Whats the origin of “Rock, Paper, Scissors”?
Dear Straight Dope: What’s the history of the game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors”? Where and when did this whole thing start? — Scott McCulloch Well, Scott, you might think that “Rock, Paper, Scissors” is just a kid’s game, but the fact is that some people take it very seriously. Too seriously, I’m starting to think. As is the case with most games that are primarily played by children, the exact time and place when the game was invented are unknown. There are theories, however. Geez, are there theories. First, for the three people in the country who may be unfamiliar with the game, a short description: “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” also known as roshambo (I’ll get to the reason for this presently), has been around for a long time, and most civilized people have at least a passing knowledge of the game. It is most often used to decide small matters between two people–who’ll drive to the burger joint, who has to take out the garbage, etc.–but it can also be played to decide larger matters, as p
