Difficult Conversations

<img src="./assets/EstablishingShot_01.jpg"> Imagine you are sitting in the lunchroom in your usual spot. Two of your friends, Zoey and Aiden, sit on either side of you. On the menu today? Hot dogs and turkey sandwiches. <img src="./assets/EstablishingShot_02.jpg"> Zoey pushes a hot dog around on her tray. "Do you ever think about how hot dogs are just sandwiches going through an identity crisis?" Aiden scoffs. You sense a debate coming on. As you work through this hypothetical discussion, choose one of the response options provided to move the conversation forward. The first time you play, try choosing the responses that most closely mimic what you'd say in a real debate. Will you be a charismatic ''Comedian''? An uber-rational ''Professor''? An antagonistic ''Devil's Advocate''? There are eight possible outcomes. Try playing more than once to see how adaptable you can be. [[Sounds good.|Dialogue begins]]

<img src="./assets/DialogueBegins.jpg"> Zoey shrugs. "If I slice a hoagie roll in half and throw in meat, cheese, and a condiment or two, I could be making a hot dog just as much as a sandwich, right?" "You don't eat a sandwich on a bun," Aiden says. "Okay, sandwich police, so you've never run out of hot dog buns and resorted to eating a frank in a slice of white bread?" Aiden looks like he's been physically slapped. "What kind of abomination?" [["I am not caffeinated enough for this."|choosy passage]]

<img src="./assets/Mediate.jpg"> "Absolutely not," Zoey says. "We have language for these things. We're not cavemen." "Right," Aiden says. "If we start letting people call anything a sandwich, everything becomes a sandwich. Up is down, left is right, the universe has lost all meaning, and we lose the will to go on because the cafeteria starts serving ham sandwiches with relish." {[["That's clearly an exaggeration, though."|Call out]] [[You're curious where they're going with this. You just listen.|Just listen]]}

<img src="./assets/Define.jpg"> You open a new tab in your smartphone's browser and type "sandwich define," briefly considering whether the FBI agent combing through your search history later will wonder if you're concussed. You clear your throat and read the definition aloud: "An item of food consisting of two pieces of bread with meat, cheese, or other filling between them, eaten as a light meal." "So... when I take a single slice of bread, add mayo, cheese, and meat, and then turn it sideways... I'm just eating a deli 'dog?" Aiden says. "Because the definition is so broad?" "Not because the definition is so broad, but because the basic elements are the same. You've got your meat, cheese, sauce, something green... you wrap it up in bread or something carb-based," Zoey replies. "But if the bread is what's important, why stop there? Why not consider cheesy spaghetti a deconstructed sandwich?" {[["Definitely. I've always said lasagna is just an Italian Big Mac."|Crack a joke]] [["If you put bread and buns in the same category as noodles, then sure, noodles and hot dog buns can make sandwiches."|Ethos argument]] [["Pasta isn't bread. That's just dumb."|Pasta]]}

<img src="./assets/CrackAJoke_Zoom.jpg"> "Gosh, is cereal just soup?" Zoey wonders. [["Worse than that... it's chili."|Ethos argument]] (if:(passage:)'s tags contains "comedian")[(set: $comedianRole to $comedianRole + 1)]

<img src="./assets/Pasta_Zoom.jpg"> Aiden frowns. "How is that 'dumb'?" [["There's no such thing as a loaf of pasta."]]

<img src="./assets/CallIn.jpg"> Aiden considers this. "Well, if you disregard presentation, by Zoey's definition, if you sprinkle meat and cheese on baked flour tortillas as a base, then by the definition the nachos are also sandwiches." "Do you consider a plate of nachos an open-faced sandwich, Zoey?" She laughs. "No--we have to draw a line somewhere or people will start asking for tuna salad in their salsa." [["So how do you conclude where to draw that line? 'Where it makes the most chaos' doesn't count."|"So how do you conclude where to draw that line?"]]

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/CallOut.png"> "Yeah, that's fallacious thinking." Zoey adjusts her "glasses" again. "Okay, valid. Still, if I say I'm going to grab a sandwich, nobody expects me to come back with a Chicago 'dog." "That would be too good to be true. You could eat nachos and call it an open-faced sandwich." {[[You ask a probing question. "So it's the presentation? How is one different from the other?"|Call in]] [[You buy into the premise for the sake of the argument. "That's a good point, actually. Does any filling on flatbread count as a sandwich? Would you drink queso out of a bread bowl and consider it an open-faced grilled cheese?"|Grilled cheese]]}

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/JustListen.png"> "And yet," Zoey says, "if I put sloppy joe filling in a tortilla, it magically becomes a chili dog by itself?" "Show me literally one time a person has ever walked up to a hot dog stand and ordered a sloppy jo-rrito," Aiden retorts. [[Keep listening]]

