Dusseldorf – The annual meeting of historians was cut short this year, after one of the attendees, Professor Fickschnitzel, invoked Godwins Law when he presented his new thesis on World War II.
“This is an outrage”, professor Niegewust responded. “I came here to have an intelligent discussion with my peers, but instead I am treated with childish comparisons.” Godwin’s Law is a law formulated in 1990 by Mike Godwin, which states:
“As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1 (100%).”
It is a generally accepted fact that once this happens, the discussion is over. “It’s unacceptable,” Niegewust furiously continues. “I once would like to have a serious debate about World War II, without someone bringing the Nazis or Hitler into it. Yet this always happens!”
[caption id="attachment_82" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mike Godwin, the formulator of The Law"]
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Niegewust claims to have a busy schedule, and tried to fit the annual meeting into it. “In hindsight, a waste of time, due to the childish tendencies of people like professor Fickschnitzel.
“I can’t deny that the Nazis played a role in World War II, but so did everybody else. It isn’t called a World War for nothing, after all. However, I feel there is no reason on beating on a dead horse like that, it’s getting really old. We have Godwin’s Law for a reason.”
Professor Fickschnitzel also responded: “Like butchers, beating dead horses comes with the job. When things are getting old, that’s where the historians should come rushing in.”
“Furthermore, if you look at the letter of the law, you can only Godwin online discussions. Although nowadays everyone is online 24/7 and we’re on a slippery slope towards total digitalisation.”
Now the dust has settled, it’s too late for the annual meeting to continue. “It has been Godwinned, it’s over now.” is the general consensus. Niegewust doubts he will visit the annual meeting next year. “Historians aint what they used to be.” he sighted, “You can’t stop this so called progress, I suppose.”
Unfortunately, Mike Godwin, who formulated the law wasn’t available for comments.