Ahmed H. '12 | September 13, 2008
"The Peanut Butter Delusion"
Alright, it's been a good five days since our blogs have come online, and I still haven't found a novel way to detail my first three and half weeks here at MIT. So I'll dive right into two arguments I've stumbled upon while on campus.
I spent a good chunk of time during rush with the brothers of Alpha Delta Phi. One of the rush activities was a pizza dinner at Uno's near Harvard. Here, I got into a heated debate with Arun '10 about the superiority or inferiority of crunchy peanut butter compared to creamy. Initial arguments centered around texture or lack thereof (looking at you, creamy). But Arun quickly turned the conversation towards much less tangible subjects, namely the homogeneity and isotropy of the universe. Being Course 8, he had an advantage over a mere frosh, but I had the powers of Course 16 in the form of Raul '10 to back me up. Arun claimed that creamy style peanut butter much better fits with the universe around us. I disagreed, pointing out that the bits of whole peanuts represent galaxies floating in that universe, and also that this had nothing to do with peanut butter. Thirty minutes later we were still arguing. A thought experiment involving a bathtub full of the stuff brought the discussion to a close, and at the end of the day, we accomplished nothing. No argument, no matter how ridiculous, will change someone's preference. Which brings us to a debate I witnessed this Friday.
During my one hour break between 5.111 and 8.01, I headed to the Student Center for some food. In front of the bike racks there were signs advertising a question and answer session later that night with Cliff Knechtle, a Christian author. The writer was actually there by the signs in the afternoon, and was in an intense argument with a heavily accented Australian man. The Aussie would always disclaim his sentences by saying “Now, I'm a raving atheist, but...,” to which Mr Knechtle would always reply, “Now, what if I slapped this man? This man right here. What if I slapped him?” The only thing the Australian man ever actually said was “I don't need to believe in God to believe in absolute morals,” which he repeated about every three minutes. Mr Knechtle always—seriously, always—responded with “Now, listen. What if I slapped this man?” Except he said it as if he had just received this intense deep revelation; as if every time he said it, he had stumbled upon a brilliant observation. It was all a bit absurd, really. On my way to lunch, and two strangers, an evangelical Christan and an atheist Australian are almost coming to blows over moral relativism.
Eventually I got hungry and annoyed by these people who couldn't argue so I bought a burrito, ate it, checked my email, and then went outside again. Same people. Same arguments.
As the conversation continued, Chi Alpha, the Christian group that brought Mr Knechtle here, was handing out business cards about his upcoming session that evening. There was a big picture of a pizza on it, so I attended. In a room in the student center, the organization had put about thirty chairs in a circle so that anyone could stop by and ask the author a question. I'd say that 28 of the people there were Christians, and that me and another freshman were the only skeptics in the audience. I asked some hard-hitting questions, and I was extremely pleasantly surprised when the leaders of Chi Alpha genuinely thanked me for coming and putting the questions on the table. It was a great experience, and in that room I saw the vast differences in personal Christian philosophies.
At the end of the program, there was a drawing for three gift cards. The other skeptic and I got the two of highest value (I walked away with the equivalent of 16.8539326 free donuts), which may be a hint...
So, the (relative or absolute?) moral of this roundabout story: Be prepared for a debate at MIT. Anytime, anywhere, any asinine argument.
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Tou Xiang!
Posted by: Shreya Vora on September 13, 2008 05:59 AM
cool. some personalities just like debates!
Posted by: mengshuen on September 13, 2008 06:01 AM
That's the whole point of attending MIT. Lots of interesting people, lots of interesting conversations and a brilliant faculty and campus. Congratulations on getting in and being selected as an MIT blogger. Will definitely look forward to your blog posts.
Posted by: Shreya Vora on September 13, 2008 06:03 AM
JAJA, UPYACHKA! UG NE PROIDET, BLYA!
Posted by: JAJA on September 13, 2008 07:04 AM
"The Peanut Butter Delusion" seems straight out of "The Big Bang Theory", which is kinda cool. This is one of the reasons MIT is such a great place; all kinds of people, all kinds of ideas, and most importantly, knowledge!
Posted by: Ahana on September 13, 2008 10:42 AM
Yay, I like debates... now I have another reason to go to MIT :p lol
Posted by: Alex on September 13, 2008 11:44 AM
@Ahana
Points for the Big Bang Theory reference, it is the greatest thing in the world.
