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About this quote

What does it mean?
The author answers a historical question about colonial life with a circular joke using the period name.
In plain terms
Colonial life was colonial.
What can you take from it?
Avoiding answers with circular logic creates humor.

Where it applies

  • teaching history
  • casual chat
  • writing jokes

Putting it to work

  • play with words
  • deflect questions
  • create puns

Questions to consider

  • How do you answer the unanswerable?
  • When is humor inappropriate?

Another view

This style fails when actual information is needed.

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