Crazy Video Exposes How Ambiguous Language Can Lead to Crazy Misunderstandings

An amusing video on Imgur titled "Further proof that people don’t always comprehend what they hear" has taken the internet by storm, shedding light on the crazy consequences of ambiguous language. The video features a person making a bold claim: "Just to be clear, I take all the money if I can do between three and four hundred push-ups." This statement quickly becomes a source of comic confusion.

In the video, another person skeptically responds, "Uh, six hundred says no way, Gramps." The challenger then proceeds to do four push-ups while the onlookers react with disbelief and amusement. "Oh, uh, you're not entertained. You said you were going to do between three and four hundred," one observer points out. The challenger, seemingly oblivious, replies, "Right, I wouldn't have bet. Uh, you did four push-ups, bro. Four? Just between three and four hundred, right?"

The video has sparked a flurry of comments from users who are both amused and intrigued by the linguistic trickery. One user humorously admits, "I couldn't even do 4," while another astutely observes, "More like proof that intentional obfuscation makes people easy to con." A third user, referencing a famous actor, quips, "I woulda done a 360 and started Walken right outta there."

The video has also prompted discussions about contractual law and grammatical ambiguity. One user shares an insightful comment: "Fun Fact: IIRC, in contractual law under the common law, if a term in a contract is sufficiently ambiguous but a contract otherwise qualifies as being formed, the interpretation of the party accepting the offer holds (to discourage contract bringers from intentionally making ambiguous terms to exploit). 'Three to Four Hundred' is common parlance for three hundred to four hundred, and is legitimately what they all believed was the terms. If this were to go to court, they could well prevail."

Another user, with a penchant for grammar, asks, "So I'm a bit of a grammar fetishist and... This one actually has me stumped: Without writing 'between 300 and 400', is there a way to grammatically differentiate 'between '3' and '400'' vs 'between '3 and 4' hundred'. Because those two examples I've shown above are wrong... And I don't know how to actually do it correctly in a way that isn't ambiguous."

The video has even led to speculation about its origins, with multiple users asking, "What movie is this from?" and one user humorously asserting, "Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV seems like a clever betting man."

One user shared a personal anecdote, "My dad got tricked by this as a college student. 'For all the pushups you can do, I'll do 5.' He did 100 pushups. His friend did 5." Another user reflects on the lesson learned, "I think those guys are now known as what used to be called as 'Suckers'."

A user sums up the moral of the story perfectly: "Allways clarify. 'Do you mean X'." It's a reminder that clarity in communication is key, especially when it comes to bets and agreements.

This video is not just a source of entertainment but also a lesson in the importance of clear communication. Whether it's a bar bet or a legal contract, always make sure everyone is on the same page to avoid crazy and potentially costly misunderstandings.