Ad Hominem -- the favored attack of the right.

[merlinofchaos]

This one is so easy I don't need to actually say anything myself, except this: When you can't defend your position, attack those who think you are wrong.

"What a copout,'' Carlson said Monday. "On the one hand, he wants to play media critic and cultural critic, and on the other hand, if challenged, he retreats into 'I'm just a comedian' mode. I mean, that's pathetic.''

Attacking the Person
(argumentum ad hominem)
Definition:

      The person presenting an argument is attacked instead of the
      argument itself. This takes many forms. For example, the
      person's character, nationality or religion may be attacked.
      Alternatively, it may be pointed out that a person stands to
      gain from a favourable outcome. Or, finally, a person may be
      attacked by association, or by the company he keeps.

      There are three major forms of Attacking the Person:
      (1) ad hominem (abusive): instead of attacking an assertion,
      the argument attacks the person who made the assertion.
      (2) ad hominem (circumstantial): instead of attacking an
      assertion the author points to the relationship between the
      person making the assertion and the person's circumstances.
      (3) ad hominem (tu quoque): this form of attack on the
      person notes that a person does not practise what he
      preaches.

Comments

Fair enough, I guess.

[colubra.livejournal.com]

I feel I ought to quote the title of the post you wrote which I responded to:
Ad Hominem -- the favored attack of the right.

It was perhaps reasonable to perceive your post as aimed at the tactics of the right, given that.

Re: Fair enough, I guess.

[merlinofchaos]

Sure, I believe the right commits more ad hominems than the left. But I was in no way saying that the left isn't guilty of them as well.

Another issue I've been having with politics lately. I'm sick of the "If you're not right you must be left" and "If you're not left you must be right" stance I see from all of the die hards on both sides.

Re: Fair enough, I guess.

[colubra.livejournal.com]

Which was, indeed, part of my point in saying 'now now, it's not just the right wing who pulls this shit'. :)