Derailing threads

Not Insane · #1 10-22-2020, 10:15 AM

I've said for years that the three primary argument tools of the left (Their MO) are as follows:
Ad hominem attack
Deflection
Projection and its sister, gaslighting.

Chicks was going all in with the deflection so much in this thread that it reminded me of a great post I saw on another site. What stood out was the examples of deflection that we conservatives see all the time. Here it is in its entirety:
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TO MY TRUMP HATING FRIENDS and Relatives
Literally every conversation I've had with a Trump hater about the upcoming election goes something like this:

Hater: I can't wait to get Donald Trump out of office.
Me: Why?

Hater: Why???? Don't tell me you don't think he colluded with Russia!
Me: According to Robert Mueller's exhaustive, 2-yr multi-million dollar investigation, there was no evidence of that. But we now have evidence that the Obama administration spied on him and his campaign using the FBI. Recently released classified documents from the DNI clearly show that John Brennan, Obama, James Comey and Joe Biden all knew that Hillary Clinton and the DNC colluded with Russians and other foreign agents to create a campaign to destroy a US President. Evidence they spied on and targeted American citizens in the process. Aren't you worried about our government trampling civil liberties and being corrupted?

Hater: Well, he said he'd repeal and replace Obamacare. What happened to that?
Me: Well, he removed the tax penalty which removes the mandate. Congress now just has to move with its replacement. He can't do it by Executive Order. Nancy Pelosi will never allow that. For her it's all political and not what's best for all of America. You do know Obama had very little to do with the writing of the ACA, right?

Hater: Well, he said he'd build a wall and Mexico was gonna pay for it. Haha. What happened to that?
Me: They've built over 300 miles of new wall so far and he's renegotiated NAFTA costing Mexico billions of dollars that were given to them by Bill Clinton through the returning of jobs in America.

Hater: Well, that's not them paying for it!
Me: The new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico has BILLIONS coming to us from Mexico. Did you think he literally meant Mexico was gonna write a check with "Wall" in the memo?

Hater: Well, he's buddy buddy with Putin and Kim Jung Un.
Me: Getting along with your adversaries is not a bad thing. Or would you prefer he antagonize them? BTW, when was the last "test missile" North Korea sent Japan's way? Aren't you aware that Trump has enacted billions in sanctions against Russia?

Hater: Well, he doesn't like the military! He called the dead soldiers "losers!"
Me: You're referring to a report made from "anonymous sources", when over nine people who were with the President have gone on record saying that it wasn't true? That doesn't send up any red flags for you? He's brought our Vets home and taken great strides to improve their benefits. He also tackled something that no previous administration has been able to do - fixing the badly broken VA. Ask any veteran you know. That's a funny way to treat people you think are "losers," don't you think?

Hater: Well, he got impeached for God's sake!
Me: Yes, impeached by a partisan House and subsequently acquitted as there was no evidence that the President did anything wrong (no quid pro quo) in his communication with the President of Ukraine. BTW, you know Joe Biden actually admitted on national TV to doing that exact thing while he was in office as VP though, right?

Hater: Well he handled COVID horribly!
Me: Experts told him we would have between 1.5 and 2 million deaths. So far it has been less than 250,000. What would you have done differently?

Hater: He didn't close the borders in time!
Me: He announce travel restrictions on 1/31 and was called racist, xenophobic, and fear monger for doing so, all the while Nancy Pelosi and Bill Deblasio were walking in Chinatown telling everyone to come on down, the water is fine.

Hater: Well, he refused to wear a mask.
Me: There are pictures and video of him wearing a mask. Do you wear a mask 24/7?

Hater: Well, that was too far after!
Me: After what? He had two of his experts on national TV every day giving updates and telling everyone to wear a mask? No he didn't. Even the "Experts" gave changing opinions and recommendations about wearing a mask.
Hater: Well, he said everything will be fine and this will end!
Me: Did you want him to run around screaming that the sky was falling? Would it be better or more honest if he had said we are never going to beat or defeat Covid-19?

Hater: Well, listen to the way he talks! He's nasty! He's not how I want my President to sound.
Me: Ahhh. NOW we're getting somewhere. You don't like his style or personality. Everything you have mentioned until now is incorrect misinformation. Everything you've mentioned up until now is because you don't like him. So for you it seems personal and not about the job he's done. So listen, if you want a President who will tell you whatever you want to hear, flip-flopping on every issue, not getting anything done his entire time while in office, but who sounds like a "nice guy" (even though he seems seriously impaired), then Joe Biden is definitely your man.

Not Insane · #2 10-22-2020, 10:16 AM

My point is this: When you change the subject in a thread in a forum, you are admitting you lost the argument - or you have no argument. It doesn't make you look good.

nailer · #3 10-22-2020, 10:24 AM

Considering how often you deflect and project ... would you care for some cheese to go with your whine?

Chicks · #4 10-22-2020, 10:27 AM

Sounds like I’m getting under this Insane clown’s skin. Good.

donquixote99 · #5 10-22-2020, 10:34 AM

What you call 'deflection' I call 'not letting worthless lies dominate the narrative.'

Not Insane · #6 10-22-2020, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nailer

Considering how often you deflect and project ... would you care for some cheese to go with your whine?

Ad-hom, and deflection. Nice.

Not Insane · #7 10-22-2020, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donquixote99

What you call 'deflection' I call 'not letting worthless lies dominate the narrative.'

Give some examples or it didn't happen.

Sounds like a topic for its own thread, though.

Chicks · #8 10-22-2020, 10:52 AM

Trump will end his presidency as he began it: Whining
By George F. Will

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...4fb_story.html

The great conservative pundit's article reminded me of this Insane whiner, lol. What a putz.

nailer · #9 10-22-2020, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not Insane

Ad-hom, and deflection. Nice.

Accurately describing your OP as a whine is not ad-hom, Addled Homie. In addition, directly addressing its first paragraph with an observation on your writing style isn't deflection. Apparently you're not quite sure what two of your three favorite words mean.

Not Insane · #10 10-22-2020, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nailer

Accurately describing your OP as a whine is not ad-hom, Addled Homie. In addition, directly addressing its first paragraph with an observation on your writing style isn't deflection. Apparently you're not quite sure what two of your three favorite words mean.

Opinions vary. Thanks so much for sharing yours.

And commenting on my writing style as you did is the ad-hom part. BTW, I write for a living and do very well, thank you.