3 ms·
Way too attached to a bit of paint on paper. Is there a name for the rhetorical device where one tries to devalue something by referring to it in this technica
by dogecoinbase 11y ago
Way too attached to a bit of paint on paper.
Is there a name for the rhetorical device where one tries to devalue something by referring to it in this technically-correct-debasing kind of way? I feel like I'm seeing it more and more often on HN and elsewhere. It's some kind of anti-intellectualism but I feel like it must be more specific.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- mikekchar 11y agoPeople have opinions. Sometimes, missing the opportunity to understand the other side of the equation, they attach an oversimplified label in order to make their opinion seem obvious and correct. Usually, though, it is an honest expression of their opinion however much they are ignoring the other opinions around them. As you correctly point out, it is very common. You can choose to break the cycle, if you like. Acknowledging the other person's opinion as valid is the first step. After that, you may or may not want to encourage them to expand their view. However, if you think that the other person is unable to understand this point you may choose not to waste your time. I suspect that you could find a simplified label to describe the comment of the parent post, but perhaps it would be better to consider their opinion as valid and move on.
- xefer 11y agoMeiosis http://rhetoric.byu.edu/figures/M/meiosis.htm http://rhetoric.byu.edu/figures/M/meiosis.htm
- noonespecial 11y agoI've gone s far as to call it the "yellow metal" fallacy. (ie gold) Its all just matter in the end, but sometimes there's value in how its arranged. Ignoring that is stupid.
- JoeAltmaier 11y agoNo, its called intellectual honesty, or integrity. To subscribe to someone else's value system and order your life according to their views is stupid.
- kingmanaz 11y agoReductionism, or substituting the part for the whole.