Speaking of the greatest thing in the world, it's all about the chunky peanut butter, and for one inarguable proof:
the second law of thermodynamics.
Indeed starting with chunky peanut butter, it would be simple to continue to grind it and wind up with creamy, but once we have creamy there is no way to "ungrind it" back into chunky. To maintain maximum levels of entropic possibilities, one must use chunky. Plus it tastes better, so there!
Posted by: Chris '12 on September 13, 2008 12:28 PM
@Chris
I'm not a peanut butter expert(I've only had it once, so correct me if I'm wrong), but if you want it chunky again, you can put in ground peanut...but then of course, one has to use more energy in the first place to grind it. I'd say either ways, its peanut butter :)
Posted by: Ahana on September 13, 2008 12:50 PM
Whoops-looks like the allure of peanut butter messed with my head; I meant, just put in the goddamn peanuts :P
Posted by: Ahana on September 13, 2008 01:13 PM
1) Awesome and completely entertaining post.
2) Crunchy peanut butter beasts creamy peanut butter any day.
Posted by: Jeremy on September 13, 2008 01:23 PM
Thanks for the good wishes, guys. As for the title, I actually meant it as a Richard Dawkins (author of The God Delusion) reference, considering the argument that followed the peanut butter debate.
Posted by: Ahmed on September 13, 2008 03:02 PM
I'd comment more on how peanut butter is good but I can't because I don't like peanut butter. Not crunchy, not creamy, not even nuts. :p
Posted by: Alex on September 13, 2008 03:05 PM
Hey babe. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself up at MIT. Keep this link in your profile. I'm going to enjoy reading your blogs.
Posted by: Jimmy on September 13, 2008 06:15 PM
Re: your last sentence.
I actually think this is true. My explanation for this is that I think people are so used to being "know-it-alls" in their high school before coming here, and now that they come here - guess what happens when you put a lot of know-it-alls in the same place!
Same goes that other university down Mass Ave.
Posted by: Oasis '11 on September 13, 2008 10:13 PM
Uhm, more like your second-to-last sentence, lol. =p
Posted by: Oasis '11 on September 13, 2008 10:14 PM
The night before I left campus, I had an argument with a Course 18 major about whether or not numbers exist ^.^
Posted by: Piper on September 14, 2008 01:27 AM
@ chris...
...wait, doesn't that mean that the creamy peanut butter has a higher entropic state? since by grinding up the peanut you are increasing the entropy?
Posted by: Anonymous on September 14, 2008 04:11 AM
Here, allow me to complicate things further:
Crunchy peanut butter is actually just creamy peanut butter with chunks mixed back in (it's more cost effective and consistent to have everything start out as creamy and modify it later for crunchy and extra crunchy styles).
Posted by: Ahmed on September 14, 2008 05:31 AM
Exactly what I meant back there about adding the peanuts..lol
Posted by: Ahana on September 14, 2008 06:43 AM
However, in order to make creamy you have to pass by the crunchy state, so more energy is expended in making it creamy, and further energy is expended to make it chunky again by adding peanuts back.
@Piper:
And what was the conclusion of that one?
Posted by: Alex on September 14, 2008 12:06 PM
@Alex: What was the conclusion of that WHAT?
Posted by: Anonymous on September 14, 2008 12:54 PM
Reading your entry makes me feel sick!!
Posted by: Barack Obama on September 14, 2008 12:57 PM
The argument over the existence of numbers.
Posted by: Alex on September 14, 2008 01:01 PM
Great post Ahmed!
Posted by: Tracy on September 14, 2008 02:22 PM
It was a joke. If numbers don't exist, and you said "What was the conclusion of that ONE", and one doesn't exist... well, never mind. It's not funny if you explain it.
Posted by: Anonymous on September 14, 2008 04:33 PM
how the hell can you even begin to argue that numbers don't exist??
seriously. I want to know.
Posted by: deng on September 14, 2008 09:05 PM
Hey Want to have my peanuts?? They chunky, sweet and tasty. A good flavor in your mouth. LOL. You all know it all people. Whats the answer to fit in your academic campus?? How do i become an MIT student???
