[kyle-rb]

Not sure how long the subreddit has existed but I always assumed it was inspired by the episode of The Office where Michael asks Oscar to explain what a surplus is like he's 5. The broader usage on social media and the ELI5 shorthand are definitely the result of the subreddit though.

This article is definitely abusing the terminology, because I wouldn't expect even tech-knowledgeable people to know what Nostr is or does.

[veltas]

The original joke for anyone who doesn't know or remember, Michael, the manager, asks his accountant to explain what a surplus is like he would to an 8 year old. Michael doesn't understand this and asks for how he would explain it to a 5 year old, which Oscar does a very good job with explaining and Michael finally understands.

Later the security guard is called upstairs to break a tie on votes for what to spend the surplus on, and Michael starts reciting Oscar's 5 year old explanation, and the guard cuts him off saying he knows what a surplus is.

I have to imagine this is sort of a joke about the audience too as inevitably the writers were considering that audience members might not know what a surplus is, and this kind of joke is an opportunity to explain it.

[wincy]

I remember when the sub was first created, I think there was an understanding it didn’t actually mean you were explaining to five year olds. Hard to recall exactly when it was created though, so definitely awhile ago.

[lgas]

The same understanding still exists, from https://old.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/wiki/detailed_rul...:

> The purpose of this subreddit is to simplify complex concepts in a way that is accessible for laypeople.

> The first thing to note about this is that this forum is not literally meant for 5-year-olds. Do not post questions that an actual 5-year-old would ask, and do not respond as though you're talking to a child.

[appplication]

It may not have started that way but there definitely was some amount of commenters that took it quite literally

[joenot443]

Ah you're totally right! That's S05E10; I adore that show so I'm peeved I'd forgotten.

Agree on the Nostr point. Apparently it stands for "Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays" - sort of cute.