<img src="./assets/KeepListening.jpg"> "Well... maybe if they sold them, people would buy them." "Maybe you should open your own, weird hot dog stand if you want to try it so bad. You could sell sandwiches too." "I'd call it 'Not 'Joe Average Sandwich.'" {[[You keep listening. Your stomach growls.|Pre-Avoider]] [["So the difference is in the ingredients? Or the way they're presented?"|Presentation/ Back on track 02]]}

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/PreAvoider.png"> Zoey laughs. "Someone's hungry. Maybe we should just eat." "You know what sounds good?" Aiden says. "Frankie's food truck." "Fully seconded." Zoey stands up and dumps the uneaten frank on her tray into the garbage. Wow, wasteful. "You're buying, right?" [[Well, it //is// your turn to buy.|THE AVOIDER]]

<img src="./assets/Presentation_BackOnTrack01_Zoom.jpg"> "Well, obviously the ingredients are about the same," Zoey says. "But there is probably a line to draw where presentation is concerned." [["So where do you draw the line?"|"So how do you conclude where to draw that line?"]]

<img src="./assets/GrilledCheese.jpg"> Aiden and Zoey burst out laughing. "I'm lactose intolerant, but... that's how I'd choose to go." Zoey grins. {[["Well? It is, literally, filling in a piece of bread. Technically speaking, it's a hot dog and a sandwich.”]] [["You should do it. For science."|"Well? It is, literally, filling in a piece of bread. Technically speaking, it's a hot dog and a sandwich.”]]}

<img src="./assets/SoHowDoYouConclude.jpg"> Zoey considers this. "Hot dogs are sandwiches because both involve sandwiching filling-maybe meat, maybe cheese, maybe condiments or relish-between two pieces of bread." "Except a hot dog bun isn't 'two pieces of bread,'" Aiden says. "A hot dog bun is two pieces of bread with a joint. If it's perforated enough to tear into two pieces just getting it out of the package, it can count as two pieces." [[“The sub sandwiches you get at the deli down the steet aren’t always cut the whole way through,” you counter. “But does that make them hot dogs?”]]

<img src="./assets/FoodFight_Synthesizer.png"> Your personality type is the ''Synthesizer''. You listened at the right time, you contributed to the discussion, you heard your friends' opinions, and you guided everyone to consensus. Everyone has a deeper perspective on the age-old issue of hot dogs as sandwiches as a result. You kept your friendship intact, but you also used your own opinions to guide your responses carefully and tactfully. Amazing job! [[Try again?|Start + instructions]]

<img src="./assets/FoodFight_Devils_Advocate.png"> Your personality type is the ''Devil's Advocate''. You explored many possible solutions, but reached no resolution. And you did it all minimal sympathy. Your friends are simultaensouly impressed by your audacity and kind of irritated with you. Congrats! [[Try again?|Start + instructions]]

<img src="./assets/FoodFight_Moderator.png"> Your personality type is the ''Moderator''. You valued your friends' feelings and preserving your relationship more than the debate itself, but that didn't stop you from exploring the discussion. You just found a way to do so while hearing and respecting your friends' perspectives. Excellent job! Your friends appreciate you a lot. [[Try again?|Start + instructions]]

<img src="./assets/FoodFight_Avoider.png"> Your personality type is the ''Avoider''. You preferred not to engage at all. The conflict wasn't resolved, but your friends certainly don't think any less of you. They don't think any better of you, either. Listening to all sides of an argument is a great idea. Just make sure you're engaging with your friends in another way, even if you're not doing any arguing. Try asking questions, for example. Next time, think of the discussion as practice for more serious arguments. Unless you're okay with staying silent forever. [[Once more, with feeling?|Start + instructions]]

<img src="./assets/FoodFight_Comedian.png"> Your personality type is the ''Comedian''. You engaged the argument, but reached no resolution. Your charisma and humor persuaded your friends to chill out and let it go. Be careful, though—in the heat of a serious argument, your friends might not be so willing to laugh along. [[Try again?|Start + instructions]]

<img src="./assets/FoodFight_Detractor.png"> Your personality type is the ''Detractor''. You de-escalated the argument, preferring to keep the peace rather than find a resolution. You kept your friendship intact. Crisis avoided! Now take a calming breath or two and try again. Try taking a more active role, keeping in mind that avoiding an argument might not be the most constructive option-no matter how nerve-racking it is. [[Try again?|Start + instructions]]

<img src="./assets/FoodFight_Dictator.png"> Your personality type is the ''Dictator.'' You declared an answer and dismissed all rebuttal. What did you think this was going to accomplish? Honestly. Have fun eating alone from now on! (To avoid this result next time-and in real life-try picking the dialogue options that aim to engage your friends and reach consensus without focusing in too hard on your own opinion only. When in doubt, listen and ask questions.) [[Try again?|Start + instructions]]

