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To: count-your-change

I misspelled (but close), it’s Godwin , and here is the wiki definition of Godwin’s law:

Godwin’s Law (also known as Godwin’s Rule of Nazi Analogies) is a humorous observation made by Mike Godwin in 1990 which has become an Internet adage. It states: “As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.”
The term Godwin’s law can also refer to the tradition that whoever makes such a comparison is said to “lose” the debate.

Godwin’s Law is often cited in online discussions as a deterrent against the use of arguments in the widespread reductio ad Hitlerum form. The rule does not make any statement about whether any particular reference or comparison to Adolf Hitler or the Nazis might be appropriate, but only asserts that the likelihood of such a reference or comparison arising increases as the discussion progresses. It is precisely because such a comparison or reference may sometimes be appropriate, Godwin has argued, that overuse of Nazi and Hitler comparisons should be avoided, because it robs the valid comparisons of their impact.

Although in one of its early forms Godwin’s Law referred specifically to Usenet newsgroup discussions, the law is now applied to any threaded online discussion: electronic mailing lists, message boards, chat rooms, and more recently blog comment threads, wiki talk pages, and Twitter.

In other words, the side that compares the other side to Hitler in an online debate or argument has lost the debate. They have no other weapon than to call or associate the other side with Nazis.

In another thread today, GGG started off with this in the title. He lost the argument before it started.


453 posted on 09/30/2009 2:03:22 PM PDT by Wacka
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To: Wacka
Actually citing internet “wisdom” (one gaqs!) to shut off debate is little different from this:

“In other words, the side that compares the other side to Hitler in an online debate or argument has lost the debate. They have no other weapon than to call or associate the other side with Nazis.”

A more fitting saying, “Keep yor eye on the ball...or you’ll lose the ball”.

454 posted on 09/30/2009 2:43:20 PM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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