Remember that nonsensical “God Equation” that was ripped apart over at Pharyngula about a month ago? Yeah, I don’t think its creators will get this joke:
I really think the amount you laugh* at xkcd could be a good predictor of nerdiness/science knowledge. I know when I stare at a comic scratching my head, it’s because I don’t know something. This frequently happens when the punchline has to do with programming. Sadness.
*Assuming laughter correlates with getting the joke. If you get it but don’t laugh, I don’t get your sense of humor. If you don’t get it but laugh, you may be insane, really like stick figures, or have a judgmental nerd peering over your shoulder.


21 comments
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Urban Wild Cat
January 10, 2010 at 10:41 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I just like the idea of England drifting out to sea.
Urban Wild Cat
January 11, 2010 at 6:41 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I just like the idea of England drifting out to sea.
The Artful Nudger
January 10, 2010 at 11:04 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I like the idea of manipulating one part of an arbitrary equation to influence another part. It's reminiscient of the Glooper from Pratchett's Making Money.
The Artful Nudger
January 11, 2010 at 7:04 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I like the idea of manipulating one part of an arbitrary equation to influence another part. It’s reminiscient of the Glooper from Pratchett’s Making Money.
Urban Wild Cat
January 10, 2010 at 11:14 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Magical Thinking at its finest.
Urban Wild Cat
January 11, 2010 at 7:14 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Magical Thinking at its finest.
sunioc
January 10, 2010 at 11:51 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I must be the biggest nerd ever, because I think XKCD is friggin hilarious. There's only a few of them I had to have my computer programmer friend explain to me.
sunioc
January 11, 2010 at 7:51 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I must be the biggest nerd ever, because I think XKCD is friggin hilarious. There’s only a few of them I had to have my computer programmer friend explain to me.
Egoist Paul
January 11, 2010 at 1:45 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I laughed with a delay.
Egoist Paul
January 11, 2010 at 9:45 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I laughed with a delay.
shadedspriter
January 11, 2010 at 3:21 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
If I didn't read both xkcd and Pharyngula I most likely wouldn't of subscribed to this blag.
shadedspriter
January 11, 2010 at 11:21 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
If I didn’t read both xkcd and Pharyngula I most likely wouldn’t of subscribed to this blag.
edivimo
January 11, 2010 at 6:11 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yes, the first tought that pop in my mind after reading the first panel of that comic was that nonsensical "God equation".
edivimo
January 11, 2010 at 2:11 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yes, the first tought that pop in my mind after reading the first panel of that comic was that nonsensical “God equation”.
givesgoodemail
January 11, 2010 at 9:28 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I'm in a thread-jacking mood.
What's your favorite line from xkcd? Some of mine are:
"His laptop's encrypted. Drug him and hit him with this $5 wrench until he tells us the password.""I just wrote the most beautiful code of my life."
givesgoodemail
January 11, 2010 at 5:28 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I’m in a thread-jacking mood.What’s your favorite line from xkcd? Some of mine are:”His laptop’s encrypted. Drug him and hit him with this $5 wrench until he tells us the password.”"I just wrote the most beautiful code of my life.”
mcbender
January 11, 2010 at 4:59 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
XKCD is amazing. Randall Munroe gave a talk here at CMU a few years ago and he's even more hilarious in person, although he's a bit awkward…
mcbender
January 12, 2010 at 12:59 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
XKCD is amazing. Randall Munroe gave a talk here at CMU a few years ago and he’s even more hilarious in person, although he’s a bit awkward…
Joshua
January 11, 2010 at 5:05 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Randall's abuse is one step improved from the God Equation. See, Randall's units make sense. That's a major improvement. Indeed, at some level, Randall is mocking a much higher level form of stupidity (if that makes any sense at all).
Joshua
January 12, 2010 at 1:05 AM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Randall’s abuse is one step improved from the God Equation. See, Randall’s units make sense. That’s a major improvement. Indeed, at some level, Randall is mocking a much higher level form of stupidity (if that makes any sense at all).
L
January 12, 2010 at 9:37 PM (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Randall hasn't made a comic that requires more knowledge than the opening paragraph of a random Wikipedia article in 300 strips. It's not that smart of a strip.
I'll just bring up "silent hammers" …