10 Comics That Shut Down Terrible Internet Arguments

[ismnotwasm]

Not just for feminists!



1. The Terrible Argument: "You're violating my free speech!"

Some people are under the mistaken impression that free speech means that they can say anything they want without criticism or consequence. But this comic from Randall Munroe's xkcd reminds us exactly what free speech means:


2. The Terrible Argument: "Not all [insert group] are like that! I'm not like that!"

Sometimes, in response to complaints of harassment/bad actions by a particular group, a member of that group will respond with, "Not all of us are like that!" as if it is some sort of argument against the complaint.

To highlight the problem with that response (and doing nothing to solve the problem at hand), Dick Jarvis made the comic "Gull Factory" about a conversation between a seagull and rat. It doesn't go so well. Jarvis includes this note:

If you feel like this comic doesn't accurately represent you, and that you personally don't act like this, good. That means this comic isn't about you.

If you DO act like this, and are working on a counter argument about how not all _____ are ______ , well that's just disappointing.

More: http://io9.com/10-comics-that-shut-down-terrible-internet-arguments-1677109868

[Kalidurga]

1. The one that bugs me the most is the reasonable polite arguement

and they almost always ask for a link for proof of your experience claims. I am thinking "dude" I don't have a link to prove my experience when I am riding the bus or when I am at school or any other of my life events. Seriously it's very dismissive of peoples real life experience. Which is a lot like arguement number seven, a person doesn't have the same experience, so they doubt that you have had that experience. And that is illustrated way down in the comments when someone is arguing that women don't ever have a hard time with having access to an abortion clinic, cuz you know we all live in major urban areas and have cars. And that person has had to wait for a doctors appointment, so what's the problem with access to clinics?

[ismnotwasm]

2. Exactly

I love the way these "terrible arguments" are outlined here--they can be incredibly frustrating

[Jerry442]

4. Gets even worse when the sea lion is trying to save your soul. NT

[Kalidurga]

5. Yeah it does

I don't have a phrase that is a guarantee of making them go away either. However, they do tire of me rather quickly online anyway. In real life not so much unless you just tell them straight up to go away they seem to be able to natter on for hours.

[chrisa]

3. For people that don't get street harassment:

[ismnotwasm]

6. Love that one!