# The Sound of One Hand Clapping

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/382295>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [November 30, 2006, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/382295 "2006-11-30T05:55:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Flowergirrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/2bfe46/32.png) [@Flowergirrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flowergirrl)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/382295/1 "2006-11-30T05:55:07Z")

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I can clap my own hand easily. I just smack my palm with my fingertips. I saw this done on The Simpsons too. I can’t believe someone else hasn’t made this comment.

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**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/382295/2 "2006-11-30T06:55:03Z")

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Yeah, but are you really good at miniature golf?

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**Author:** ![bluezooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@bluezooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluezooky)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/382295/3 "2006-11-30T06:59:58Z")

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Maybe you can clap onehanded but that wasn’t the question? this is a good zen koan because there is only one correct answer, you either get it or don’t.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/382295/4 "2006-11-30T07:57:24Z")

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Welcome to the SDMB, Flowergirrl.

A link to the column is appreciated. Providing one can be as simple as pasting the URL into your post, making sure to leave a blank space on either side of it. Like so: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_049](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_049)

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**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping/382295/5 "2006-12-05T18:07:17Z")

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Comedian: Would you like to hear the sound of one hand clapping?  
Straight Man: Sure.  
Comedian: {slaps Straight Man’s face}

Does this mean that the Three Stooges are Zen masters?