Addressing Controversy

Hank Green recently released a video on the Vlogbrothers channel in which he discussed the maths test in the picture below. He makes the point that mathematicians wouldn't find this problem interesting - instead they would ask for it to be rewritten - as it is ambiguous and there is more than one way of coming to a 'correct' answer.

However, it's a question which drives 'debate' on the social internet, because there are two groups of people who think that they are right. Those who think the answer is twelve. And those who think the answer is eighteen. The 'real' answer, of course, is that there is no answer. Both of those options match the sequence so you can't know what the so-called right answer is without getting some more information. The question is undefined. But that's what makes it go viral.

We have two opposing sides, both of whom think they are right (sound familiar?), which is enough in itself to make something explode. The question 6 x 7 isn't going to make many waves, because everyone knows and accepts that it is 42. If that dress had been all black then you could never have gone wrong with it, but it wouldn't have become a cultural touchstone in the way it has.

This means that the main driver of clicks and views and likes on the social internet and the internet in general is controversy. A vs B, 1 vs 2. Post a picture with a question that has two equally valid answers and the jobs a good'un.

With that in mind, and with a view to gaining back some of the momentum I lost for this website in my three weeks away, I think its time to get controversial. The only problem is I don't really know how to write a controversial blog, so you'll have to bear with me while I work out the kinks.

With that in mind, here's your first, instantly debatable, starter for ten.

Oriel is an Oxford College, and Christ's is a Cambridge College, so we're off to a good start. The first match between the old enemies this series, and what a time for it!

Which University is your favourite - Oxford or Cambridge? And let me know in the comments why you despise the one you don't like.

Oriel are mascotted by a red panda and Christ's by some sort of wizard - who do you think would win in a fight?

I'm not even 100% sure that its a wizard, but by refusing to do the research, I leave open the possibility that I'm wrong, which will create yet more controversy.

If you haven't already, and want to experience said controversy in person before reading the rest of the blog you can do so here.

The first starter of the match goes to Chong, who wins the buzzer race to mole. Bonuses on the British Tree of the Year follow, and Oriel take one. This is an entirely real competition by the way, despite the fact that some of the entrant trees have names like 'The Oak at the Gate of the Dead', and 'The Ding Dong Tree'. You have to give props to Scotland's Tree of the Year in 2017, 'The Big Tree', of Kirkwall, which displayed a serious lack of pretension.

Which tree do you think is the best?

When Christ's get in after a second starter for Oriel, they are faced with a bonus set on the 'The Hundred' Cricket tournament. One of their answers suggests that they think Herefordshire is a First Class County - the fools! (I don't really think this, but if I call them stupid in a really aggresive way then maybe I can bait both those who agree with me and those who disagree into a vociferous argument. So ignore everything you've just read in these brackets, if you would, thanks).

I can't actually believe how dumb you'd have to be to give an answer like that on University Challenge. Young people, these days, eh? (bringing stuff like age into it always stirs things up nicely as well)

On the picture bonuses they mistake the Nodes of Ranvier for an axon, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised (again, not really my opinion, but I have to do what I gotta do to get those clicks).

When a bonus set on Lil Nas X comes up, Oriel are delighted and get two of the three, though they miss Rodeo.  For the following starter Talbot guesses Wear, but he's wrong, which Tees up Thomson to claim the points with Tyne. Tyne-Wear. This controversy stuff writes itself, doesn't it? (although I would like to point out that the Tees joke didn't write itself. I did that one, and I'm very pleased with myself).

The Moody Blues are the music starter, which Marchant recognises within a few seconds, but I've always preferred ELO (this is another classic tactic of mischief merchants. Randomly bringing up something else tangentially related in order to pit the two against each other. There was no need for me to bring up ELO, but now at least 50% of you are frothing with rage for no discernible reason).

A second bonus in a row for Marchant cements Oriel's lead, and they get a bonus set on Greek words (what about Roman words, eh? You getting the hang of this yet?), and they find themselves with more than double the score of their opponents.

Four consecutive starters for Christ's smashes this gap to smithereens and they find themselves a mere ten adrift.

Both sides miss a ten pointer on the US space program, but a brilliant buzz from Jackson on Peter Rabbit tied the game for the Cambridge side. They grab a couple of bonuses on Scottish waterways to take the lead before a starter from Gowda sealed their comeback win.

Oriel 130 - 150 Christ's

Whew, I hope that was suitably enraging to all of you, in one way or another. And that you're all going to be vaguely on edge for at least the rest of the day, without really knowing why.

I'll be back for the next episode soon, which will hopefully be less controversial.