Pixelated Semantics

A schizotypical inventory

Straw men

Excellent analysis of the 'straw-man argument' at Media Matters. The technique involves misrepresenting the substance of a question or assertion as a way of attacking critics and avoiding a direct answer. MM uses GW Bush's denials that he ever linked Iraq to Al-qaeda, and the reporting of the denials, as an appropriate case-study; they also demonstrate the uncritical reporting in US media deriving from successful use of 'straw men'. Forbes also covers similar territory, with focus on using the rhetorical device by vaguely defining proponents who are then attacked to boost credibility:

'...the straw man device, in which the president makes himself appear entirely reasonable by contrast to supposed "critics," is just as problematic [...as 'dressing up events with a too-rosy glow' - editor]

A specialist in presidential rhetoric [...] views it as "a bizarre kind of double talk" that abuses the rules of legitimate discussion.

"It's such a phenomenal hole in the national debate that you can have arguments with nonexistent people," Fields said. "All politicians try to get away with this to a certain extent. What's striking here is how much this administration rests on a foundation of this kind of stuff."'

A near perfect example of this in the Australian context comes today from the former Immigration minister, who continues to deny accountability for the seemingly frequent detention of mentally ill citizens by his then department:

'Mr Ruddock said he could not be held accountable for actions he had not taken in ensuring the immigration department was running properly. [...]

Mr Ruddock said part of the difficulty in properly identifying people resulted from Australia's lack of a universal identity system.

The problem was made worse when people themselves - perhaps because of their diminished mental capacity - did not properly identify themselves to authorities in the first place, he said.'

Note the emphasis from the non-accountable Minister is shifted from potentially unlawful detention of the vulnerable to trying to engender a need for a 'universal identity system', and towards blaming the victim for their 'diminished capacity' - rather than acknowledging the lack of due process and enforcement of safeguards which would form part of the 'due diligence' of a Cabinet Minister's role. However, a Minister stating he 'could not be held accountable for actions he had not taken' could also be seen as admitting negligence - leaving the question of 'diminished capacity' also resting with the Minister's performance.

Note: Man of Steel has freshened up his straw men also, pushing his unwanted 'workplace reforms' by targetting a notional 'office whinger' as someone 'whose job might not be so secure under the new [...] regime'. His statements are populated not by actual cases, but by 'some people who have been a disruptive influence' and 'somebody in a small office of five people who constantly and unreasonably complained', while 'so many people have spoken to me and said, "I know exactly what you are talking about". His many 'someones' and absence of factual anecdote does make a case for a 'new regime' - in government.

Item posted by AutoEditor at 11:44 am ::