Hangman (Or, A Question of Context and Perception)
Have a look at the photo below. What does it say?
When I first saw it, I thought it said “Bugger.” I mean, the guy is clearly in a pickle – he’s got a noose around his neck and one more chance to solve the puzzle!
There are so many possibilities. Let’s list a few, shall we?
-Bigger
-Hugger
-Logger
-Digger
-Rigger
It’s like a fun game of TextTwist. Try to figure out how many words you can make of this before you look at the picture below.
Now what does the picture above say? Did you even think of that before seeing this?
I sure didn’t. Hadn’t even crossed my mind. This goes to show that without context, words are subject to our own perception. I thought the hangman was in dire straits, therefore as an expression of this unfortunate situation, he was thinking, “Bugger.” Someone else might think of another word to fill in the blanks based on how they perceived the situation.
Though mind you, eventually the “N word” would have come across our minds, but would have been dismissed because who would make that implication in a public museum? But with the second picture, context plays a crucial role, and we become sure of the answer.
If you’re near the MoMA, have a look at this exhibit on the third floor near the elevator.