Posted by: Ramon on September 15, 2008 04:34 PM
You write well. Snively style. =P
I'm looking forward to reading more of your posts. =)
Posted by: Aditya on September 16, 2008 11:31 AM
well... your posts are making me more eager to get there(MIT).
@Chris:
You seems to have quite a lot of faith in "the Big Bang Theory".
Posted by: sidd'13 on September 16, 2008 12:36 PM
*seem
Posted by: sidd'13 on September 16, 2008 12:37 PM
@sidd(not '13 yet)
BBT is also a TV show.
Posted by: Ahana on September 16, 2008 01:37 PM
i know i m not there... but i am really dying to be there...so can't keep my fascination for MIT away always....
well...u mean the comedy created and produced by chuck lorre and bill prady......
Posted by: sidd'13? on September 17, 2008 12:11 AM
and...i was just trying to start a new debate.[:)]
Posted by: sidd'13? on September 17, 2008 12:14 AM
May I peacefully point out that I hate peanut butter, and I think its ridiculous that people put it in their sandwiches. Peanuts are yummy by themselves (positive), and butter is disgusting (negative), and since we all know that positive and negative makes a negative, Peanut Butter is therefore a BIG NEGATIVE!!!
No offence to those who like it.
Posted by: Banerjee on September 17, 2008 04:21 AM
@internet
Why yes, I do have a lot of faith in the Big Bang Theory, it brightens my days.
To make clear my argument, I justified it based on maximum entropic POSSIBILITIES, not maximum entropy. Chunky holds more possibilities since it hasn't been ground into creamy yet, but it still could. Thus in some capacity it retains both the characteristics of creamy and all the characteristics of chunky within some sort of peanut buttery, schrodinger foam-like state.
Posted by: Chris '12 on September 17, 2008 04:38 PM
Anna's Mexican food restaurant (kitchen?) has the best burritos (chili verde) I've ever tasted. My digestive tract disagrees when I drink a soda with it. That counts as a debate.
The best peanut butter is a matter of preference. You need facts to back something up ie.. there are nine million bicycles in Beijing.
Posted by: obesechicken13 on September 17, 2008 10:58 PM
@chris:
well.... u tried to xplain things quite sufficiently(quite good), though i knew those(POSSIBILITIES) already....
Posted by: sidd'13? on September 18, 2008 12:15 PM
You are the right man for the job, Ahmed. I still remember your legendary website. Is college hard?
Posted by: Arthur on September 19, 2008 09:01 PM
Hey Arthur, thanks for the complements. College is not as hard as I was expecting it to be, but I'm only two weeks deep into this deal.
Posted by: Ahmed on September 19, 2008 10:51 PM
So I just had to comment on the awesomeness of creamy peanut butter. And extend my deep sympathy to those of crunchy preference. I know it might be a little ROUGH for you having to go about your peanut butter sandwich experience with so much effort and it might be a bit of an inconvenience being DEAF for that period of time... But we creamy lovers have a contrarily SMOOTH eatting, and easier spreading plus with the added bonus of not having to CrUnCh every time we take a bite...
Besides Reeses aren't crunchy
GAME; SET; MATCH!
Posted by: Everson on September 21, 2008 09:01 PM
So true. I've had some of the most absurd arguments in my life here. When scientific laws come in to discussions about laundry, you know you're at MIT.
By the way. I know who humble pie is. And I hope to become an EMT during IAP.
Posted by: Anonymous on September 22, 2008 10:41 PM
So true. I've had some of the most absurd arguments in my life here. When scientific laws come in to discussions about laundry, you know you're at MIT.
By the way. I know who humble pie is. And I hope to become an EMT during IAP.
Did you rush α∆ϕ?
Posted by: April '12 on September 22, 2008 10:48 PM
Hurray for Humble Pie! Most underrated band in all of blues music, in my opinion. I too will hopefully become EMT certified over IAP. And yes I rushed ADP, received a bid, but respectfully declined to pledge.
Posted by: Ahmed on September 22, 2008 11:33 PM
Ahmed you're an excellent blogger! You should post more often.
Posted by: Fatimah on September 24, 2008 09:18 PM
Posted by: Yisel on September 24, 2008 10:37 PM
Great Blog =)
Posted by: Yisel Uranga on September 24, 2008 10:39 PM
