One video explains American politics, the Internet, and DU.

[Xithras]

I've been a CGP Grey fan for a while, but this is one of his masterpieces. This one insightful video explains the mechanics behind nearly every online political argument since the beginning of the Internet. As we enter into another election cycle, which will undoubtedly be accompanied by another cycle of flamewars and hurt feelings, let's take a moment to reflect on our need to inoculate ourselves against the angry thought-germs that will try to overwhelm us.

It's your brain. Be hygienic with it.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Kind of a must see...

[Xithras]

3. Think about how much better the Internet would be....

...if everyone were required to watch that video before registering on any discussion sites.

[NightWatcher]

2. That's the most accurate thing I've seen online in a while

It is why it's so important to unplug every so often. It's also why the "know your enemy " meme for reading freeperville or watching fox is BS. Don't give those germs free rent in your head.

[Blue_Adept]

4. I can't take anyone serious that uses a hard G in gif

Couldn't get past that... Back to my cat videos.

[Xithras]

5. What? You use a soft j? It's a picture, not peanut butter! War!

Rabble! Rabble! Rabble!


But really, gif is an acronym for Graphics Interchange Format. 'Graphics' starts with a hard G. It's not Jraphics. Steve Wilhite is a moron.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

7. A buddy of mine always pronounces it was the

soft J sound. I told him the same thing: Graphics Interchange Format. I've used computers for so long that I actually remember what these abbreviations stand for.

[Xithras]

8. I had a freaking 20 year old intern jump on me once for using the hard G

I looked at him and asked "Do you know what the G-I-F in gif stands for?" When he shook his head that he didn't, I told him about the Graphic Interchange Format thing. The annoying little toad DID NOT BELIEVE ME. He looked at me and said, "It's like EXE and DOC...it identifies the file type but doesn't really stand for anything."

When I stopped laughing several minutes later, I explained to him what EXE and DOC stand for as well.

The scary thing was that the kid was a skilled computer programmer one year away from graduating with a BS. How in the WORLD does someone get that far without knowing what basic file extensions stand for?!?!

[Binkie The Clown]

6. Even before the Internet

The Dreyfus Affair divided France (and parts of the outside world) into two warring factions in the 1890's. So these thought germs have been around for a long time.