Not every argument has to be a heated debate where intellects are measured and wits are counted. Some can be a joyous occasion and loads of fun! Don’t believe us? Then what about these funny, controversial topics Redditors mentioned on this glorious Reddit thread? Take a look, and it’ll change your perspective on good conversation topics forever.
Okay, so, what the heck are we talking about here, and why did we mention ‘controversy’ and ‘fun’ in one paragraph? Hear us out - not every controversial conversation topic is about the ground rules of human existence or strong beliefs on the world’s order. Some cool topics are just as controversial but not as challenging to human nature itself. For instance, have you ever thought that cheese is actually a loaf of milk? Or wondered whether a bowl of cereal is technically a soup? See, now you get the gist! These fun topics are inherently controversial and also terrific amusement. So much so that you might be really tempted to offer them to your date or challenge your friends with them; either way, you’ll learn tons about your opponent and amuse them with your well-picked conversation topics.
Be warned, though - the lower you scroll on this list of controversial things, the thicker the plot gets. Remember when we gave the example of cheese being a loaf of milk? Well, that’s just the beginning, as later on, these fun topics do delve into the darkest corner of weird and wonderful.
Anyhoo, time to check out the funny, controversial topics that people shared on this AskReddit thread, don’t you think? They are just a tad bit below, and once you get there, rank these topics any way you like!
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Wait, It’s Both?
"Do you wet your toothbrush before or after applying the paste? Spoiler, the answer is before AND after."
I don’t. The light abrasion you feel against your teeth as you brush and your mouth produces saliva will aid well in plaque removal. My dentist actually told me dry brushing works better than wet brushing for that reason! I do also flossing use mouthwash regularly, so have had very few dental problems.
Not Pizza, Just Pasta in Disguise
"Which kind of crust is better for a pizza: thick or thin?" meb909 replied: "Anything but deep dish." Commenter replied: "This. In my mind, a deep dish pizza is actually kind of a casserole." deathkill3000 answered: "It's lasagna with a handle."
Ya .. cracker thin crusts are the best!! Then it's all savoury sauce, toppings and cheese! If I wanted bread I'd have a sandwich
I had homemade, woodfired, thin crust pizza made by an Italian man once and it was the best pizza I've ever had. I especially loved the olive oil, fetta and spinach one. Secondbest was a thick crust cauliflower gluten free base.
The Perfect Scoop Debate
"How much ice cream is the right amount of ice cream to have on an ice cream cone?"
The perfect amount is the amount that you can eat before it melts. This amount may vary person to person.
An infinite amount. There is never too much ice cream. It is only too much once it is melted, and starts breaking the cone, so time is the only restriction on time, rather than volume of ice cream.
Enough that the ice cream is pressed alllll the way down into the bottom of the cone, so that there is no lonely cone at the end.
As much as you can possibly fit. If you are an experienced ice-cream eater, you can handle it.
Breathing Break: Literally Count Me Out
"If you could choose, would you rather never have to sleep, never have to breathe air, or never have to eat?" mappydog replied: "Never have to breathe. Maybe then I'd be able to run and swim."
I like eating, and there's nothing like falling asleep snuggled under the covers.
Eat, if I didn't need to do it to survive, I would never eat. I don't like food, but could happily live on chocolate though.
Eat. Too much hassle trying to do it healthily, or cook. The other two require no effort.
Hmm... Never get tired, be able to play video games at night, or get chores done, or earn money with a second job... I love sleep, but that still sounds appealing...
No air, would make wing walking so much more fun ( for those that do it of course!! )
Breathing. Then my stupid allergies would finally give it a rest.
Ooooh no allergies!!!! That would be a real treat. Put me down for that.
Load More Replies...Never have to eat. Breathing and sleeping are more necessary too me.
Pancakes Got a Glow-Up
"Waffles are just grilled Pancakes."
haysoos2 replied: "What do you mean "just"? That's like saying wine is just rotten grapes."
The actual recipe is different. There is a higher ratio of eggs to flour in waffles. . . I ate at a new waffle restaurant once. And it was painfully obvious that the people running it were just using a pancake recipe in their waffle iron. It was pretty awful.
