# 20 Questions 7.0 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 12, 2002, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324 "2002-04-12T21:39:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/21 "2002-04-14T00:40:37Z")
1. Is it a bodily function? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/22 "2002-04-14T09:32:18Z")
8, nah; 9, yup; 10, nope; 11, hmm. ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/23 "2002-04-14T13:32:20Z")
**lel** asked: 11) _Is it a bodily function?_ **Your name is too short to slaughter** , “hmm” pretty much covers it. I’ll say yes, but I’m guessing by now you already know what it is… ---
**Author:** ![Hu\_Gnows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Hu\_Gnows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hu_Gnows)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/24 "2002-04-14T14:27:07Z")
Is it snot? It’s that time of year in Atlanta… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/25 "2002-04-14T14:29:14Z")
**Hu Gnows** asked: 12) \*Is it snot? \* **Hug now** , no. ---
**Author:** ![Wicked\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2acd7d/32.png) [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/26 "2002-04-14T15:00:30Z")
Is it breathing? ---
**Author:** ![Hu\_Gnows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Hu\_Gnows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hu_Gnows)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/27 "2002-04-14T15:02:03Z")
1. Does it require _conscious_ physical exertion (as opposed to a ‘bodily function’ that just occurs naturally)? ---
**Author:** ![Hu\_Gnows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Hu\_Gnows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hu_Gnows)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/28 "2002-04-14T15:03:14Z")
Oops. Well, make mine 14)… ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/29 "2002-04-14T16:32:22Z")
**Wicked Blue** asked: 13) _Is it breathing?_ **Sick and Blue** , nope. **Hu Gnows** asked: 14) _Does it require conscious physical exertion (as opposed to a ‘bodily function’ that just occurs naturally)?_ **Hug now** , nope. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/30 "2002-04-14T16:42:04Z")
15.) does it smell? ---
**Author:** ![Hu\_Gnows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Hu\_Gnows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hu_Gnows)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/31 "2002-04-14T16:52:27Z")
1. Is it ‘thought’? ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/32 "2002-04-14T16:54:35Z")
**peepthis** asked: 15) _does it smell?_ **Quack. Just Quack** , no. **Hu Gnows** asked: 16 _Is it ‘thought’?_ **Hug now** , nope. ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/33 "2002-04-14T16:58:22Z")
Let’s hear it for my 200th post! Woo ---
**Author:** ![Hu\_Gnows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Hu\_Gnows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hu_Gnows)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/34 "2002-04-14T17:24:48Z")
Congratulations! 🙂 This is a tough one, YLT. A bodily function that can’t be sensed by the 5 senses, that everyone has, that requires no exertion…hmmm… 1. Growth? ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/35 "2002-04-14T17:26:55Z")
**Hu Gnows** asked: 17) _Is it growth?_ **Hug now** , thanks and nope. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/36 "2002-04-14T17:31:22Z")
I see that my last question was a wasted one, since it was already made clear it couldn’t be sensed by a sense. So, on the chance that our interlocutors are trying to be cute about this: 18.) Is it one of the 5 senses? ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/37 "2002-04-14T17:34:28Z")
**peepthis** asked: 18) _Is it one of the 5 senses?_ **Quack. Just Quack** , I didn’t even notice it “a wasted question” until you mentioned it, so don’t feel bad. The answer to your new question would be **no**. I’d just like to point out that you’re running out of questions pretty quickly… ---
**Author:** ![Hu\_Gnows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/57b2e6/32.png) [@Hu\_Gnows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hu_Gnows)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/38 "2002-04-14T18:04:12Z")
OK…recap: 1. It is not a material object. 2. It is not an emotion. 3. After some consideration, it is established that it has nothing to do with Coldfire and inflatable sheep. 4. It can’t be sensed by the 5 senses. 5. The average person encounters it daily. 6. It is something that a person can be said ‘to have’. 7. It is not a soul. 8. It has nothing to do with sex. 9. Everyone has it. 10. It is not a character trait. 11. It’s a bodily function. 12. It isn’t snot. :rolleyes: 13. Or breathing 14. It requires no physical exertion. 15. It doesn’t smell. 16. It isn’t ‘thought’. 17. Or growth. 18. It isn’t one of the 5 senses. I hate to burn another question, but I think I may have gone off on a tangent with the ‘bodily function’ thing. Perhaps something a bit more abstract… 19)Is it life? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/39 "2002-04-14T18:33:02Z")
The ‘bodily function’ thing might be misleading. Remember that the answer isn’t necessarily **yes** , but sort of a thoughtful **hmm…**. My point is… while it’s not something that is probably typically thought of as one of the ‘bodily functions,’ after the game when you find out what the ‘it’ is, you’ll think about it and say hmm… I see what you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324/40 "2002-04-14T18:58:12Z")
**Hu Gnows** asked: 19) _Is it life?_ **Hugs now** , no. As I think about #11 more and more (Bodily function), I tend to agree with what **White Lightning** is saying more and more. I apologize for being misleading. Hint time… **Hint 1** : The ‘it’ is one syllable, and one word. **Hint 2** : It can exist without humans, but not without life itself. I can tell you this because I use to have a dog. **Hint 3** : While this may not be very helpful and I sort of said it before, everybody has heard of “them”, including little kids as young as 3 or 4. Possibly younger. **Hint 4** : I can recall many threads about my ‘it’ on the SDMB, and it’s not sex. Make Question 20 count. It’s your last one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-7-0/103324.md?page=3)