I have a question that I ask people. It is a good question, because no matter what, no matter how much you resist, you get sucked into a long and drawn-out discussion, that is almost guaranteed to be entertaining. It is, in short, the perfect question. But all things have an expiration date, and it is time that this one goes on the shelf. I am retiring my favorite question.

It all started with a This American Life show on superheroes. In it, one of the TAL reporters, John Hodgman—more popularly known as the PC guy in the Mac ads—had this question that he would ask at parties. Ask the question, and just like water to a sponge, the conversation blossoms. Let's get this question of of the way right now. The question is:

Given the choice between flight or invisibility, what would you choose?

If you have not heard this question, you must now take a break from this reading and go ask someone this question. Go right now, and ask someone, ideally a random stranger, and come back when you have an answer. Really, go do that right now, and come back when you are done.

Wasn't that fun? Wasn't that so much better than asking about work, majors or, not to put too fine a point on it, most anything else you can thing of? This is the allure of the question.

I've toned down the use of this question, but it came up twice this week in passing. On one occasion, I was talking about the purchasing process at thesuperhero store in Brooklyn, where you have to say your superhero name to buy things, and hence you need to have a some sort of moderate background story to support that name. So when I buy my McSweeney's, I tell them my name is Subway man, and I have the power to control all the trains in New York. While I think that this is a suitable superpower, the crowd was unimpressed, which lead to a general superpower discussion, and inevitably, the question.

Last night I was telling my friend how I got called on this question—someone actually had listened to the above radio show—unfortunately, one of the people in the group had not heard it, and we got sucked into the conversation again. My poor girlfriend and one of my best fiends had to again be sucked into the unavoidable superhero discussion. And for that, I am not proud.

I am sad that there exists not a better question, but I've tapped this question out. I vow from here on out to not ask anyone the question.