Grill: noun-- a metal framework used for cooking food over an open fire; a gridiron. Pour batter onto a grill and see how that works out for you.
Me too, of any colour. I firmly believe it's part of my 5 a day.
Load More Replies...Uno, but make it tactical
"How to properly play Uno?"
No. We play a messed up version of International Uno. The faster and more violent the better. Only us and the cousins agree on these rules.
Starts out chill, ends in chaos
"Question: what kind of bear is best?" theRingsAroundSaturn replied: "What is going on?! What are you doing?!"
I'm Australian, so koala bears all the way. (Yes, I know they're actually marsupials.)
The real question nobody asked
"What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?"
Cupcakes in Disguise?
"Muffins are tiny cake. There is no real difference between a muffin and a cupcake."
Apart from ; size, flavours, what ingredients are used, how they are used, cooking times, apart from that, they could be Siamese twins....
THIS. I don't see why there is a difference except that one makes us feel healthier.
Time travel vibes: future or fossil fuel?
"Would you rather go 100 years into the future, or past? Why?"
I've always wanted to into the past, but I would be taking all my present ideals, so it may not be as pleasant as I expect. Then again, more access to pretty clothes for less money than 'vintage' sellers charge now, so maybe I won't care :)
Wait, nobody agrees on this?
"How to pronounce words like: turmeric, aunt, omega, envelope, cement, basil Best if the crowd has folks who grew up in different areas."
Yes, but also the lazy Aussie version. If I am making aa point of saying particular words I will enunciate more. Two words I defintely only say the Aussie way though are Data and Pedo (I side with Adam Hills on that)
Load More Replies...Yup, apparently it can also be pronounced see ment.
Load More Replies...Food Fights You Didn’t Know You Needed
"Is a hotdog a sandwich? Is a bowl of cereal technically soup?"
A bowl of dried cereal in milk is technically a chowder. Like other milk based bowl foods: clam chowder, fish chowder, corn chowder, and cream of wheat.
Fight Club: The TP Edition
"Toilet paper orientation. Although apparently debates about this can become pretty heated."
Under makes it more likely that you'll touch the roll with unwashed hands
Load More Replies...I know no one agrees with me, but toilet paper goes under. Not because of pets or anything, but because it is just better somehow.
Correct. No-one agrees. It goes over, so one can see where the last sheet ends without having to move the roll.
Load More Replies...Brains over brawn, but quick wins here
"Name 10 parts of the human body that are 3 letters long."
Arm, leg, rib, eye, ear, (all on right side) Arm, leg, rib, eye, ear (all on left side)
This is a common question on Pointless. Pretty sure a tattoo artist got pointless because she named ones that she tattooed often.
Middle of the stairs and totally deadass
"Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses, or 1 horse-sized duck? A classic. Never fails to amuse. Or; You're upstairs in your house when you hear your mom ask you for help in the kitchen. Halfway down there, you hear your mom upstairs saying "don't go down there, I heard it too." You're on the middle of the stairs though. What do you do?"
Jump up and down on the steps and say "Mom, I hurt myself" and see who/what comes running.
if I was already upstairs I think I'd know if mom was already there to
I'm already traumatised by birds, I don't want them to be even bigger when they attack me (who actually fights them rather than just running away like a baby?) Knowing how frenetically my mum talks and moves, I could believe she was in both places but forgot that she was downstairs!
I'd wonder what the bloody hell my mum was doing in my house, check the Ring cameras in her house to see if she was in
Unexpected but Perfect Pairings
"Best ice cream and topping flavor combination."
Anything that gives contrast. One example: cold vanilla ice cream with hot fudge and peanuts. Cold, hot, sweet, salty.
Ooh, I've never had rhubarb topping, it sounds amazing!
Load More Replies...I know it's weird, but I don't really like topping on my icecream, unless it's a sundae from Maccas, then it has to be choc-fudge
Dairy’s Identity Crisis
"Would you consider a block of cheese to be a loaf of milk?"
