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Article #64

Re: Seeking "There are ? kinds..." Phrases

#64
From: Steffan O'Sullivan
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 1993 21:19
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In this thread, I first read the joke: "There are three kinds of people
in this world: those who can count, and those who can't."

I thought this was pretty funny so I started telling it to folks.  I
was amazed to find that very few people got it - and I'm a good joke
teller.  Perhaps it's more of a written joke - one of those that is
hard to get if spoken.  I did find that more folks got it if I used
fingers to mark off the different types - first one finger, then three
fingers.

But I was curious about how many folks would get the joke, and I wanted
to sort the responses.  So I started telling it to *everybody*, and
tallying responses.  I quit after about 80 folks - I began to think it
less funny myself at that point.

I found that there are four kinds of responses to this joke:

Those who get it, and laugh.  Only about 20% of the listeners fall into
this category.

Those who never get that it's a joke.  They keep asking, "and what's
the third type?"  When I explain it's a joke, most of these folks still
don't get it, and get irritated.  Even when I try to explain it, they
don't get it.  Bummer.

Those who don't notice anything wrong with what I just said!  "What's
your point?" they ask, or, "So?"  I guess they fall into the third
category mentioned in the joke: they can't count.

-- 
	-Steffan O'Sullivan  |  Two step program to a more productive 
                             |   life (which you may not want, BTW):
        sos@oz.plymouth.edu  |  1)  Don't watch tv.  
                             |  2)  Don't play computer games.
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From: sos@oz.plymouth.edu (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Subject: Re: Seeking "There are ? kinds..." Phrases
Message-ID: <1993Jul18.211912.14560@oz.plymouth.edu>
Organization: Plymouth State College - Plymouth, NH.
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 93 21:19:12 GMT
Lines: 34