this post was submitted on 02 May 2025
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xkcd

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Title text:

Unstoppable force-carrying particles can't interact with immovable matter by definition.

Transcript:

[An arrow pointing to the right and a trapezoid are labeled as 'Unstoppable Force' and 'Immovable Object' respectively.]
[The arrow is shown as entering the trapezoid from the left and the part of it in said trapezoid is coloured gray.]
[The arrow is shown as leaving the trapezoid to the right and is coloured black.]
[Caption below the panel:] I don't see why people find this scenario to be tricky.

Source: https://xkcd.com/3084/

explainxkcd for #3084

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[–] [email protected] 63 points 2 days ago (3 children)

The expression as I heard included "an irresistible force."

[–] [email protected] 1 points 12 hours ago

"And irresistible is what I am, baby!"

[–] [email protected] 83 points 2 days ago (2 children)

That's on the nsfw version of xkcd

[–] [email protected] 45 points 2 days ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

xkcd after dark, or xkcdad. But not pronounced xkd-dad.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Yeah, irresistible force is the version I know. Now I'm wondering if there are even more versions. Are they regional deviations?

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Well I'm from Utica and I've never heard the term "irresistible force"

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Not in Utica, no. It's an Albany expression.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago

Sure could go for some steamed hams right about now..

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 day ago

While not what you're asking for, but fun fact, in Asia, this sort of paradox is represented by the story of the all-piercing spear and the unpierceable shield in Chinese philosophy. So in Chinese and Japanese, the word for 'paradox' or 'contradiction' literally means 'spear-shield' (矛盾).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

They are synonyms for that usage. The immovable object is neither stopping nor resisting the force.