Difference between revisions of "Talk:1095: Crazy Straws"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 17: Line 17:
  
 
* I don't think the fractal analogy holds because human subcultures cannot be nested infinitely deep. At some point, subcultures will come down to individual humans, who aren't also (infinitely deep) subcultures. [[Special:Contributions/70.31.155.184|70.31.155.184]] 15:06, 16 August 2012 (UTC)
 
* I don't think the fractal analogy holds because human subcultures cannot be nested infinitely deep. At some point, subcultures will come down to individual humans, who aren't also (infinitely deep) subcultures. [[Special:Contributions/70.31.155.184|70.31.155.184]] 15:06, 16 August 2012 (UTC)
 
  
 
* Tebow Time, Twice a Day. 17:14, 16 August 2012 (UTC)
 
* Tebow Time, Twice a Day. 17:14, 16 August 2012 (UTC)

Revision as of 17:15, 16 August 2012

Compare xkcd.com/915. Arlo James Barnes (talk) 10:06, 15 August 2012 (UTC)

  • "Subcultures" is misspelled in the comic. Perhaps Randall will fix it and reupload? Erenan (talk) 15:17, 15 August 2012 (UTC)
Randall has corrected the mistake, but the image on this page is still the old one. Would we want to keep both versions of the image in the interest of completeness? Erenan (talk) 00:02, 16 August 2012 (UTC)
  • Have to admit, this one went a bit over my head. TheHYPO (talk) 20:38, 15 August 2012 (UTC)
  • Fractals not only have an unlimited level of detail; they are (most times) self-similar in the sense that you'll find the same pattern on every level of detail. Just like finding the equivalent of finding the "Paris hilton of the plastic straw subcultures' hobbyists' splinter group." BKA (talk) 09:06, 16 August 2012 (UTC)
  • I think we should get the corrected comic, but note that it was originally misspelled in the explanation. jjhuddle (talk) 09:34, 16 August 2012 (UTC)
  • It's a mistake to think the every-pickier level of detail is a flaw in these interest subcultures. Smaller and smaller levels of study are what flesh out our knowledge of the world. And myriad small subgroups of shared interests allow many people to achieve excellence and status, not just in their minds but in an (admittedly small) range of reality. Examples: the people who maintain and improve the Kennedy line of Boston Terriers; people whose specialty is tooth wear in prehuman hominids; people who parse xkcd comics.
  • I don't think that the comic means it as a flaw, I think it's a just a (humourous) observation, not a negative critisism.
  • Agreed, and it even goes on here (just drop in on the community portal, to see tempests in a tea pot such as whether he's Cueball or Rob...) I couldn't help but think that RM poked his head in on this site and came up with this comic as a response. (Of course, that would be greatly overestimating our importance in the grand scheme of things, but we are all entitled to our little fantasies of grandeur, no?) Ah, well... it seemed perfect timing nonetheless. By the way, folks: please sign your posts. Four tildes, a la ~~~~, is all it takes... -- IronyChef (talk) 14:30, 16 August 2012 (UTC)
  • I don't think the fractal analogy holds because human subcultures cannot be nested infinitely deep. At some point, subcultures will come down to individual humans, who aren't also (infinitely deep) subcultures. 70.31.155.184 15:06, 16 August 2012 (UTC)
  • Tebow Time, Twice a Day. 17:14, 16 August 2012 (UTC)