Symbionese Whispers

Symbionese Whispers is a game played by university students at exam time. It's a little like Chinese whispers, only it involves a more academic language.

Here's how to play.

1. Lift an innocuous passage from the book of an academic without providing credit:

Sophocles' 'Oedipus Rex' is a play full of incest, amputation of limbs, and violence. It questions the morality of the community at large, and society in general.

2. Pass this passage on to other friends who are studying the same subject. After it has been emailed and re-typed a couple of times, it should look something like this:

Sophocles' 'Oedipus Reeks' is a play full of insects, imputation of limbs, and vile ents. It questions both the community at large, society in general, and morales.

3. Repeat step 2) a couple of times. The results will be interesting:

Oedipus's 'Sophocles Wrecks' is a play with insects and computation of memes, not to mention viol ends. It questions the morale of community in society, and generals at large.

4. Over time, the original passage will evolve into something entirely new, and hopefully more original:

Oedipus Sophocles Wrecks is a general at large. It questions insect society, not to mention the miming of vile ends, and Evo Morales.

5. Hand in this passage to your examiner, and wait for him to grade you.

It's easy, and much more fun than doing any of that pesky research stuff!