Zenpriest #57 - Personal Attacks and Mind Games

QUOTE: "If anyone knows who wrote [The Feminist Shaming Tactics Catalog], I'd love to give credit where it’s due."

The author is a fellow who went by the handle of JadedGuy on Mancoat, and currently has the blog "Biblical Manhood" where I believe he calls himself Anakin Niceguy.

As useful as this has been for men, I have already noticed that women are adapting. I have been suggesting for some time that men anticipate this and up their side of the confrontation.

These really are "tactics", and those familiar with military terms will know that "tactics" are individual actions executed within an overall strategy, and strategies themselves are engaged in to support a goal or objective.

The goal, of course is to keep men silenced and refuse to hear what they are saying, the strategy is to twist the message so that it becomes about the man himself rather than what he is saying, and the tactic is person attacks and mind games.

From our side, I suggest strategically going on the counter-offensive. The reason that shaming tactics are so effective is that they trigger the reflex to go on the defensive and attempt to either deny or justify the accusation - in effect validating it.

eg. "You all just hate women.
response: "I don't hate women, I love women."

No matter what a man says at this point, he has lost the conversation because the woman has stolen it from him and made it about him rather than about the issues.

That is why I suggest calling them "personal attacks and mind games" instead of "shaming tactics" or "shaming language." Point out that the person is simply attacking you personally, for the purpose of changing the subject. This puts them on the defensive. Then, go on to restate your point. If they engage in another personal attack on you, simply point that out again, along with the fact that you have already pointed it out.

Remember that the objective is NEVER to convert the person you are arguing with - always, always, ALWAYS play to the lurkers. If you can keep control of the conversation, and make the feminist look foolish and hypocritical, as well as malicious, you will sway far more sympathy to your position than if you allow them to sucker you into chasing your own tail with attacks and mind games they don't believe but use because they have been proven to be so effective at confusing men and forcing them to give up.

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Further Reading:

Social Strategy: How Men And Women Are After Different Things When They “Debate”

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