In Nerve.com’s new “I Did It For Science” piece, “Boob Power,” contributor Bianca Merbaum puts her chest to the test. In her obvious, but entertaining, experiment Bianca attempts to gather petition signatures for a ridiculous cause with and without cleavage. The results will not shock you. What’s more interesting is the discussion by the bright Nerve commenters, who go meta on the narrative:

“rb” writes

Let’s look at the bigger picture… In the end this is a short story (and an entertaining one) about one young woman’s attempt to come to terms with and understand part of her body that has affected her self image and self understanding her entire life.

“PCE” writes

…I must point out that when you switched from Rackus Minimus to Major Boobage, your own behavior changed as much as that of your subjects. I think that is the most important message of this article. When you act in a manner that says you are comfortable with yourself, and how you look is not something you should apologize for, people will always respond in a more positive way. …

And if you want to go even more meta, yes, I clicked on link to this article because it said “boobs.”

Read it for yourself here.

A foreign occupation landing January 28, 1998…

Dear Breakup Girl,

I met a girl 10 years younger than me about three weeks before being sent to Bosnia with the military. She moved into my apartment and is taking care of all my affairs. I have found that she drives me up the wall and I know for a fact that she isn’t the one for me. However, she has our marriage and life all planned out. I have tried to get her to understand that she doesn’t even know who I am, but she says she will change her whole life just to please me. I hate this and I really would like to hear what you — as a super-female — would do?

– GI John

 
Dear GI John,

Gals, just a tip: if your man would rather be in Bosnia than at home with you, you two need to talk.

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Going back for seconds on January 12, 1998…

Dear Breakup Girl,

My ex-boyfriend and I split up three months ago after being together for a year. We split up because he was confused, and I was too dependent on him for stability. Since we’ve broken up, I’ve gained a lot of self-esteem that I used to leech off of him, and we’ve been spending some time together. Although I don’t NEED him, I still care about him and have fun with him. He seems to enjoy himself, too. I’ve dated other men, but I’m just happier around my ex. When we’re together, it’s just relaxed and fun. Now I’m wondering if perhaps we should give our relationship another chance. Do you think this healthy?

– Amy

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Oh, that’s a GREAT idea. I assume the prom theme is not “Self-Esteem.”