A helpful tool of argument used to save
time or
energy or
something when encountering ideas
new or
old (or even ideas that you think you've probably heard before anyway). By grouping someone's argument or entire viewpoint with a commonly
known philosophical term, and following with an immediate
derogatory comment you can sometimes silence your
opponent, sway passive spectators, or, at the very least, prevent yourself from thinking about it.
Useful combinations:
liberal hogwash
blind conservativism
New Age bullshit
typical sophistry
post-modernist crap (or, for better results "po-mo")
commie drivel
Some helpful, throw-away phrases include:
What a bunch of...
You're/That's just full of...
That would make sense, to a... (personalize it for this one)
Some claim that alliteration is also a good aid for dismissive comments (e.g. conservative clap-trap!. Another hepful tip is to remember not to introduce new information that might incite further discussion. It is a gamble whether a phrase like "pre-Socratic tautology" will shut everyone up or simply create inquiries as to what you mean.
Categorization can have similar effects on conversations as dismission, but using the former allows your hostility to remain latent, and what's the fun of that?