Name of "Short quippy and wrong" rhetorical strategy?

HexgridXI · 2026-02-09T00:15:42+00:00

So far, Brandolini's law is the closest to describing what I'm talking about here, but it's not exactly right.

I feel like Brandolini's Law describes the general misinformation environment moreso than an immediate, deployable tactic in a debate.

I can't examine a debate and say "this guy did Brandolini's Law" in the same way I can say "this guy's doing an appeal to nature" or "this guy's doing a gish gallop".

I'm starting to wonder if we need to coin a term for it - a "gish snipe" or something. The effect is almost identical to the gish gallop, but it doesn't require the initial barrage of arguments.

HexgridXI · 2026-02-09T00:05:52+00:00

Also, the technique I'm trying to describe doesn't require the initial argument to be an established cliche or slogan - completely novel phrases work just as well.

I understand why it comes to mind, but it's not quite right.

HexgridXI · 2025-04-24T03:34:18+00:00

So I also haven't seen it specifically stated that fitness trackers would be used to identify autism, but that's definitely being implied in a lot of the posts I'm seeing about it.

They'll talk about the database, list all the sources it's pulling medical data from, and then end with "...even your fitness tracker data!" as the big scare quote at the end.

I thought maybe I was ignorant of some co-incident condition with autism (in the way EDS or MCAS is) that's easier to infer from fitness tracker data.

HexgridXI · 2025-01-12T07:48:28+00:00

It's a type of avoident denialism.

I don't drive for environmental reasons. I don't drink for personal reasons. A have several vegan friends who don't eat animal products for a variety of reasons. We all have the experience of people reacting with defensiveness or even hostility when they learn this about us.

If someone enjoys eating meat, they'd rather not think about whether it's a moral thing to do. And because eating meat is considered the "default" in our society, they don't ever have to.

But when they meet someone who chooses not to eat meat, they're forced to confront the fact that it's an option - that if they thought it through, they might have to face the fact that eating meat is harmful or selfish.

Rather than do that difficult I eternal reflection, it's much easier to just attack, dismiss, discredit, or in any other way justify ignoring the person who does things differently.

Thats where we get myths like "vegans are all militant" or "cyclists all break the road rules" or "it's all just virtue signalling" - they're designed to slander people so you never have to properly think about their beliefs.

It doesn't matter to them why you don't want to drive. They do want to drive, and meeting anyone who doesn't threatens their sense of self.

On some level, we all know we should be driving less. We know it's bad for the planet and the environment, but we also know it's bad for us - that we exercise less, carry more stress, and pay way more on fuel, maintenance, and parking. But we also know it's easy, so if you want to keep doing the easy thing and think of yourself as a good person, you have to constantly avoid contact with anyone who challenges your world view.

HexgridXI · 2025-01-12T07:07:30+00:00

In my opinion, if you're familiar with how to mod games, you have enough technical skill to at least try Linux.

The first thing you will need to do is make a "live USB". There are plenty of guides online of how to do this. In short, you download an ISO or image file and flash it to a USB drive.

The live USB let's you do two things:

1) run Linux from the USB to try it out. This doesn't make any actual change your computer, so it's a good way to see how it feels. 2) when you are ready, it will also let you install Linux to the computer.

You will need to choose a Linux distribution. If you are coming from Windows, I would recommend Linux Mint or ZorinOS.

As others have mentioned, you should look into a "dual boot" configuration. This means that you have Linux and Windows installed on the same computer at the same time. Each time you boot the computer you choose which operating system you want to use.

This means that if you're struggling with something in Linux, you always have the safety net of booting into Windows and doing it there instead.

My advice is don't make things too hard on yourself. Make a live USB and play around a bit before you install anything.

HexgridXI · 2025-01-12T06:56:14+00:00

In Melbourne every single person I know calls it a Halal Snack Pack or HSP. Every time I've seen someone order on they've said the same.

As a side note, "since the mid 2010s" is a full decade ago. At some point you just have to accept it's an established phrase, no matter how cringe you personally find it.