Oooooo, now I can skip the bread on my sandwich and just use two slices of delicious milk loaf.
My mind just pictured your description… it was beautiful.
Load More Replies...No. Cheeses have varying flavors and textures. If milk does.. Good luck to you.
Erm, erm, why is this considered a " controversial " topic, as opposed to " What do people with a IQ less than Donald Trump think?? "
This Question Just Shook Me
"Is the hokey pokey REALLY what it’s all about?"
Neck? More Like Neckless
"Do fish have necks?" chief_dirtypants replied: "Ever seen a fish wearing a necklace?"
I hereby announce, that neck is not the most essential part of the body.
Brains over brawn? Not this time.
"Who would win - a gorilla or an alligator? What we ended up with is that a gorilla is really smart compared to other animals, but would it be smart enough to trick the alligator into coming out of the water, knowing it can't beat the alligator in the water? My argument was no, that's different than just being smart, that's strategic, and I don't know that gorillas are capable of thinking strategically."
An alligator and a gorilla would never meet since they're from different continents. Yes, I'm a pedantic butthead.
Depends on the competition. Swimming - gator. Bicycling - gorilla. Limbo - gator. Tennis - gorilla. Chess - tossup.
Mind-Blown: Penguins and Their Secret Joints
"Do penguins have knees?" apcat91 replied: "Do birds have fingers?"
Some of the owls on BP have mastered that art!
Load More Replies...Cold Slice, Hot Take
"Hot fresh is best, Cold pizza is better than reheated."
Heat it on a frying pan for best results. Crust stays crispy while the cheese gets to remelt.
Load More Replies...Mind-Bending Straw Debate
"If a straw has one or two holes."
Unexpected fashion rules: animal edition
"How various animals would wear pants."
Recently I was advised to look up roach in pants and since then my life is complete.
The Great Pineapple Debate
"Should pineapple be on pizza?"
Only if you like pineapple on pizza so depends on the personal preferences.
Exactly the answer I've been giving the kids at work! I personally don't like pineapple at all, but doesn't mean others shouldn't enjoy it. In fact, it gets them eating more fruit so it can't be a bad thing :)
Load More Replies...Pasta Wars: Fight Me
"What is the best kind of pasta?"
Depends on the sauce. Except farfalle, which annoys me to no end. If you get the 'wings' al dente, the middle is uncooked. If you get the middle al dente, the 'wings' are limp and mushy.
I actually like having the middle bit slightly underdone, but I haven't had farfalle (actually we've only ever called them bows in my experience in Australia) in a very long time.
Load More Replies...Cries in severely wheat intolerant. I miss tortellini and ravioli the most because there's no easily accessible wheat free option.
Same but celiac, San Remo make gluten free version that is stocked at most supermarkets where I live, so I do buy it sometimes.
Load More Replies...Unapologetically Team Sandler
"Best Adam Sandler movie. Deep down, you know you have a favorite."
I really enjoy the whole series. Well up to number 3 anyway.
Load More Replies...Not a favorite movie but favorite snl skit which is the Lunch Lady skit. We used to drive around as teenagers and listen to his comedy tapes so many of his songs are seared into my brain.
some are worse than others. the best one is still garbage, though. I hold Sandler partially responsible for the constant dumbing-down of America.
Deep Thoughts from the Bathroom Floor
"If a bar of soap falls on the floor is the soap dirty or is the floor clean?"
Neckwear Problems No One Asked For
"How would a giraffe wear a necktie? Would it be at the base of their neck by their torso? Or just below their head like we would wear it?"
The Debate That Never Ends
"Which are better, cats or dogs?"
Both great. Both will also eat your face if you die at home and don't leave them any dog/cat food
Night owls or early birds?
"Day shift or night shift?"
Instant adventure, questionably safe
"Would you use a teleporter if it worked by completely disintegrating you but rearranging your atoms perfectly at another location?"
If it can do that I'll hold your hand and keep you company
Load More Replies...Mind-Bending Cheese Logic
"If more cheese is more holes, And more holes is less cheese, Is more cheese less cheese?"
