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LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)

166. as it stands, it's really nothing more than a very trendy, very popular internet meme

Tue Jul 2, 2013, 05:37 PM

Jul 2013

If the time ever arrives in which godwin's law is recognized and accepted as a formal academic rule of either critical logic or writing style, I'll give it scrutiny. Yet as it stands, it's really nothing more than a very trendy, very popular internet meme, and I'll certainly allow it all the consideration it actually warrants.

Comparisons and analogies are either valid or invalid in and of themselves, regardless of whether Hitler, Stalin or My Pretty Pony are used. Critique each use on its own, or allow an internet meme triumph over critical thought.

Wondering how many people would have giggled at anyone bringing up Godwin's Bumper-Sticker in my History of Germany, 1933-145. Most I would think. I once compared Pol Pot to Hitler in regards to per capita death toll. Goodness... what happens when we break this "law". Fallacy Police in Keystone Cops uniform appear?

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I'm gobsmacked that this post seems to be necessary: A Presentation of Godwin's Law: [View all] baldguy Jul 2013 OP

Yeah, you think defense lawyers are somehow tainted with their clients crimes. sibelian Jul 2013 #1

exactly!! quinnox Jul 2013 #4

. baldguy Jul 2013 #5

As you note, this name calling gets ridiculous but also note Skidmore Jul 2013 #9

Are you kidding? OilemFirchen Jul 2013 #28

It took me a while to figure out Skidmore Jul 2013 #29

Then, as I mentioned, there's the bonus stupid. OilemFirchen Jul 2013 #33

Apparently I annoyed two more people yesterday enough Jenoch Jul 2013 #127

KnR Hekate Jul 2013 #2

"stalin" and Stasi" and not covered by Godwin's Law... Cooley Hurd Jul 2013 #3

they don't violate the letter, but certainly the spirit of Godwin's Law. arely staircase Jul 2013 #11

No actually they don't violate spirit or letter. Warren Stupidity Jul 2013 #75

Okay. So, other than the NSA and the Stasi, Pholus Jul 2013 #154

yes nebenaube Jul 2013 #80

Quibble... Scootaloo Jul 2013 #6

No it isn't. baldguy Jul 2013 #8

I didn't say anything about Obama Scootaloo Jul 2013 #10

yeah, but wouldn't it be more effective to say something like arely staircase Jul 2013 #13

Does the Awlaki and the drone list count? Nuclear Unicorn Jul 2013 #12

Give it time 90-percent Jul 2013 #49

Plus a brazillion! nt Enthusiast Jul 2013 #123

The really scary thing is that there is NO OPPOSITION PARTY!!! bvar22 Jul 2013 #130

How would anyone know whether he has sulphurdunn Jul 2013 #61

The American state continues to imprison many people without trial in Guantanamo muriel_volestrangler Jul 2013 #128

So then is having a military treestar Jul 2013 #58

Well, depending on what the military DOES... Scootaloo Jul 2013 #68

The Stasi treestar Jul 2013 #74

Or what, you'll disappear me? Scootaloo Jul 2013 #85

LOL treestar Jul 2013 #89

Except for the massive surveilance, of course. Scootaloo Jul 2013 #93

Even the brief Wikipedia article above treestar Jul 2013 #97

But you have no proof that the NSA *DOESN'T* have janitors spying on us!!! baldguy Jul 2013 #101

I've been suspicious of the janitor treestar Jul 2013 #107

Actually now we spy on ourselves buying our own bugs and trackers. dkf Jul 2013 #103

:shrug: Romulus Quirinus Jul 2013 #90

All of the technology might have made it easier for them treestar Jul 2013 #91

You no longer need physical informants, networks do that work newthinking Jul 2013 #116

Except our military was used to attack and invade an innocent country. Octafish Jul 2013 #81

That is not the issue treestar Jul 2013 #92

I'll be gobsmacked. I thought we were talking about using the word NAZI to describe today. Octafish Jul 2013 #96

Holy cow, that is not applicable at all treestar Jul 2013 #98

You're not convincing me. I remain as truedelphi Jul 2013 #158

Yes it is. and those who most totally understand the STASI, truedelphi Jul 2013 #157

Even happens on banjo forums occasionally. dipsydoodle Jul 2013 #7

lol arely staircase Jul 2013 #15

The comments are generally inane siligut Jul 2013 #95

it is hard to parody arely staircase Jul 2013 #112

Hell, even from your post I can tell that the moon landing was, in fact, hand-drawn siligut Jul 2013 #113

Thats not what happens on the banjo blogs dipsydoodle Jul 2013 #147

Bwahahaha! I'm with Mel Brooks... dogknob Jul 2013 #39

don't know why I laughed… but I did. Banjo forums get ugly… who knew? KittyWampus Jul 2013 #83

