Explaining the Brow-O-Meter

The Axis of Ego “Brow-O-Meter” is a useful shorthand that tracks the overall movement of recent site content towards either guttural or lofty themes.  The ‘Meter features five levels, ranging from “Unibrow” (lowest) to “Frons Profundus” (highest).  Each level is accompanied by an appropriate visual representation.

The important thing to remember is that the Brow-O-Meter is not intended to be a commentary on the relative merits of a given level.  In other words, a good fart joke can be just as entertaining as a witty reference to an obscure foreign film.  Sometimes better.  Always smellier.

The Brow-O-Meter provides a reader with a quick check of the current site environs, not unlike sticking one’s head out a window to see whether an extra layer of clothing is advisable.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the level isn’t always subject-matter-specific.  If there’s one thing we can do around here, it’s talk about a dumb subject in a smart way.  If there’s a second thing we can do, it’s talk about a smart subject in a dumb way.

Mostly, the ‘Meter allows people who are as lazy as we are to glean information via a big, colorful graphic that appears in the sidebar on our front page at all times.  We’re fans of anything that serves as an informational shortcut and and excuse to incorporate pictures of the Three Stooges.