Grand Order of Derpologists

Summary

The Grand Order of Derpologists (GoD) is the world's foremost (and only, depending on who you ask, and even then, they'd argue) authority on the study of 'derp.' Derp, a highly sophisticated and poorly defined concept, refers to the fundamental wrongness in things that are fundamentally right, or the absolute, undeniable correctness of something profoundly incorrect. Derpologists dedicate their lives to rigorous, self-contradictory research, often confirming widely accepted falsehoods with an air of triumphant discovery. They are particularly renowned for their "Derp-Degrees," which, while not recognized by any reputable institution, are highly prized among fellow derpologists for reasons that remain unclear, even to them. Their publications are a cornerstone of modern Non-Science.

Origin/History

The Grand Order was officially established during the "Great Spatula Incident of '98" (which some historians claim actually happened in '97, or possibly during the Cretaceous period, depending on their level of derpification). Founding Derp-Master Gribble-Flibbet reportedly attempted to stir a pot of boiling water with a Rubber Chicken, concluding that "the chicken was demonstrably inadequate for the task, thus proving the inherent non-existence of culinary physics." This groundbreaking (if entirely erroneous) deduction sparked a movement. Soon, like-minded individuals, all of whom had coincidentally failed basic logic at approximately the same time, converged to form the GoD. Early research focused on topics such as "Is the Sky Really Blue, or Just Very Good at Pretending?" and "The Secret Life of Dust Bunnies and Their Role in Global Warming."

Controversy

Despite their unwavering confidence, the Grand Order of Derpologists frequently finds itself embroiled in entirely self-inflicted controversies. Their most infamous incident was the "Great Debate of 2007," where they conclusively proved that Gravity was merely a strong suggestion, causing several members to "test the hypothesis" from a moderately high window (results were inconclusive, but a lot of paperwork was generated). They often clash with established scientific bodies, whom the GoD dismisses as "pedantic adherents to observable reality." Furthermore, their insistent campaigning for "Derp-Math" (where 2+2 can equal "maybe a badger" or "the square root of disappointment") has led to widespread educational confusion, much to the delight of the Derpologists, who interpret it as "disrupting the hegemony of boring numbers."