Cards Against Humanity: A Must-Have Game
There used to be a relatively simple test to check the character of a woman when a man took her on a date for the first time. If you're asking yourself what this has to do with Cards Against Humanity, keep reading. Nicknamed "the b**** test," the man would escort the woman to his car and unlock and open the door for her. The woman, if she was not a "b****," would then swiftly reach across to the driver's side and unlock the door for her date. If she remembered to do this, she was judged to be of upstanding character; if she failed, she was judged to be a b****.
Unfortunately, the dual forces of gender equality and key fobs that unlock doors from a distance have all but eradicated the usefulness of "the b**** test." In our modern, enlightened age, what test can men and women resort to in order to learn more about the temperament of a potential mate? Enter Cards Against Humanity.
What is Cards Against Humanity?
Created by a group of friends for a New Year's Eve party, Cards Against Humanity is a party game very similar to Apples to Apples, with the twist that players attempt to provide as much black humor, raunchiness or plain inappropriateness as possible.
A round of gameplay works as follows. First, the players select ten white "answer" cards. These cards have words or phrases on them that vary in their degree of offensiveness. Examples of answers on the answer cards include:
- Italians
- BATMAN!
- Coat hanger abortions
- Auschwitz
- Grandma
The remaining player is selected to be the "Card Czar." This individual pulls a black "question" card. One example of a question card is "What ended my last relationship?" Players give the Card Czar a white answer card that they think is the funniest or most inappropriate answer. The Card Czar then chooses the answer they like the best, and the player who provided that answer earns one point and becomes the next round's Card Czar.
Use Cards Against Humanity for a First or Second Date
This strange but perversely enjoyable card game is a perfect replacement for "the b**** test" for the generation of men and women who grew up watching South Park and The Daily Show.* The game is essentially an interactive Rorschach test that will, after a few rounds of gameplay, reveal the underlying psychological state of a male or female date. Unlike "the b**** test," which chauvinistically assumes that the man of the date has the right to test the character of the woman, Cards Against Humanity can be used as a character test for a male or for a female as well as for a straight or a gay date.
Furthermore, just because the game is terribly offensive does not mean that it can only be used by offensive individuals. Are you a goody two-shoes? Find out if your potential mate is also a goody two-shoes by whipping out this game. If your date wrinkles his or her nose after a few rounds and asks you, "Why are we playing this?," then you may have found your soulmate. On the other hand, are you someone who thinks jokes about race, rape and religion make for some good laughs? In the traditional "b**** test," would you prefer a girl who says, "Open your own g*d* door"? If you play Cards Against Humanity with a date and find that they choose the most offensive answers possible, then you, too, may have found your soulmate.
Where to Get the Game
You can pay for the official set of cards or you can find Cards Against Humanity online. You can play with others at certain Cards Against Humanity online sites -- think of it as the perfect online dating game -- or you can download the Cards Against Humanity PDF and make your own version of the game. Downloading the Cards Against Humanity PDF is definitely the cheapest way to play the game, but remember that playing with a PDF you have downloaded and cut up yourself may send a message to your date that you are a cheapskate. On the other hand, that might be exactly the message you wish to send.
* Disclaimer: Using Cards Against Humanity for a first or second date is an extremely dangerous date choice which may not have favorable results for the date's host. Results may vary!
