Guess how much I paid for this car?

If your friend’s guess is dramatically higher than what you paid, you feel a deep sense of accomplishment.

If your friend’s guess is dramatically lower than what you guessed, you feel a sense of outrage even annoyance.

Here are two examples of that emotion played out across two different mediums and time periods.

First, an excerpt from Crime And Punishment by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Well, Nastenka, here’s two examples of headgear for you: this Palmer-ston” (he took from the corner Raskolnikov’s battered top hat, which for some unknown reason he called a Palmerston), “and this piece of jewelrywork. Give us an estimate, Rodya; how much do you think I paid for it? Nastasyushka?” he turned to her, seeing that the other said nothing.

“Offhand I’d say twenty kopecks,” Nastasya replied.

“Twenty kopecks? Fool!” he cried, getting offended. “Even you would cost more than twenty kopecks these dayseighty kopecks!

And that’s only because it’s second-hand.

Second, we have a contemporary piece by Gus Johnson.