Conservapedia:Andy's Law
From RationalWiki
Andy's Law states:
| “ | Parodists can safely repeat anything Andy says. | ” |
Or more informally:
| “ | It ain't parody if Andy said it. | ” |
This is a corollary to Poe's Law, which states that parody of nutty fundamentalism can't be distinguished from the real thing.
Andy's Law mirrors Poe's, by observing that Conservapedia has no reliable way of distinguishing Andy's genuine nuttiness from parody.
In other words, parody-with-impunity on Conservapedia is limited only by how crazy Andy chooses to be.
[edit] Examples of Andy's Law in action
The following syllogism:
- Islam frowns on dancing
- Obama is seen dancing far less frequently than one would expect
- Therefore Obama is a Muslim
would normally earn the poster a block for obvious parody... until Andy said itimg.
Similarly, statements that "the Bible is the world's most logical book" and "nobody denies the entire world has been flooded" would usually be seen as liberal parody of inerrantist positions. But since Andy has himself staked out these positions with his statements, parodists on Conservapedia can parrot them with relative safety.
[edit] What Andy's Law is not
Andy's Law does not assure the safety of a parodist who repeats Andy's ideas flippantlyimg or with obvious sarcasm. In fact, such parodists are quickly blockedimg.
However, over the course of time, the circle of parodists which surrounds Andy transforms his ideas into the mainstream of thought on Conservapedia.
This can happen quickly when Andy has a bright new idea, such as the notion that liberal translators have gradually removed genuine meaning from English Bibles, or that comedy did not exist before Christ. After a short and fractious debate, a host of good-faith editors are removed for arguing with Andy, and the circle of bad-faith parodists remains, repeating the idea whenever they think it will be especially funny to outside observers.
| Articles in RationalWiki related to Internet Laws | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cohen's Law - Conservapedia's Law - Danth's Law - DeMyer's Laws - Godwin's Law - Grey's Law - Jinx's Law - Law of exclamation - Poe's Law - Pommer's Law - Schlafly's Law - Scopie's Law - Skarka's Law - Skitt’s Law - Timecube Law - Zeigler's Law | ||
