Random Silliness

Click this link

No it's not a valentines day bit of scullduggery or mischief. It's a link to a stupid ass 'test' that measures...well what exactly.

You go take it and then report back after the line of asterisks.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
So what'd you think of? I for one came up with an Ibus eating Starfruit in Djibouti myself. But then again I happen to know the old 'the capital of Djibouti is Djibouti from tenth grade history' detail. It's one of those things that I don't think I could forget without losing some neural hardware.

Anyhow here's why this 'test' is not only not freaky it's just a prejudice trap. Consider the first three steps.

1) Pick a number between 1-10
2) Multiply by 9
3) Add digits together if applicable

Anyone who passed elementary school in the US has had to do multiplication tables and its relatively well known that any multiple of 9 less than 10 well have digits that 'add up' to 9.

So no matter what you pick after step three the answer will always be 9:

1 = 09 = 9
2 = 18 = 9
3 = 27 = 9
4 = 36 = 9
5 = 45 = 9
6 = 54 = 9
7 = 63 = 9
8 = 72 = 9
9 = 81 = 9
10 = 90 = 9

So step 4 is just a convenient way to get everyone to the number 4 which corresponds to the letter D. So step 5 we just convert our inexorable number into an inexorable letter.

Though D is a common enough letter there are only 4 countries on the planet that begin with D.

Consider Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica and the Dominican Republic.

I'll concede that Denmark is the most well-known of these places and certainly most americans would have to pick that first. Here the trap continues. Assuming that you've picked Denmark when you're given the next choice of an animal beginning with the last letter of the country naturally everyone will pick kangaroo right?

What about koalas or kiwis or kookaburras? I think here the kangaroo is most renowned but also begins with ka rather than k(any other vowel) I know I subconsciously alphabetize things so I suspect the double whammy applies and if you're here you're committed.

Pick a fruit of the last letter. O...mmm, not many people reach for well, anything else.

Hence 98% of people theorhetically pick the choices listed.

Humbug!