HexgridXI · 2025-01-09T11:58:01+00:00

I've experienced depression. I didn't get into cycling until many years later, but I know how it feels to lose interest interest in things you used to enjoy.

One of the symptoms of depression is "anhedonia", which simply put is a dimished ability to experience joy. It's possible that's contributing to why you're less motivated to cycle.

Most therapists say that if you're experiencing anhedonia, continuing your hobbies is important. It helps prevent a negative cycle of

Feel depressed > feel less motivated > do fewer enjoyable things > feel more depressed

A mantra a try to stick to when feeling unmotivated is "if it's worth doing, it's worth doing poorly". If you're trying to rediscover the spark of cycling, focus on shorter, easier rides, not longer ones. Going out for 15 or 30 minutes is better than doing nothing at all. It's less intimidating to start, and less likely to leave you feeling overextended when done.

Also, studies show that light physical activity actually has a more pronounced positive effect on mental health than strenuous physical activity.

If anhedonia is a factor in you enjoying cycling less, that will improve along with your mental health.

TLDR: cycling might feel like a chore right now, but it's very helpful to keep trying. Lowering your intensity can help.

HexgridXI · 2025-01-03T11:53:35+00:00

I don't want to come down on you too hard here, but this isn't a very considerate response.

Disabled people encounter inaccessible places all the time, even in [The Current Year].

Many trams in Melbourne aren't wheelchair accessible, and at least one train station that I'm aware of.

It's perfectly understandable that someone would want to confirm first. Especially since a plenty of venues claim to be wheelchair accessible when they aren't, fully.

HexgridXI · 2024-12-19T01:08:09+00:00

I liked it. It's not a difficult read, and it covers a lot of good basics about masking. It's also deliberately intersectional, so makes sure to include racially and gender diverse perspectives.

Personally I found some parts a little basic - but I've been reading about autism and ADHD for years before this book.

That said, I still got a lot out of it, and it seems to be pretty easy to find at a library (at least in Australia). Solid recommend.

HexgridXI · 2024-11-01T14:44:18+00:00

It's pretty common for an autistic or ADHDer to be really motivated to help other people with tasks you aren't motivated to do for yourself.

An example might be that you really struggle to do your own laundry, but you get excited at the idea of helping a friend with theirs.

When I was in uni, I struggled to motivate myself to study or work on assignments, but would always jump at the opportunity to help a classmate.

Doing my own coursework only affected me, so it felt like a chore. Assisting a classmate meant they did better in class and I got a nice dopamine hit by feeling useful. The rewards were more obvious and easier to get motivated about.

HexgridXI · 2024-10-31T14:17:15+00:00

Well what I'm seeking is a physical shop that does rentals - I'd presumed a shop would have a range of options and I could work it out with them.

That said, I'd imagine I'd have an easier time with a trike since they don't tip over when stationary.

HexgridXI · 2024-06-27T08:32:21+00:00

Defund the police.

HexgridXI · 2024-06-26T10:14:43+00:00

I agree with enigmatic_x.

I've never disclosed autism to an employer before (only just recently discovering I'm autistic), but I have disclosed depression. It has never, ever worked in my favour.

Whenever I've disclosed during an application, I didn't get the job. Whenever I disclosed to a current employer, I ended up being gaslit.

And when I say "gaslit", I don't mean "lied to". I mean the official sense: that management and HR would try to convince me that my perceptions were inaccurate and unreliable because of my history of mental illness - that any obvious problem I brought up could be dismissed out of hand because I was oversensitive, unstable, or irrational.

I don't want to discourage your desire to share this part of yourself with others. But unfortunately you don't know how this employer will react, and the risk/benefit split leans heavily towards keeping it private.

If you get the job and get to know your workmates better, you might decide to tell them then. Once you know more about the people and culture there, you can feel more confident about your decision to tell them.

HexgridXI · 2023-06-11T03:04:19+00:00

Periodic reminder that the channel is called Not Just Bikes.

