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Philosopher's Nightmare

Any time you're witnessing a conversation spiral downwards and are able to identify the rhetorical techniques participants are fueling the descent with little hope of being able to recover from. Techniques include cherry-picking, generalizing, the moral high ground, appealing to fear or popularity, aggressive (including passive) behavior, explicit bias and persistent rambling with an intent to win over the other side. You're confident any contribution or attempt to help move the conversation forward will be ignored or met with immediate resistance and rejection.

That post on Facebook about gun control became a Philosopher's Nightmare with most of the participants attacking and distracting each other.

by Dread Pirate Skeptic November 27, 2022


VH Reflex

The learned behavior or reflex to rewind DVD, Blu-ray or other digital media after years or decades of using VHS, tape and other cassettes. Instilled by VHS rentals requiring rewinding of said media before returning.

Movie is over. Resist your VH Reflex and turn it back to TV.

by Dread Pirate Skeptic June 2, 2011

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Storefront Coyote

A business who stages their services in a community in order to feed off the wealth while investing little of the revenue back into the broader community. Services are often but not always lower value Pleasure or entertainment-themed.

Sarah: There is a Psychic setting up shop in town.
Jennifer: Uh oh. Storefront Coyote coming to prey on vulnerable people.

by Dread Pirate Skeptic March 31, 2019


Arguing with a shampoo bottle

When arguing with someone and the other party distracts the topic by resorting to appeals of emotion, belief and other logical fallacies.
The conversation gets caught in a loop. As it reads on the back of a shampoo bottle at the end of the instructions...rinse and repeat.

"X must exist. I just saw a poll that says 90% of all Americans believe in X."

"99% of everyone once thought the world was flat. They had no evidence and were proven wrong by people who sought the truth."

"X must exist! If X did not exist, then the world would be a horrible place!"

"You'll be able to move on. Its only in your mind that X influences your life."

"I acknowledge that I have no argument for the existence of X. However, I have a great desire for X to exist. Therefore I accept that X exists."

"This is like arguing with a shampoo bottle. You're stuck in a loop of rinse and repeat."

by Dread Pirate Skeptic June 8, 2014


Latex Night

An evening of protected (latex condom) sex. Said latex is worn because the sex is with a new or casual partner. The latex can also be introduced as a form of restriction, hindrance or to reduce the quality of sex in light dominance/submission play.

Tom : What are your plans tonight?
Petra : I've had enough of Jeff. I'm going out tonight. Its going to be a Latex Night.

by Dread Pirate Skeptic October 10, 2015