December 1991 LSAT Section 4 Question 9

An easy willingness to tell funny stories or jokes about oneself is the surest mark of supreme self–confidence. This ...

Nativeguy on June 5, 2023

Is the surest way ? how can we say its the only way ?

An easy willingness to tell funny stories or jokes about oneself is the "SUREST" mark of supreme self–confidence. This willingness, often not acquired until late in life, is even more revealing than is good–natured acquiescence in having others poke fun at one. Please help

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Emil-Kunkin on June 7, 2023

Good question! If this were a must be true, I would be stumped, but for a most strongly supported, which is a slightly softer must be true, I think we can just about defend A.

I certainly don't think that we can prove A to 100 percent certainty. We know that being ok with being the butt of the joke shows confidence. This suggests to me (but doesn't prove) that people who don't have that confidence are likely to not enjoy being the butt of the joke. This is ok support for A.

Not I'm only saying Ok support. For a real must be true, we need to be 100 percent sure. For a most strongly supported question I would normally say we need to be more than 95 percent sure. Here, I'd say I'm only at 80 percent sure. However, since the other answer choices are clearly wrong, I would pick A even though it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I'd also not that this was from 1991, and that a modern test would be unlikely to come up with such a weak correct answer.