<img src="./assets/FoodFight_Professor.png"> DRIVER / TASK-D / TELL-O / Your personality type is the ''Professor''. You shut down this conflict with logic, fast, your friends are a little resentful but feel smarter for knowing you You drove the discussion to its most logical conclusion with no time wasted. Congrats! However, you also erred more toward shutting down other opinions rather than exploring possible solutions with your friends. They feel smarter for knowing you. Just be careful that they don't start resenting you. [[Try again?|Start + instructions]]

<img src="./assets/Well_ItIsLiterallyFillingInAPieceOfBread.jpg"> "If I asked for a grilled cheese and a sandwich artist poured molten cheese in my hands, I would be emotionally undone," Zoey admits. "Right," Aiden says. "Because ultimately, you look at a bowl of queso and you know in your heart it's not a sandwich." {[["Because of the presentation?"|Presentation/ Back on track 01]] [["Because of the ingredients?"|Ingredients]]}

<img src="./assets/Ingredients_Zoom.jpg"> "Right," Aiden says. "I'd like to see you order a queso 'sandwich'-no bun, no meat-from any old hot dog vendor. You can't have a hot dog without a frank and a bun." [["How about vegetarian 'dogs, then?"|Veggie dogs]]

<img src="./assets/VeggieDogs_Zoom.jpg"> "I think so," Aiden says. "It's a 'dog. It's in the name." [["But they're meatless, right? By your earlier logic, a veggie dog can't be classified as a hot dog because it lacks a //real frank//."|Veggie dogs 2]]

<img src="./assets/PreDevilsAdvocate.jpg"> "That's fair," Aiden says in a way that clearly means "you lost me and this discussion has become more trouble than it's worth." "Agree," Zoey says, similarly bewildered. [["Good talk!"|THE PROFESSOR]]

Zoey laughs. "No, you got me there." [["What if the deli served you a vegetarian frank on white bread and called it a sandwich?"]]

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/EthosArgument.png"> "Saying the hot dog’s is 'just a sandwich' is like calling Keanu Reeves 'just an actor,'" Aiden says. "He literally //is// an actor, though. And he'd be humble enough to be disappointed in you for putting him on a pedestal, honestly," Zoey says. "But that's the point. His whole brand makes him his own thing, just like a hot dog is its own thing with its own specialized breads and meats." [["Consider the muffuletta or the monte cristo. Classic varieties of sandwiches with unique names."|Ethos 2]]

<img src="./assets/ChoosyPassage.jpg"> "Dude, where have you been?" Aiden says. "This isn't just some debate. It's a discussion with //broad implications// and //deep cultural relevance//." "Yeah, //deep//." Zoey pantomimes adjusting imaginary glasses. Okay, then. This situation calls for... {[[Mediation. "Why don't we call it something different, then?"|Mediate]] [[Definition. "Don't we need to define 'sandwich' first?"|Define]]}

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/Ethos2.png"> "I see your point," Aiden says. "But can you imagine ordering a meat tube sandwich? They'd call the cops on you." "Yeah, but that's literally just because we call them different things. Like, you can order a sandwich and get anything from egg salad to PB&J to a meatball sub. How could that range not cover a frankfurter sub?" "Maybe so," Aiden says, "but you don't hold a PB&J and a hot dog the same way. You don't eat a hot dog from the front. It hits wrong." {[["And how does a sandwich //hit right//, my guy? Should a good sandwich not evoke more than just a feeling of general sandwichosity?"|Ethos 3]] [["You mean you don't eat hot dogs from the middle out?"]]}

<img src="./assets/VeggieDogs2.jpg"> "That's a valid point... I guess," Aiden concedes. "Ugh, my brain," Zoey says. {[[You ease up. "We can at least agree that the Venn diagram of hot dogs versus sandwiches isn't a circle, right?"|Pre-Synthesizer]] [[You double down. "If you can't prove it one way or another, the logic isn't there, my dude."|Pre-Devil's Advocate]]}

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/PreSynthesizer.png"> "There is a gray area," Aiden admits. "Yeah. I mean, nothing is COMPLETELY distinct," Zoey adds. "Humans and banaas share something like 60% of their DNA. So it's the same idea. Similar components, different end product." "I could agree with that." Aiden shrugs. "Happy?" [["Happy!"|SYNTHESIZER]]

<img src="./assets/PreDevilsAdvocate.jpg"> You double down. "I don't know. If you can't prove it that way, you can't prove they're distinct." "I guess!" Aiden admits. Zoey cackles. "Wow, I've never witnessed anyone dismantled that fast." "You also haven't really proved hot dogs are sandwiches either," Aiden reminds here. "Just that applying pressure to the sandwich-hot dog dichotomy opens up some completely ridiculous possibilities." Zoey's smile flattens. "Right. That's fair." [["Agreed."|THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE]]

