The Logical Fallacy's definitions

The Department of Bitching and Moaning

An organization to social justice warfare on the internet.

"So what's trending today?"
"Hmmm, another terrorist attack..."
"Pass."
"...more corruption in our justice system..."
"Double Pass."
"...someone thinking about not seeing the new Ghostbusters movie..."
"Someone is not thinking about seeing the new Ghostbusters movie! Away!"
--The Department of Bitching and Moaning, Nostalgia Critic review of Ghostbusters (2016)

by The Logical Fallacy October 11, 2018

Churchlish

Religious dogma used as an excuse to act assholish and mean-spirited to everybody. Portmanteau of "church" and "churlish".

Just because the Bible says that you can buy women does not mean you have the right to pawn your daughter off to a creep with a checkbook. That's just churchlish.

by The Logical Fallacy January 3, 2019

Day of 1000 Cuts

A type of bad day that consists primarily of mishaps and general problems that one knowingly has no right to openly complain about, either being too minor and inconsequential to be worth getting upset over or are because of that person's own poor decisions, until the person in question's temper boils over.

I overslept, I forgot to pack a lunch,I stub my toe on the way out, I have to drive for an hour while keeping a fly trapped with me in the car out of my face, I remember that I have to get an oil change, all of my ceramic pots exploded in the kiln because of air-bubbles in them, I leave my homework in my car and only remember until after I make it to class and then I have to sit in traffic in an hour, a firetruck overseeing the wreck taking up three lanes on the freeway. "Death by 1000 Cuts"? Well mine was a Day of 1000 Cuts.

by The Logical Fallacy October 4, 2018

Destructive Criticism

Often confused with Constructive Criticism, destructive criticism is when a critique is made that does little to open for improvement, but rather attacks the work through fallacious logic or personal bias, and often leads to the weaken rather than strengthen the work. Usually done to attack the creator and not the creation.

It's destructive criticism to demand a happy ending instead of a horrifying ending for an intentionally horrifying film.

by The Logical Fallacy October 16, 2016

American Exceptionalism

A patriotism-based political belief that states that the United States of America is unique or exceptional when compared with the historical development of other countries, and is thus considered better than other countries regardless of context.

More extreme cases of this have led to white-washing of historical events, propaganda and violation of international law under the pretense that "it's not a crime when America does it."

America's greatness, America's exceptional greatness, is not based on that fact that we are the most powerful, most prosperous - and most generous - nation on earth. Rather, those things are the result of American Exceptionalism.
-- Newt Gingrich

by The Logical Fallacy September 23, 2016

Hemingway Defense

Where the stress and work of artistic expression is used to excuse substance abuse, chemical dependencies and other toxic coping-mechanisms.

"I also employed the world-famous Hemingway Defense... which goes something like this: as a writer, I am a very sensitive fellow, but I am also a man, and real men don't give in to their sensitivities. Only sissy-men do that. Therefore I drink. How else can I face the existential horror of it all and continue to work? Besides, come on, I can handle it. A real man always can."
-- Stephen King

by The Logical Fallacy February 17, 2023

exploitation film

Films that attempt to succeed financially by exploiting current trends, niche genres, and sensationalism with lurid and controversial content. Usually characterized by their B-movie quality, exploitation is filled with a variety of subgenres, such as Blaxploitation, Nazisploitation, Women in prison films, Cannibal films, Mondo films, etc.

"When you make an exploitation film, you always want to have a real issue. That's how they were always done."
-- Robert Rodriguez

by The Logical Fallacy June 10, 2017