#1170: Bridge explain

[A youthful Cueball talking to an unseen parent.]

Parent: No, you can’t go.

Cueball: But all my friends—

Parent: If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?

Cueball: Oh, jeez. Probably.

Parent: What!? Why!?

Cueball: Because all my friends did.

Cueball: Think about it — which scenario is more likely:

Cueball: Every single person I know, many of them levelheaded and afraid of heights, abruptly went crazy at exactly the same time…

Cueball: …or the bridge is on fire?

Parent: …I, uh…hmm.

Cueball: Imagine reading this on CNN: “Many fled their vehicles and jumped from the bridge. Those who stayed behind…”

Cueball: Is something good about to happen to those people?

Parent: Maybe they’ll find cookies?

Cueball: OK, you stay. I’m jumping.