Internet rules and laws: the top 10, from Godwin to Poe

[steve2470]

An old article from 2009 but still a goodie

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6408927/Internet-rules-and-laws-the-top-10-from-Godwin-to-Poe.html

1. Godwin’s Law

The most famous of all the internet laws, formed by Mike Godwin in 1990. As originally stated, it said: "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1." It has now been expanded to include all web discussions.

It is closely related to the logical fallacy “reductio ad Hitlerum”, which says “Hitler (or the Nazis) liked X, so X is bad”, frequently used to denigrate vegetarians and atheists.

Common Godwin's Law appearances include describing women's rights campaigners as “feminazis”, comparing the former US President George W Bush to Hitler, or saying Barack Obama's proposed healthcare reforms are the new Holocaust.

*end of excerpt*

More at link above, enjoy !

[longship]

1. R&K

[Drale]

2. The true rules of the internet

[malthaussen]

3. Well, hell, I just learned something.

I always thought "begs the question" meant to beg off the question -- ie, refuse to address it because one has no suitable retort. Puts me among the ignoramii, I guess.

-- Mal

[Hatchling]

4. I love this one!

DeMyer's Second Law of Internet Debating states:
Anyone who posts an argument on the internet which is largely quotations, can be very safely ignored and is deemed to have lost the argument before it has begun.

[malthaussen]

5. Good thing for Aquinas he's dead.

He'd fail by that rule.

-- Mal

[Confusious]

6. and.... I've seen every example on DU

The "declaring yourself the winner" one a few weeks ago. I knew there was something wrong with the other person declaring themselves the winner of the debate, but I just couldn't put my finger on it.

( Oh, except for #5, I always get there late and the mess has already been cleaned up )

[Leftist Agitator]

7. To be fair...

Both Adolf Hitler and George Bush did instigate aggressive wars against innocent nations based on a pack of lies.

In that sense, the comparison is completely valid.

[Iggo]

8. I DON'T WEAR MY UNDERWEAR ON THE OUTSIDE!!!!!

[Volaris]

9. HAHAHA...YOU, Sir, are a dirty liar. (but well-played)