The World's Dullest Person

(person) by ModernAngel (2.7 wk) (print) ? (I like it!) 1 C! Sun Jan 16 2000 at 6:30:43

If you assign each person in the world to one of two lists ("Dull People" and "Interesting People"), and rank them by dullness or interestingness, you have to come up with the World's Dullest Person. This makes them interesting, though, so someone else gets moved into the World's Dullest Person slot...
This is a variation by Martin Gardner on Edwin Bechenbach's "proof" that every positive integer is "interesting".

A Blather of Paradoxes

(idea) by Twiin (4.4 d) (print) ? (I like it!) 1 C! Wed Oct 04 2000 at 5:31:18

Eventually, however, you will have rotated through the entire list, at which point being The World's Dullest Person will no longer be interesting, because it's happened to every dull person.

At such a time, someone will be able to safely maintain the chair.

(idea) by Azure Monk (4.4 y) (print) ? (I like it!) Mon Dec 18 2000 at 4:38:44

In fact, you will rotate through the whole list INSTANTLY. As soon as they become the world's dullest person, the person who was next-dullest is now, instantaneously, the world's dullest person.

This even accounts for the birth of new, increasingly dull people. Whoever is the world's most dull person will constantly hold the title, except for an instant during which someone else who had never held the title holds it and then becomes less dull than the world's dullest person.

(idea) by Trelane (10.3 mon) (print) ? (I like it!) 1 C! Mon Dec 18 2000 at 6:27:59

Actually, it's a similar principle to that of the time travel causation paradox. In it, a time traveller goes back in time to cause or prevent something. If this succeeds, there is no longer any reason for the traveller to go back in time; it has already been accomplished. Thus, the traveller doesn't go back in time, causing the event to switch back to its original state, causing the traveller to go back, causing the event to switch again, ad infinitum.
Similarly, the least interesting person in the world would suddenly become the most interesting, causing (him|her) to no longer be the least interesting, and the second-to-least interesting person becomes the least interesting person.
Now, however, the person is no longer the least interesting so, the lack of interest being the interesting part, (he|she) becomes the least interesting again.
According to my current thinking, the solution to both paradoxes is the same: the world will oscillate between the two states infinitely fast, thus causing, in effect, the two states to become superimposed, distinct states. Hrm. Now that I mention it, quantum mechanics, anyone? :)

Erm, the sign ahead says, "Zebra crossing." Should I be concerned?

(idea) by The Cow (4.1 y) (print) ? (I like it!) Mon Jan 08 2001 at 16:44:59

Actually, this is incorrect.

The fact that X is the world's dullest person is interesting.

He's still the world's dullest person however: he has become no more interesting to talk to.

You're confusing whether he is boring, with whether the fact that he is boring is interesting.

X is not Steve Davis

printable version
chaos

A Blather of Paradoxes	Steve Davis	FreeCell and Microsoft Sense of Humor	The most dead-eyed Everythingian
Those stupid ad execs who make every price end in 99	zebra crossing	May you live in interesting times	interesting number
How to say "I can eat glass, it does not hurt me"	The obligatory CowboyNeal option on every Slashdot poll	Do I have to watch my step at every turn?	Associate's Degree
The square root of any positive integer is either integral or irrational	An incredibly positive experience	And every kid is superdeformed and vibrant!	Steve McQueen
Blue People	Why strapping buttered toast to a cat's back will not produce infinite power	Every tool is a weapon if you hold it right	potentially interesting people
Quantum mechanics	After eating whalemeat	Useful Latin phrases	Martin Gardner

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