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I find it mildly annoying when writers co-opt words for their own [marketing] purposes and then redefine those self-same words in order to validate their point.
by nochiel 16y ago
I find it mildly annoying when writers co-opt words for their own [marketing] purposes and then redefine those self-same words in order to validate their point. I am quite sure this is a logical fallacy of some kind. I'm just not smart enough to know which one it is. Let me provide an example:
First, the author says,
"Over the years, I've been accused by the press of many things, but one of my favorites is the articles that claim that I create cults or even religious orders in my companies."
Then, he goes on to say,
"...by 'cult' what I mean is a group of super high quality people who trust each other and have similar ways of thinking, learning, reacting, problem-solving and working together. Further, this team needs to bond together under a leader they trust and respect."
Well, no dictionary I can find defines cult in that way and the press were probably not using it in that manner either. In other words, he isn't addressing his favourite of the "many" accusations leveled at him. Instead, he is skirting the debate--if there is one at all--and repurposing it in order to aggrandize himself.
- ZitchDog 16y agoIt seems to me to be a type of Begging the Question[1] since the conclusion - 'leading a cult is a good thing' - is implied by the premise 'a cult is a group of people with good attributes'. 1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question
- nochiel 16y agoThanks for that. Related to your reference was a link to "Fallacies of definition" which I think might also be a feature of this article.
- silverbax88 16y agoI have to agree wholeheartedly. Upon reading the article, my first thoughts were, "I wish this guy actually knew what a cult means"....and then later realized "oh, he doesn't care what it means, because he's just going to decide what it means". Sort of like saying "I believe in miracles...if, by 'miracles', you mean completely expected outcomes that everyone thought would be the most likely result."
- hugothefrog 16y agoWell spotted. This may have been pointed out elsewhere, but it seems to have something in common with the if-by-whisky style of argument. All that's missing is the "if by 'cult' what I mean is a slavish adherence to laws and dictates laid down without recourse to reasoned argument.., then I disagree."