Editing 1592: Overthinking
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | In this comic, [[Cueball]] is telling [[White Hat]] about several recent scientific studies he read that appear to contradict the results of either prior studies whose results have stood for a long time or | + | In this comic, [[Cueball]] is telling [[White Hat]] about several recent scientific studies he read that appear to contradict the results of either prior studies whose results have stood for a long time or at least long-held misconceptions. The studies can be reviewed on-line via their {{w|Digital Object Identifier}} (DOI) in [[Randall|Randall's]] citations. |
In the first, Cueball mentions a study that showed that while water is good for you, you only need to drink when you are thirsty. This appears to be a reference to common misconceptions that we should drink a certain set quantity of water per day (oft-cited as eight cups - see [[715: Numbers]]) and may even be referencing the fact that drinking too much water (well more than the standard 8 cups, for most people) can lead to hyponatremia (lack of salt in the body). | In the first, Cueball mentions a study that showed that while water is good for you, you only need to drink when you are thirsty. This appears to be a reference to common misconceptions that we should drink a certain set quantity of water per day (oft-cited as eight cups - see [[715: Numbers]]) and may even be referencing the fact that drinking too much water (well more than the standard 8 cups, for most people) can lead to hyponatremia (lack of salt in the body). | ||
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Finally, Cueball references a study that pre-industrial humans have similar sleep patterns to our own, which would appear to contradict a belief that modern technology has disrupted our sleep patterns (which is likely tied to health concerns around our modern sleep habits). | Finally, Cueball references a study that pre-industrial humans have similar sleep patterns to our own, which would appear to contradict a belief that modern technology has disrupted our sleep patterns (which is likely tied to health concerns around our modern sleep habits). | ||
| − | Cueball's conclusion is that humanity may be over-thinking things in trying to find problems in the way we live our everyday lives. In the last panel, White Hat seems to be attempting to start an inquiry into what everyday modern phenomenon has caused us to over-think things. This is obviously a self-referencing example of the types of claims Cueball is debunking in the first three panels. Cueball responds by suggesting that humanity's over-thinking is likely not a recent phenomenon but probably dates back to the stone age. This could also be viewed as an argument that over-thinking is not all bad, | + | Cueball's conclusion is that humanity may be over-thinking things in trying to find problems in the way we live our everyday lives. In the last panel, White Hat seems to be attempting to start an inquiry into what everyday modern phenomenon has caused us to over-think things. This is obviously a self-referencing example of the types of claims Cueball is debunking in the first three panels. Cueball responds by suggesting that humanity's over-thinking is likely not a recent phenomenon but probably dates back to the stone age. This could also be viewed as an argument that over-thinking is not all bad, the wheel would certainly be a good result of over-thinking. |
| − | In the title text, Cueball gives a counter-example to his own argument, suggesting that it took far longer for us to realize the negative health connotations of smoking than it should have. Suggesting instead it's not about overthinking or underthinking-it's just that people make mistakes | + | In the title text, Cueball gives a counter-example to his own argument, suggesting that it took far longer for us to realize the negative health connotations of smoking than it should have. Suggesting instead it's not about overthinking or underthinking-it's just that people make mistakes and we don't know everything. That said, the link between cigarettes and lung cancer has been known for longer than most people realize, possibly coming as early as the 1940s. |
===Links to studies referenced=== | ===Links to studies referenced=== | ||
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
| − | :[Cueball and White Hat are walking together. The references are at the bottom of the | + | :[Cueball and White Hat are walking together. The references are at the bottom of the thee first panels.] |
:Cueball: I found a study* that said water is good for you, but you should just drink it when you feel thirsty and not go overboard. | :Cueball: I found a study* that said water is good for you, but you should just drink it when you feel thirsty and not go overboard. | ||
:White Hat: Uh huh? | :White Hat: Uh huh? | ||
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==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
| − | *In the [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/0/0d/20151019153329!overthinking.png original version] of the comic | + | *In the [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/0/0d/20151019153329!overthinking.png original version] of the comic the three DOIs where shifted one panel, so the reference in the first panel belonged to the second panel, the second belonged to the third panel and the reference in the third panel belonged to the first. This was corrected within a few hours. |
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
