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Fairy vs. Walrus
| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Fairy vs. Walrus aka "Fairy vs Walrus", "Walrus or Fairy", etc. |
| Abbreviation(s): | |
| Creator: | baddywronglegs |
| Date(s): | February 19th - March 2024 (lower level of activity throughout 2024) |
| Medium: | Memes |
| Country of Origin: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Fairy vs. Walrus is an overnight fandom originating on Tumblr in February 2024. baddywronglegs posted a poll about whether you'd be more surprised to see a fairy or a walrus knocking at your door. This sparked a massive amount of debate, as well as memes, fanart, and fanfic.
Origin and Spread
This article or section needs expansion. |
Oh KnowYourMeme says it was started by baddywronglegs: " is a viral debate started by Tumblr user baddywronglegs that asks whether you would be more surprised to find a walrus or a fairy at your doorstep." https://dagny-hashtaggart.tumblr.com/post/743275245110198272 -- this is probably the original post (https://www.tumblr.com/baddywronglegs/743104717931053056 alt link)
_I%27ve_asked_this_question_before_and_been_surprised_by_the_results_now_I_have_access_to_more_weirdos_it%27s_your_problem_It_is..._%E2%80%93_@baddywronglegs_on_Tumblr.png)
Fandom
This article or section needs expansion. |
A lot of people on Tumblr focused in particular on an early argument advanced: "a fairy on my doorstep would only require me to change one thing about my beliefs"[1]
Debate
MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF DEBATE. A selection from r/CuratedTumblr:Reports/summary of the spread from Reddit:
- https://www.reddit.com/r/CuratedTumblr/comments/1b1fy16/the_great_walrus_vs_fairy_debate_part_1_of_2/ (posted 27 February 2024)
- https://www.reddit.com/r/CuratedTumblr/comments/1b1fy2v/the_great_walrus_vs_fairy_debate_part_2_of_2/ (posted 27 February 2024)
- https://www.reddit.com/r/CuratedTumblr/comments/1b1hyj8/the_great_walrus_vs_fairy_debate_the_discussion/ (posted 27 February 2024)
- https://www.reddit.com/r/CuratedTumblr/comments/1bbugno/walrus_v_fairy_meta/ (posted 10 March 2024)
But there were many other threads on tumblr as well. E.g.:
- https://www.tumblr.com/tyrantisterror/743348416595247104/ultimately-a-fairy-or-a-walrus-knocking-on-your A fairy or a walrus knocking on your door are both events that require you to accept your understanding of reality is wrong.] by tyrantisterror (posted 25 February 2024)
- Look. I live in a 3rd floor apartment with no elevator. post by theboombutton (27 February 2024)
- analysis by limestonegod (posted 27 February 2024)
- The Walrus v Fairy question really is a perfect example of the Internet Argument. by ducktapeal
- post with reply by prokopetz
- My least fun opinion is that the fairy would obviously be more surprising than the walrus, original post by max1461 (posted 12 March 2024), followups misomythus, globalincident, max1461, and dagny-hashtaggart
- https://www.tumblr.com/dagny-hashtaggart/745660921447415808/yeah-upon-consideration-thats-the-best-answer another followup by dagny-hashtaggart
- truly baffled by the whole ‘i would have to change only one assumption about the world (fairies don’t exist)’ argument by sigmaleph, followup by tropylium
Other venues:
- Fairy vs walrus post by zompist (!!!!) (21 September 2024)
- The Great Walrus vs Fairy Debate on Geekxgirls Facebook page (January 2025)
Recursive Polls
there were a ton
- I needed some clarification. would you be more surprised if you hear a knock at your door and open it to see a fairy or a walrus? And Do You Think A Fairy Is Something That Could Exist posted by curiositypolling
- Followup comments:
[badwronglegs]
Am I losing my mind?
[curiositypolling]
idk have you been seeing any fairies or walruses? that could be a clue
- I thought of a better clarification for the walrus-vs-fairy question. by pomromania
- in front of you are three closed doors. behind one of the doors is a fairy, and behind the other two are walruses by asimovsideburns (posted 27 February) -- a take on the Monty Hall Problem incorporating the fairy and walrus
- honestly forget about the fairy. I think we need to explore tumblr’s opinions about walruses specifically in more detail by tropylium, posted 28 February 2024
- Important question by walmart-the-official (posted 6 March 2024). references walrus-vs-fairy as well as Vanilla extract and Ides of March (a perennial Tumblr meme).
- POLL RACE by sufficientlylargen, Posted 20 July 2024. References other Tumblr Poll memes such as Vanilla Extract, "I'm Bald", and Tumblr Bug Race 2023.
Fanworks
- Fairy reaction v Walrus reaction fanarty by cycas (posted 25 February 2024)
- Something something, tumblr's only joke, by herbgerblin, post 29 February 2024. Fanart of the fairy and the walrus, in a scenario where they both go knocking on doors. alt link
- It is the middle of a Sunday afternoon. fanart by the-dragon-girl (posted 12 March 2024) of a fairy-walrus (combined) knocking at your door.
- with apologies to lewis carroll by theworldisaplace, 29 February 2024 -- poem based on ???? by lewis carroll. (alt link)
- While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a slapping, poem by yaldabaothadeez and wintersoldierfell, posted 27 February 2024. A pastiche of The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe
- Is Tom more likely to wake up in Walrus Heaven or Fairy Heaven? response to an unrelated thought experiment
- Spanish inquisition meme by ailithnight
- Does this count as finding a walrus at your door? meme by dontcallmebymyusername (posted 1 April 2024)
- This Sunday afternoon I was running for a tram and there was a knock at the door by badwronglegs -- story and photograph (posted 10 March 2024)
- Basically, our reaction to a walrus knocking: by misscrazyfangirl321 (posted 27 February 2024), summarizing the initial debate with John Mulaney reaction gifs.
- is this anything by icarus-suraki (posted 27 February 2024) -- edit of a photo of a walrus with "I am the one who knocks" which is probably a fandom references (probably Breaking Bad??)
On AO3
- Walrus versus fairy by missmariie. The characters of Miss Phrynie's Murder Mysteries debate the question of the poll.
- When Life Knocks by Nehemia13. Fandom is "Faily/Walrus Poll" (which has been synned to original works)
- The Fig Thief by QuothTheMaiden, a Good Omens fic inspired by the poll.
Links
See also
- Tumblr Bug Race 2023, another overnight fandom inspired by a Tumblr poll.
References
- ^ as stated by dagny-hashtaggart on 29 February 2024. Probably not an exact quote but instead referencing the argument advanced by tyrantistterror on 25 February 2024.