# The single absolute stupidest argument you've ever seen online **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729 "2008-10-06T19:42:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/21 "2008-10-06T23:07:29Z")
Anything Grakthis has ever said. I see there there’s a couple of regular readers of Magic The Gathering boards in this thread, so they probably know who he is. My hope is that he’ll stumble on this while vanity searching himself. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/22 "2008-10-06T23:12:17Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Go to google groups & search for "Zoe divide zero " and you’ll see what I mean. I made the mistake of doing this. I think I need to go lie down or claw my brain out through my nose or something. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/23 "2008-10-06T23:13:07Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Oh, I have no doubt. I was just pointing out that in and of itself, making the statement that division by zero isn’t necessarily stupid. It’s still clearly possible to go about defending that statement stupidly. > > Sorry about the math flashbacks. If you’re ever in town, dinner’s on me. Never let it be said I inflict math on people without consequence. I jest about the flashbacks. I like math. I mean, yes, I’d probably kick Isaac Newton in teh balls if I were transported back in time and met him, but said felonious assault would be DESPITE the calculus, not because of it. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/24 "2008-10-06T23:27:33Z")
I have a different name there, and you don’t need to be a good writer on YouTube to make your point. I’ve had some of the dumbest arguments in my life there. Topping any bar-room debate I’ve ever had. And if this example doesn’t define stupid, we need new defininition of the word. “The Mamas and the Papas V. The Fifth Dimension.” Of course, The Mamas and the Papas. No contest, really. My opinion is not stupid. Just the argument. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/25 "2008-10-06T23:31:32Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I made the mistake of doing this. I think I need to go lie down or claw my brain out through my nose or something. I’m so sorry. I originally appended a warning that the thread in question would be, ah, special, but decided that could be seen as my trying to dodge the issue. If you’re not a geology geek it’s horrible, and if you ARE a geology geek it’s worse because of TOZ’s lame-brainity. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/26 "2008-10-06T23:35:17Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > If you’re not a geology geek it’s horrible, and if you ARE a geology geek it’s worse because of TOZ’s lame-brainity. I like geology; it’s interesting and fun. Math stupidity, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/27 "2008-10-06T23:43:45Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I like geology; it’s interesting and fun. Math stupidity, not so much. There is a LOT of stupidity in talk.origins. Not that it’s a stupid group, but because it attracts even more nuts the Dope. Imagine if every tenth poster here was **badchad**. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/28 "2008-10-07T01:09:54Z")
Whether it’s tacky to order milk in a “fancy” restaurant. I can’t be bothered to find the link. ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/29 "2008-10-07T02:01:31Z")
I’m rather fond of the guy who tried to argue against evolution by positing that it would require a large source of apparently unknown energy: > [@](#): > > One of the most basic laws in the universe is the Second Law of Thermodynamics. This states that as time goes by, entropy in an environment will increase. Evolution argues differently against a law that is accepted EVERYWHERE BY EVERYONE. Evolution says that we started out simple, and over time became more complex. That just isn’t possible: UNLESS there is a giant outside source of energy supplying the Earth with huge amounts of energy. If there were such a source, scientists would certainly know about it. I won’t link where it came from, but google “creationist almost discovers the sun” for more info. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/30 "2008-10-07T02:53:21Z")
> [@Yumbie](#): > > I’m rather fond of the guy who tried to argue against evolution by positing that it would require a large source of apparently unknown energy: Oh come on. That’s too funny to not be someone being sarcastic. ETA: I retract my objection. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/31 "2008-10-07T02:57:00Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Oh come on. That’s too funny to not be someone being sarcastic. Nope. My idiot brother has made the same argument. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/32 "2008-10-07T03:50:43Z")
A guy and I were arguing on another forum about whether 9/11 was an inside job / conspiracy / whatever. He named various cliched things that have been disproven, I pointed out the one-stop Popular Mechanics article that debunks the claims one by one. He then told me that Popular Mechanics is owned by a corporation and corporations are controlling everything, including the 9/11 inside job, so _of course_ they’re going to say it wasn’t a conspiracy. I backed away slowly. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/33 "2008-10-07T04:03:44Z")
Gah, know one had mentioned my contribution until the dude just above me. So, yeah, Loose Change and those types are setting a high bar when it comes to stupid arguments. They think that if they can show that there’s one little iota of something that’s not explained exactly to their liking then that’s evidence for their nutso theory. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/34 "2008-10-07T04:42:54Z")
Just standard arguments for Christianity: The Bible is right because God said it is, and God is never wrong! And people really thought that proved their point. It just hurts my head. ---
**Author:** ![Ellef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8dc957/32.png) [@Ellef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellef)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/35 "2008-10-07T09:22:20Z")
The worst one I’ve ever seen was on a cycling board, where there was a convention that you weren’t supposed to “top-post”, i.e. if you quoted a preceding post you should make sure it appeared below what you yourself posted, not above. Someone posted an obituary of a cyclist who was known to some of the boarders, and one of the people who replied top-posted. A poster who was obsessed by the top-posting rule came galloping out of the woodwork and ranted abusively about it through pages and pages of being told to let it go just this once in view of the subject matter of the thread. All in all, a horrible derail in a thread that should have been a place for many people on the board to remember a lost friend. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/36 "2008-10-07T10:26:38Z")
It’s hard to pick just one. The various arguments for religion come to mind. Another was an argument I and some others had about the character Honor Harrington, with someone who insisted that no woman, fictional or otherwise could win a fight with any man. Despite her being a genetically engineered for strength and speed heavyworlder with a youthful body, decades of martial arts training, and a prosthetic arm with a **gun** built into it. Nope, she’d lose. :rolleyes: I was also going to mention the creationist who almost discovered the Sun, but I see **Yumblie** beat me to it. Or to go back to the classics; there’s the Old South’s attempt to reconcile the Golden Rule ( do unto others as you would have them do unto you ) with slavery, which amounted to “Well, if _I_ were black I’d want to be a slave; the fact that **actual** blacks hate it just shows how ungrateful they are !” Yeah, suuuure. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/37 "2008-10-07T10:49:10Z")
Kirk Cameron’s Banana Theory ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/38 "2008-10-07T11:09:09Z")
Back in the olden days, when I was first exploring some boards, I ran across the following argument: “There must be a soul; otherwise, why would there be a word for it?” Then the next poster agreed with him! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/39 "2008-10-07T13:51:29Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Kirk Cameron’s Banana Theory I would have just gone with _anything_ that comes out of Kirk’s mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729/40 "2008-10-07T14:58:34Z")
Bah, you people are mere dilettantes. You haven’t seen the true depths that the internet can sink to until you see debates about [whether it’s frosting or icing](http://community.livejournal.com/hp_britglish/355512.html), or the [acrylic versus natural yarn](http://community.livejournal.com/knitting/1608942.html?thread=12887534#t12887534) [wars](http://community.livejournal.com/knitting/4055305.html), or whether or not [Mexicans speak Spanish](http://community.livejournal.com/bad_service/1197362.html?thread=27090738#t27090738). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-single-absolute-stupidest-argument-youve-ever-seen-online/466729.md?page=3)