What if the moon were made of BBQ spare ribs, would you eat it then?
Hot Take: Same Energy, Different Name
"Boneless wings are just chicken nuggets, change my mind."
They're tenders, not nuggets. Tenders are pieces of chicken breast. Nuggets are ground chicken formed into miniature patties.
Team Crunchy All The Way
"Crunchy vs. smooth peanut butter."
Crunchy peanut butter = unfinished peanut butter. The people in the factory got lazy so they switched off the machine...
Depends what I'm putting it on. Crunchy peanut butter is best on wholegrain bread. Smooth is great on white bread or celery.
Push down or pull up? Hard pass.
"Which is easier to use - a bottle opener that requires you to pull up to lift the lid, vs one where you push down to open the lid?"
Wait, it’s not how you thought?
"It's Berenstain, not Berenstein."
Like, the family of bears that live in the tree-and have great stories for children at bedtime?
100% Berenstain, but grew up convinced it was Berenstein. Major Madela Effect.
The Great Chair Debate Lives On
"Are there more people in the world or more chairs in the world? People will debate this forever, including what counts as a chair."
It has to be chairs. Think of how many chairs are in your house vs how many people. Now add all the schools, theaters, etc. easily chairs. But maybe I’m not considering underdeveloped parts of the world? It’s not like you have to be from a first world country to be able to sit down. It has to be chairs.
In both India and China, as well as throughout the entire continent of Africa, there are billions of people who sit down without any chairs. And there is nothing underdeveloped about this. It is cultural.......Left out Japan.
Load More Replies...The Great Bookshelf Debate
"Should you arrange books in a bookshelf alphabetically by title or alphabetically by author? If you arrange by author, should you sort alphabetically or chronologically?"
I separate fiction from non-fiction. Fiction is shelved alphabetically by author, then alphabetically by title. Series are shelved chronological to one another, with the entire series being shelved alphabetically by series title within that author's catalog. Non-fiction I shelve by subject, then author, then chronologically. I hope that makes sense.
I seperate them based on how “related” a book is. If I start putting books on the left side, then the books will start out as usually basic or for kids and then there’s the comics, then the funny books ranked from most to least funny and then the non-funny books and then non fiction books
Isn't the correct answer to arrange by subject matter? Fiction and non-fiction in their own sections? Or am I the strange one.
By author and then by title within the authors stuff for fiction. The exception being things like graphic novels. Those are usually by title. Most people don't know the individual authors of all the Spiderman runs for instance. And then nonfiction is by subject and then title if at a bookstore. Personally my non fiction collection was also by author because I knew who wrote each book and didn't have tons of books on one subject
Controversial but Unleashed
"Best breed of dog."
Regional slang wars, and I’m here for it
"Asking people from different states the correct names of certain objects. e.g.: Soda or pop, hero or sub."
Found this U.S. dialect quiz to be eerily accurate. Pinpointed me to within about 20 mi of my birthplace: https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.mobile.html?r=0011484808040060101200400100j100040k008020000l0200
I took the quiz (as a non-American because I thought it might still work) but then got an error message lol
Load More Replies...In Rhode Island, a sub is called a grinder. A milk shake with ice cream is a cabinet. So if you visit here, be sure to order a grinder and a cabinet. Best lunch there is!
The noticeable ones in Australia, as opposed to the difference between what we an US say are: potato cake/scallop, runners/sneakers/trainers, bathers/togs/cossie/swimmers, cantaloupe/rockmelon but there are differences within states sometimes too. Also the name of the first year of school and the year/s of education before school.
The Sound Everyone’s Still Debating
"Yanny or Laurel?"
Hot or cold—who knew dishes had preferences?
"Rinsing your dishes in hot or cold water."
Yes the hot water evaporates, therefore drying is minimal effort
Load More Replies...Only if someone else is cleaning the dishwasher's filter.
Load More Replies...Height Wars: Opposite Sides, Same Shade
"Whether being short or tall is better, and make the tall people argue for short and vice versa."
Well I'm short but I don't want to be tall, just closer to average as both have disadvantages.
