Fourth grade boys list things they don't like about being a boy...

[Orrex]

75. That's intellectually dishonest.

You are assigning emotional responses to people according to your own inference and whim. It's a classic dismissive tactic serving to undercut an opponent's argument.

It is of exactly the same species as dismissing someone for being "defensive" or "outraged" or for "taking it personally." The tendency is to steer the argument away from the discussion at hand and turn it toward a futile debate about whether or not the accused is indeed "defensive."

It's also nearly identical to dismissing a woman's opinion because "she's too emotional." The only difference is that the latter accusation is clearly the assertion of an asshole, while the slightly more subtle accusations are somehow seen as fair game.


Demonstrate that the objections articulated here are motivated by fear or failure to understand. Since you've made the accusations, it's your responsibility to support them.