress or something (you've got all the time in the world, so there would be no trouble about waiting for the "opportune moment"). Of course, there's also the question of whether such an immortal being would be able to feel pain, and whether it would be possible for him to be hurt since he could not die. Consider, if one could get hurt, then perhaps one could get hurt so much, so quickly, that one would die! Right?
Exhibit C:
Immediately succeeding Exhibit B, there was a quick discussion of whether a zombie would go for a baked potato, smothered in sour cream, bacon bits, and other such toppings, if brains were not available and he had the choice of any food in the caf. The guy from Exhibit A postulated that the potato on the girl's plate opposite resembled brains.... don't ask me how!
Exhibit A:
Today I was debating the definition of "normal" with a guy I know through a friend (whom I know through a couple other friends). Basically, he was being the devil's advocate and arguing from the normal=majority definition that the majority are abnormal and thus the word becomes meaningless because that means abnormality is normal and logically impossible. Think about it... if what's normal is what constitutes the majority, ok. But a lot of people do not fit into the majority, right? Perhaps a majority don't? Then, it's in the majority to be abnormal... and thus, to be abnormal is to be normal, and vice versa. He admitted the logical flaw at the end and we all started laughing.
Exhibit B:
Immediately succeeding aforesaid debate about normality, another friend and I picked up a previous conversation.... regarding the question of what superpower one would choose if one could have it for the asking. He had chosen immortality, and thus the conversation turned to the possibilities latent in an unending life (like in Tuck Everlasting, where one would not even age). One could be mayor of Washington, D.C., for example, and work for however long it took to gain control over the electrical supply to Congress or something (you've got all the time in the world, so there would be no trouble about waiting for the "opportune moment"). Of course, there's also the question of whether such an immortal being would be able to feel pain, and whether it would be possible for him to be hurt since he could not die. Consider, if one could get hurt, then perhaps one could get hurt so much, so quickly, that one would die! Right?
Exhibit C:
Immediately succeeding Exhibit B, there was a quick discussion of whether a zombie would go for a baked potato, smothered in sour cream, bacon bits, and other such toppings, if brains were not available and he had the choice of any food in the caf. The guy from Exhibit A postulated that the potato on the girl's plate opposite resembled brains.... don't ask me how!
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