Left-handed yet! Amazing! nt COLGATE4 Jul 2013 #146

"quisling" can be used without any Nazi connections, at least, Merriam-Webster thinks so quinnox Jul 2013 #14

you and I are miles apart on the whole snowden thing arely staircase Jul 2013 #18

yea, I agree quinnox Jul 2013 #22

See how much we really agree on. But we hiss & spit at each other like cats KittyWampus Jul 2013 #84

Vidkun Quisling †1945 Norwegian politician who collaborated with the Nazis baldguy Jul 2013 #19

right, that is the origin of the word quinnox Jul 2013 #20

Blasphemer!!!! JoePhilly Jul 2013 #16

Names or it didn't happen. cherokeeprogressive Jul 2013 #17

Ah, but that could be construed as a call-out. baldguy Jul 2013 #21

How could it be a call-out if you have links to the posts? cherokeeprogressive Jul 2013 #25

Here are two. OilemFirchen Jul 2013 #31

I read the OP to mean the OP himself was the one called a Nazi. cherokeeprogressive Jul 2013 #36

From the OP: OilemFirchen Jul 2013 #38

From your post: "when talking about your fellow DUers" cherokeeprogressive Jul 2013 #94

Yeah, they're outing themselves as Cha Jul 2013 #43

We should demand proof that the Stasi was treestar Jul 2013 #59

aside from using it as a personal accusation G_j Jul 2013 #23

I agree with your take on this. truedelphi Jul 2013 #159

What strikes me is how CakeGrrl Jul 2013 #24

It's a sympton of Snowden chauvanists losing. baldguy Jul 2013 #27

LOL, If you don't agree with meeeeeeeeee, you are a pro-authoritarian totalitarian supporting the FSogol Jul 2013 #26

Perfectly depicted!1 n/t UTUSN Jul 2013 #164

Question. Cleita Jul 2013 #30

+1 Electric Monk Jul 2013 #37

Where are President Obama's concentration camps? baldguy Jul 2013 #47

Have you heard about our privatized prison system? Cleita Jul 2013 #51

A prison is not a death camp. And Joe Arpaio is not Barack Obama. baldguy Jul 2013 #52

So what were the "death" camps? Cleita Jul 2013 #60

Abu Ghraib was closed in 2006. Pres Obama has been trying to close Gitmo since he got into office. baldguy Jul 2013 #69

Doesn't matter when it was closed. What matters is that it existed at all. Cleita Jul 2013 #70

A concentration camp also isn't a death camp. Those were next door, in some cases. DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #66

. baldguy Jul 2013 #71

Does accuracy surprise you to the point of "Wow, just wow"? DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #79

Concentration camps in Nazi Germany were an integral part of a industrialized infrustructure baldguy Jul 2013 #82

My assertions aren't assertions. They're rock-solid facts, not subject to debate. DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #132

So, you accept 1930s Nazi propaganda on whether they were "concentration camps" vs "death camps" baldguy Jul 2013 #138

I don't accept Nazi propaganda, and I don't accept US government propaganda DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #139

. baldguy Jul 2013 #140

Now I find out I'm arguing with someone at the picture book level. Jesus Christ. DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #141

So, in the "concentration camps" killing people was just a secondary function? baldguy Jul 2013 #143

$100 DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #144

Typical Paulbot. You see Nazis everywhere & think everything can be solved with money. baldguy Jul 2013 #145

Oh Zippy...there's a wager waiting for you. Don't be afraid. DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #148

If your "concentration camps" weren't designed to kill people, then why did they have gas chambers? baldguy Jul 2013 #149

ShinyPateMan, you're acting cowardly in the face of a challenge DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #161

Poor Paulbot. I have not "insinuated" anything other than you're clueless. baldguy Jul 2013 #165

Here you go: 20 links proving my assertion is correct, and that you're not DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #167

"... it is a tale. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing." baldguy Jul 2013 #170

Looks like Baldguy tried a frivolous alert after losing the argument. Again, he failed. appal_jack Jul 2013 #151

Supreme Irony DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #160

However, you need to look at the perspective. truedelphi Jul 2013 #155

You seriously have not a clue what you are talking about oberliner Jul 2013 #118

I seriously do have a clue. Birkenau=Auschwitz II. Read all about it. DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #120

They're all over the place 90-percent Jul 2013 #53

If he had any it would be classified. sulphurdunn Jul 2013 #65

+100 truebluegreen Jul 2013 #72

Right on. Thank you. 840high Jul 2013 #78

Trying to shush everyone makes me a bit suspicious. Enthusiast Jul 2013 #125

Rock on Cleita. wtmusic Jul 2013 #156

Twice. From cover to cover. Le Taz Hot Jul 2013 #168

I know. It's too bad it isn't required reading in high school. Cleita Jul 2013 #169

