LJ Anthropology #Whatever

[packbat]

Because the question is too pressing to be left unasked.

[Poll #1157201]

Comments

[ceruleanst.livejournal.com]

"1, 2, 3, Shoot."

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Ah! I see that.

[explodingbat.livejournal.com]

Snake! (http://www.umop.com/rps25.htm)

[packbat.livejournal.com]

That is the most absurd thing I've ever seen.*

* Not actually the most absurd thing I have ever seen.

[ailado.livejournal.com]

I just didn't understand what the "showing hands" thing was.

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Oh - it's just when you do the 'throw', the reveal, the rock-paper-or-scissors gesture. If that clears it up, you can change your vote here (http://www.livejournal.com/poll/?id=1157201&mode=enter).

[ailado.livejournal.com]

*is blonde*

my excuse for everything.

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Hah! I was this close to posting a blonde joke in reply, but I didn't. :D

[ailado.livejournal.com]

good. I rather detest them. I'm kind of a hypocrite.

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Y'know, there was a good piece in Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age talking about the moral status of hypocrisy - pity I don't remember it. In the end, I think they concluded that hypocrisy could as easily be interpreted as a sign of a more advanced ethical system instead of a weakness of will.

Which has no relevance, so yay!

[ailado.livejournal.com]

oh man. I kind of love you right now. We go from blonde jokes to Neal Stephenson in like, three comments. Yay!

[packbat.livejournal.com]

The Internet: encouraging ADD-style behavior since 1993 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_September)!

(I generally prefer Snow Crash to The Diamond Age, actually.)

1, 2, 3!!!

[acesifda.livejournal.com]

It's ON a count of THREE.

1-2-3!

case in point=

...On your mark, get set..... GO!

(NOT- wait for a count of four, dumbass.)

Re: 1, 2, 3!!!

[acesifda.livejournal.com]

not saying you're a dumbass, robin- only those that don't understand the simple concept.

:)

Re: 1, 2, 3!!!

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Hey, it's just anthropology - like how rock fans scream at concerts while "classical" music fans sit quietly until the end of the piece. ;)

Re: 1, 2, 3!!!

[acesifda.livejournal.com]

yeah, whatever gets your blood pumping, I guess.

Although, rock music induces and encourages screaming almost as a form of audience participation.
Classical music has been around for hundreds of years and, much like fine art, tends to draw a more contemplative crowd... I think that's it...

What do you say, though...

on a count of 3 or what?

Re: 1, 2, 3!!!

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Well, it wasn't always as temperate as it is now, back when it was contemporary. I think it's a class difference - entertainment for the elite versus the hoi polloi.

And yes, I grew up showing my hand on the third swing - I just opened the poll because my Scout troop prefers the fourth.

let's go from three to five

[(Anonymous)]

okay- if you were going to add two more 'weapons' to this game, beyond rock, paper, and scissors, what would they be?

remember that they have to either win or lose against each of the other items, and their must be an equal number of wins/losses per weapon.

There would also have to be hand signs for both of the new objects.

rock, paper, scissors, ... , and ... !

I think I might have seen a web site about this last year.

Re: let's go from three to five

[packbat.livejournal.com]

Well, the way I see it, rock-paper-scissors has two important features:

1. If you guess your opponent's weapon, you win.
   
2. If your opponent plays a purely random strategy, you win as often as you lose regardless of what you do.

If we want to preserve those things, I think we would have to add three weapons. Dunno what they would be yet.