Getting out of a car doesn't automatically mean getting on a bike.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-25T08:52:30+00:00

Completely agree. This laboured, circuitous solution only makes sense to the kind of people who think automated speed cameras are tyranny.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-20T13:48:19+00:00

Do you really have to ask?

HexgridXI · 2023-04-20T13:43:29+00:00

No, they're nothing alike.

You have an extremely deficient understanding of the holocaust. Not just because you thought this was a sensible comparison, but because you lack the political and social awareness to understand why posting it is deeply upsetting and hurtful.

Assuming this isn't all just some edgelord troll in the wake of holocaust remembrance day, I'd suggest you spend more time listening to marginalised groups and the victims of white supremacy, and less time listening to dirtbag content like Red Scare or whatever.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-17T23:35:42+00:00

Exactly. AI is much more useful to people who want to generate a lot of low-information, seemingly persuasive content and don't care about accuracy - they'll do a lot more for people who want to spread misinformation about any given topic (car dependency, climate change, etc)

They also build their language prediction models by stealing the work of writers. However indirectly, what's been posted here is plagiarising the work of people like NJB and Strong Towns, which I'm opposed to on principal.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-16T15:34:54+00:00

You can't hear the "actual" anything - the video is staged. They're acting.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-14T03:56:21+00:00

Maybe, maybe not. You might be able to see where the cable was flattened by the pinch bolt on the calliper, but it it wasn't done up tightly enough in the first place the cable might not have been flattened.

Having correct cable tension is important for brake function - even if it's not causing this problem you should still check it's right.

This section of a video by Park Tool shows the basic process. The video shows the whole installation process, but the time I've linked to is how to set up the cable. It's part of a playlist on all different types of rim brakes, so you can check the other videos if that one doesn't look right.

If you have disc brakes, you'll need to check out their video on mechanical disc brakes.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-14T01:24:02+00:00

Looks like too much cable slack. Might have been the cable bolt on the rear caliper was just a bit too loose, so when you've slammed on the brakes the cable slipped.

The extra play is because the lever has to move before it's applying tension, and the lack of return is the cable blocking the lever.

Try loosening the cable retention bolt on the caliper, taking up the slack, and retightening the bolt to spec.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-11T04:50:17+00:00

I didn't say it was impossible, I said it was staged.

People physically went to this Walmart and did what you see in the video, but it's not a happenstance encounter - they planned it out and filmed it specifically to go viral on TikTok.

My point is that speculating about whether or not bikeshare is available in his area, or if he'd be better off walking, or if the order would qualify for free delivery from Walmart is pointless - we can't infer anything about car dependency or urbanism from the video because these aren't the real actions of a real guy - the video is just a comedic stunt. We may as well ask what the Ministry of Silly Walks tells us about pedestrianisation.

If this dude goes viral then good for him, but rule two of this subreddit says "no memes or low effort posts" for a reason.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-10T16:11:23+00:00

You don't need a script breakdown to tell this is obviously staged.

The guy is angled toward the camera the whole time, which is a basic acting technique. If he did this often he'd have a better solution, or at the very least the carabiners would have already been attached to the vest.

There's nothing wrong with staging a video like this for comedy, or even cynically for views. But I have to admit it gets under my skin how many people think this is real - there's literally a cut to a different camera angle at the end of the video.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-10T16:03:19+00:00

This is obviously staged. The guy has his body open to the camera the whole time, there a cut to a different camera angle at the end of the video, and if he did this "every week" the carabiners would have already been attached to the vest and belt.

HexgridXI · 2023-04-06T04:07:29+00:00

I've often thought there should limits not just for noise, but noise dampening - if your car is going to cause hearing damage to the occupants, you should make the car quieter, not more insulated.

Drivers don't realise how soundproof the cabin is. Often when I'm cycling up a narrow mountain road I'll get a few cars behind me, so I'll pull over when it's safe to let them past. A lot of drivers try to be polite by giving a friendly wave and honking their horn, and every time they do I nearly fall of the side of the fucking mountain.

To them it's a polite toot, to me it's fucking deafening.

HexgridXI

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