Re: On Godwin's Law

David Crook (dcrook@commwerks.com)
Mon, 16 Mar 1998 14:06:31 -0800

Lloyd Wood wrote:
>
>
> Feel free to disagree with and misquote me, since it's pretty obvious
> from the corollary I've just inferred that you'll be completely wrong,
> and since you're going to do that anyway I may as well give you
> permission to go ahead and make fools of yourselves. You're just
> victims of an adaptive meme; you're paralysed by peer pressure, you're
> mere victims of what you think you know; you're mesmerised by a
> mutated meme.
>
> See if I care. I'm off to write a book and I'll have the last laugh.
> History will remember my words; it won't remember usenet's.
>
> Overall, this seems pretty straightforward to me. Any questions?
>
> L.
>
> Release new memes at your peril, for the mutations will come back to
> haunt you.
>
> <L.Wood@surrey.ac.uk>PGP<http://www.sat-net.com/L.Wood/>+44-1483-300800x3641

Was that fun Lloyd? I hate to break your bubble on this, but you aren't
the only person to have seen the original meme article on wired. A lot
of people have seen Godwin's law in its original form. Perhaps people
use the mutated version because it sounds snappier than the original.
Seriously though, jumping on people for "misquoting" Godwin's law is
like blasting people for passing a goodtimes letter. Yes, technically
you are correct, but trying to use that to prop up your newly-formed ego
isn't a good idea. Its just not a big enough accomplishment to impress
people. What's next? Going to flame somebody for a typo?

If you need help with this ego thing, just ask. I'm sure that myself or
Dr. Byars would be glad to assist you.

Dave "Damn, forgot the no-archive thing again. :-)" Crook

-- 
David Crook
Programmer/Analyst
Commwerks -- Industrial Strength Internet Solutions
dcrook@commwerks.com, http://www.commwerks.com