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/WhatIfTheDeli.png"> "Technically it would be in the hot dog family," she says. "But you wouldn't enjoy it," Aiden adds. "Right. That would only be okay if I did it on leftover night," Zoey jokes. "So we agree that there is a line to be rightfully drawn somewhere between sandwiches and hot dogs. We just haven't decided where." "I agree with that," Zoey says. "But I would definitely try a white bread veggie-dog at least once. With ketchup." {[["The real debate here is whether or not we could rightfully draw a line between Zoey and a human garbage disposal."|Pre-Moderator 01]] [["Fantastic job, everyone. We love to see a compromise."|THE MODERATOR]]}

<img src="./assets/PreModerator.jpg"> "I prefer //adventurous//," Zoey says with an unhealthy amount of pride. "I think I'm a vegetarian now," Aiden says, looking green as he stares down at his sandwich. [["Same."|THE MODERATOR]]

<img src="./assets/Presentation_BackOnTrack02_Zoom.jpg"> "Well, obviously the ingredients are about the same," Zoey says. "But there is probably a line to draw where presentation is concerned." {[["So where do you draw the line?"|"So how do you conclude where to draw that line?"]] [["That settles it, then.|Pre-Detractor]]}

<img src="./assets/PreDictator_Zoom.jpg"> Zoey mimes hammering a gavel. "Open and shut!" "Great way to say absolutely nothing of value about anything," Aiden says blandly. "You're putting way too much thought into it," Zoey says. "Right?" [["Right. It's food all the way down, baby!"|THE DETRACTOR]]

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/Ethos3.png"> Aiden thinks about this for a moment. "I guess we can't get anywhere if we're just arguing definitions for subjective things like... sandwich-ness." You consider this as you tap the //back// button on your smartphone's browser, returning to your original search results. A Twitter page catches your eye. It leads to the Twitter page of Joey Chestnut, nine-time hot dog eating contest champion according to his bio. Finally, an expert. "What is it?" Zoey asks, peering over your shoulder. You read aloud. "Actual Hot Dog Day president Joey Chestnut already declared 'the Hot Dog stands free and independent from the tyranny of the sandwich.' {[[... Plus, tyranny of the sandwich is the name of my Meatloaf cover band."|Meatloaf]] [[... Who are we to contradict a man who can eat 72 hot dogs in 10 minutes?"|...Who are we to contradict a man who can eat 72 hot dogs in 10 minutes?"]]}

<img src="./assets/WhoAreWe_72Hotdogs_Zoom.jpg"> Aiden shrugs. "I just think the broad definition of sandwich is far too inclusive when you consider the actual, lived lunch experience of it." {[["Absolutely. Philosophically, however, we all understand that for any set of criteria we put forth to define a “sandwich,” there will always be counterintuitive exception. An antisandwich for which we cannot account. Yet our certainty about the definition of a sandwich remains."|Pre-Professor]] (if: $comedianRole is 3)[[["Come on, dude. He was the Earl of Sandwich, not the Earl of Hot Dog."|Pre-Comedian]]]}

<img src="./assets/Middle_Zoom.jpg"> "Yeah, we've all witnessed that and been scarred for life," Zoey adds. [["You're welcome."|Ethos 3]] (if:(passage:)'s tags contains "comedian")[(set: $comedianRole to $comedianRole + 1)]

<img src="./assets/PreComedian.jpg"> Aiden chuckles. "Most valid point yet." "We're full of 'em," Zoey says. "You're certainly full of something." [["Hey, that's what I was going to say.|THE COMEDIAN]]

<img src="./assets/Meatloaf_Zoom.jpg"> "That reference was dated 10 years ago," Aiden says. [["Yeah, well. There are only so many umami musicians."|...Who are we to contradict a man who can eat 72 hot dogs in 10 minutes?"]] (if:(passage:)'s tags contains "comedian")[(set: $comedianRole to $comedianRole + 1)]

<img class="transparent" src="./assets/NoSuchThingAsALoafOfPasta.png"> "Seems kind of arbitrary, considering," Aiden says. "Yeah, I liked where that was going. Like, what's stopping us from eating cheesesteak on a loaf of cut pasta?" {[["I suppose if you put noodles in the same category as bread, then hot dog buns are way less of a stretch."|Ethos argument]] [["That's stupid and you know it."|Pre-Dictator]]}

<img src="./assets/PreDictator_Zoom.jpg"> "I guess it is kind of dumb," Zoey admits. [["You were the one who brought it up," you tell her, returning to your own food."|THE DICTATOR]]

<h1 class="title">Food Fight!</h1> <img src="./assets/EmptyCafe.jpg"> An interactive choose your own adventure. [[Play now!|Start + instructions]]