Split-Level Argument
Related to the "Motte-and-Bailey Doctrine".
1/ Iâve been noticing a ubiquitous technique recently upon which I have seen little commented. âPunchable faceâ, #killallmen, âOpen Bordersâ, âTax is Theftâ, âBelieve Womenâ, âFree marketsâ, âFree Speechâ and uptalking are examples. I want to explain here what I see linking them.
2/ The technique involves bundling an attacking position and a retreating position where the retreat is low cost and reasonable while the attack is wildly simplistic, irresponsible and generally too expensive to maintain. The attack is frequently literal & the retreat figurative.
3/ As @ezraklein pointed out for the attack position #KillAllMen dripping with sexism & misandry, the retreat position is âit would be nice if the world sucked less for womenâ. Likewise âOpen Bordersâ can collapse all the way down to âI donât want to see immigrants scapegoatedâ.
4/ Uptalking seems to be a speech pattern that has, among other benefits, figured out how to make an aggressive statement which would normally be costly in the underlying text for the price of just kinda maybe sorta asking a much less expensive (leading) question with oneâs tone.
5/ âTax is theftâ is a broad clean insane attack on nationhood, but if you bring up the problem of military protection as a well known public good & market defect, you get told that âTax is Teftâ is just a plea for smaller more prudent government. Okay. So why are we doing this?
6/ In the previous examples, the literal position has been the aggressive one, but thatâs not even always true. Sometime I hear âFeminism is simply the proposition that women are equal.â which would be the retreat position with which only a loon would be tempted to argue.
7/ Letâs call amalgams of attack and retreat Split-Level Arguments. We need to stop allowing these gambits to go unnoticed. They are like Navy SEALS dressed up as adorable toddlers. If youâre advancing âFree Marketsâ, pay the price for the simplicity you just bought when pressed.
End/ Letâs come up with language to make it very expensive to repeatedly push for something simple, clear & wrong as if we were just saying something reasonable & nuanced.
If youâve noticed this trend, send me examples or anyone elseâs name for it. Thx! đ
POST/ Deepity and Motte & Bailey are definitely examples of this kind of phenomena as people are pointing out. Question: do they cover the âUptalkingâ example to your satisfaction? Iâm looking for one universal label that covers them all. Thanks.
Also, in Motte and Bailey, the Bailey is being maintained. Itâs not an attacking position. The lord is not questing to conquer the lands of others. I donât know whether people make that distinction. Eager to learn more.
@rjheathfield Kiddie porn, military secrets, fighting words, etc...
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