Short = funsize=little bar of chocolate=you always want more. That makes short better.
Airplane seats, small cars, and older buildings with low ceilings or stairs with low overhangs are a very good argument for being shorter. I'm only 5'11 but very long waisted and I can't even buy a Nissan car because I'm too tall sitting down to see out the windshield properly. Also I can't wear sun hats or other kinds of similar hats while sitting in a lot of vehicles. Obviously the hat thing is a very silly point but not fitting comfortably or safely in vehicles is at least worth mentioning.
Load More Replies...Lowkey team left leg here
"Which leg is your favorite?"
Never thought about it, but my left leg does have a spur on it just above my knee, which is both cool and painful!
Cooking’s The Tricky One
"Is cooking harder than baking?"
Cooking is not all improv, though. There are techniques that won't work unless you follow the scientific principle behind the technique. Emulsions. A roux. The Maillard reaction.
Load More Replies...I don't know about harder, but I always enjoyed baking but have only recently come around to cooking. Both my parents preferred baking too, so I guess I was maybe brought up thinking it was easier.
Tongue Twister or Just Me?
"Is the "N" in PANCAKE pronounced with the front or the back of the tongue? (I know there's no "G" in the word, so I pronounce it the same way I pronounce Dunkin as in donuts)."
Fight Me, It’s Lemon of Troy
"Better Simpsons episode: Last Exit to Springfield or Lemon of Troy?"
Tech Bros Throwdown
"Who would win in a galaxy-wide war: Star Trek's Next-Gen-Era Borg or Stargate SG-1's Replicators? The Rules: Each may only use the technology native to their franchise, unless/until they acquire it through interaction with their opponent."
This Mind Trick Just Won\'t Quit
"Rabbit or Duck? Which is better."
i have 5 pet ducks. so easy to take care of. they're the cutest things ever, fully grown, and the let me hold them to
I've never eaten either. I never had either of them as pets either.
Mind-Blown Food Identity Crisis
"Is a hot dog a taco? Alternatively is an open-face sandwich a pizza?"
I wondered yesterday whether a pizza could still be called a calzone if it's made with English muffins on top of each other, or is it a sandwich?
Words win more battles than swords
"Which is mightier the sword or the pen?"
Soup’s just the warm-up act
"Soup is not dinner."
My sister and stepdad would agree, though he has come around to it. She doesn't understand the point of soup at all. If I couldn't have soup as dinner in winter I might starve!
What Even Counts as a Sport Anymore?
"Is rock paper scissors a sport? Is football? Is Bowling? Is poker? Is darts? Are DoTA/League/Counterstrike? Is Chess? Is checkers? Is Connect four? Are the coaches athletes, if they don't physically play? Are they still participating in the sport? Are those versus mode Tetris games sports?"
My favourite definition of a sport is that one has to change one's shoes in order to do it properly (obviously one can play many sports in normal shoes, but one shouldn't). Hence no, yes, yes, no, no, no, no, no, no.
So most martial arts wouldn't count as a sport because you're barefoot?
Load More Replies...They're all just irrelevant pastimes. Pleasant to participate in, baffling that anyone watches it.
I would say the same about most sports though...
Load More Replies...No Brainer, It’s Gouda
"Which type of cheese is best. (We all know it’s Gouda)."
I'll say Saint Albray and wait for Caro Caro to magically appear 🤎
All of them (not including 'processed cheese food product' which isn't cheese at all).
Is it possible to have a favourite? I like camembert, brie, blue, fetta, ricotta, Havarti, smoked cheddar and goat's cheese best...
Debate That Actually Matters
"Soda or pop?"
Tyson vs. Tiger
"Could Mike Tyson, in his prime, knock out a restrained tiger?"
Mas Oyama once killed a horse by punching it, so I'd go with yes.
Wait, is my freezer a quarry?
"Is ice a rock? (Is this more of a stoner question?)"
When Cash Was King Down South
"The evolution of the market economy in the southern colonies."
“Abraham Lincoln once said that, 'If you're a racist, I will attack you with the North.'" ~ Michael Scott
