The joke was funnier in its original form: Which is heavier? A pound of feathers or a pound of lead? People who weren’t really thinking (or were very young) would choose lead, when the right answer was neither. A pound of anything is still a pound. The size would differ, based on the items compared, there’d be a lot more feathers to make up a pound than there would be of lead. That’s what would make it funny.
Generational memory seems to have failed here. Originally, the question was—which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of gold? The answer—a pound of feathers. The explanation—feather weight is measured using avoirdupois ounces(16 oz/lb ); gold weight is measured using troy ounces(which are heavier than avoir.) but there are only 12 oz. in a pound of troy weight. 453.6 grams of feathers vs. 373.25 grams of gold.
oldpine52 over 3 years ago
Yes, you need to wait for the media and hollywood to tell you the only acceptable answer.
The Reader Premium Member over 3 years ago
It’s some kind of trick question, better choose ‘All the above.’
Brass Orchid Premium Member over 3 years ago
Are the feathers taken from a witch, or from a duck?
Wendy Emlinger Premium Member over 3 years ago
The joke was funnier in its original form: Which is heavier? A pound of feathers or a pound of lead? People who weren’t really thinking (or were very young) would choose lead, when the right answer was neither. A pound of anything is still a pound. The size would differ, based on the items compared, there’d be a lot more feathers to make up a pound than there would be of lead. That’s what would make it funny.
papajim545 over 3 years ago
My dad would tell me a pound of feathers, because they were on an Indian haha
Duane Ott over 3 years ago
Generational memory seems to have failed here. Originally, the question was—which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of gold? The answer—a pound of feathers. The explanation—feather weight is measured using avoirdupois ounces(16 oz/lb ); gold weight is measured using troy ounces(which are heavier than avoir.) but there are only 12 oz. in a pound of troy weight. 453.6 grams of feathers vs. 373.25 grams of gold.