The Perversity of Inanimate Objects was originally developed from one specific instance, well known to all of us. If you put a number of pairs of sock in a washing machine, you do not get whole pairs out, due to their random movements between machines.

The final proof of this was when a washing machine was left fully plumbed in etc, and tied to the roof, with the door open and hanging down, so any socks that did appear there fell out onto the floor below, whilst there were no socks in it the rest of the time to vanish. The Nobel Committee is currently deciding which category this best fits under...