What is the "Gish gallop?"
It's a way to overwhelm with a sheer number of bad arguments.
People sometimes don't notice they're doing it.
🔎 How to spot it
You hear a rapid-fire barrage of arguments, often including misinformation or fallacies, when just one good point should be enough.
🧠 Why it "works"
It eats up an opponent's energy, making them appear weak or unprepared to others.
🙋♂️ How to respond
It's not always worth it or even possible, but there are ways to sometimes stop the "galloper" in their tracks.
Some examples
Consider these examples of the "Gish gallop" being used by non-expert Tiktok users. Just as rapidly, they are countered by a PhD expert in Microbiology and Immunology.
Look at how much effort and expertise is actually needed to check statements this quickly, even with preparation.
Source: @scitimewithtracy
Source: @scitimewithtracy
Source: @scitimewithtracy
Source: @scitimewithtracy
Why it "works"
The Gish Gallop can "work" for several reasons:
- Overwhelms with quantity: The sheer volume of arguments is difficult to refute in real time, especially if the other person is not prepared it.
- Creates stress: It imposes a heavy cognitive load on the listener, who must process and counter each argument individually.
- Shifting Burden of Proof: It shifts the burden of proof to the listener, who is now assumed to be tasked with disproving a multitude of claims.
- Creates Doubt: Even if some points are refuted, the sheer number of arguments can create doubt about the listener's position or understanding about what they "left out".
In short:
Credit: Sketchplanations
How to respond
- Forced Focus: Require the galloper to present and defend their strongest argument.
- Rebut common themes: Identify a central flaw or inconsistency in the arguments and challenge that instead.
- Call-Out: Explicitly identify the tactic as a Gish Gallop, highlighting its manipulative nature.
- Selective Rebuttal: Focus on just a few of the arguments, showing the weakness of the overall approach.
- Weakest Link: Expose a particularly vulnerable argument and discredit the entire barrage.
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