Technically speaking, Gore1FL Jul 2013 #32

But Godwin's Law has morphed into a way to censer people. zeemike Jul 2013 #46

Yes. It is as if "fascism" is something in the past truebluegreen Jul 2013 #77

“He who controls the past controls the future zeemike Jul 2013 #86

+1 truebluegreen Jul 2013 #88

And let's not forget to add epithets of racism. pa28 Jul 2013 #34

Godwin's Law is some Vichyite bullshit that can kiss my ass dogknob Jul 2013 #35

Goebbels actually learned propaganda from an American in the Hoover Administration. Fuddnik Jul 2013 #40

Also, Hitler writes over and over again in his tome "Mein Kampf" that he Cleita Jul 2013 #41

The "rebranding" guy... yes. dogknob Jul 2013 #45

what the nazis did was legal according to their self made laws. comparing status to status is not a msongs Jul 2013 #42

Where are President Obama's concentration camps? baldguy Jul 2013 #44

Ever hear of GITMO? HooptieWagon Jul 2013 #54

Quislings, lackeys, collaborators, trying to take a short-cut to shut down discussion. usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jul 2013 #48

Who decides who is a "democrat in good standing"? quakerboy Jul 2013 #50

The piece of internet tomfoolery called Godwin's 'law' serves the Nazis and should Bluenorthwest Jul 2013 #55

Pretty much. If a friend giving me a ride is doing 75 mph and accelerating... Demo_Chris Jul 2013 #108

baldguy, You previously said: "If it goose-steps like a duck, & "Seig Heils" like a duck..." Melinda Jul 2013 #56

From 2005? Are you kidding? baldguy Jul 2013 #99

Umm, no. Your words. You don't own your words? What's changed? Melinda Jul 2013 #100

Barack Obama is not Adolf Hitler. And Barack Obama is not George W Bush, either. baldguy Jul 2013 #102

Umm, wrong on this count too. You'll not find a post from me disparging President Obama. Melinda Jul 2013 #105

........And CHECKMATE! bvar22 Jul 2013 #129

Wow! A thing of beauty! Puglover Jul 2013 #150

lol usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jul 2013 #106

/thread Hydra Jul 2013 #134

Are you some kind of Nazi Nazi? hootinholler Jul 2013 #57

Nice post, Hitler Jamastiene Jul 2013 #62

Lol! NealK Jul 2013 #109

Godwin's law itself can be abused as a distraction, diversion or even as censorship DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #63

Nice post, Goebbels. rug Jul 2013 #64

Godwin's Law sulphurdunn Jul 2013 #67

"Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle actually used a wider notion of analogy. jtuck004 Jul 2013 #73

Trying to ruin their day, or what?? Major Hogwash Jul 2013 #76

I saw a "good German" post from a renowned imbecile here. Those posts are my absolute favorite after Number23 Jul 2013 #87

I bet Hitler woud be pleased to see your explanation of Godwin's law BlueStreak Jul 2013 #104

Godwin's law is not a law. It is an assertion which folks are free to take or leave TheKentuckian Jul 2013 #110

I agree with your OP. But are you saying there is "never" a time to use the comparison? Lint Head Jul 2013 #111

The irony of this self-righteous post is that Godwin's law is merely a claim of probability. Gravitycollapse Jul 2013 #114

Is this some new form of Holocaust denial? reusrename Jul 2013 #115

Is this some new form of Obama Derangement Syndrome? baldguy Jul 2013 #117

What the hell does Obama have to do with any of this? reusrename Jul 2013 #119

Why bother reading the OP? baldguy Jul 2013 #121

Ah, I think I see where you are coming from now. reusrename Jul 2013 #122

There can be elements of fascism that do not equate to Nazism. morningfog Jul 2013 #124

The problem is that Goodwins Law IS a Logical FAIL in and of itself. bvar22 Jul 2013 #126

uh...Godwin's "Law" isn't a scientific law, it's just a clever, memorable way to express something yurbud Jul 2013 #131

Godwin's Law is complete and utter bollocks, used by weak-minded people that can't win an argument.. truebrit71 Jul 2013 #133

You're just saying that because Glenn said so. baldguy Jul 2013 #135

Nope, actually I've been saying that for years... truebrit71 Jul 2013 #136

First rule of Oppression Club: Don't talk about Oppression Club. dogknob Jul 2013 #142

Let's not get too hung up on names here nolabels Jul 2013 #137

This from the guy who called me a whacked out corporatist Paulite libertarian or something. Pholus Jul 2013 #152

What does the observation that in online discussions, Nazi-comparisons will inevitably be made Democracyinkind Jul 2013 #153

It's a corollary to Godwin's Law that was added over time. It's nonsense. DisgustipatedinCA Jul 2013 #162

Glad to see I'm not the only one thinking that. nt Democracyinkind Jul 2013 #163

as it stands, it's really nothing more than a very trendy, very popular internet meme LanternWaste Jul 2013 #166

Internet memes equal intelligent discourse. Check. galileoreloaded Jul 2013 #171

If one cannot examine history and relate certain aspects of it boston bean Jul 2013 #172

seems a feeble attempt to limit, label, or perhaps censor azurnoir Jul 2013 #173