Quote:
|
Originally Posted by pigglet
Let's say that the United States passed a law stating that all Muslims had to wear identifying arm bands, and that they could only travel on special buses, planes, and roads, couldn't gather in groups larger than 10, and would be deported for failure to follow these rules. The law is highly debated, and a politican who voted for the rule and / or publicly spoke out as anti-Muslim or in support of anti-Muslim legistlation..was found to be a closet Muslim. You don't think that's germane?
|
No, it's not germane. It does nothing to refute the person's beliefs or even his political actions. It's pure ad hominem.
I'll give you this much: for those people who view ad hominem as a legitimate device in debate, the revelation of hypocrisy may sway them away from a particular viewpoint. But if such swaying wasn't primarily the result of a preexisting bias, and if they
really are moved to reject any worldview with hypocritical 'adherents', then they're well on their way to nihilism. And if the real reason is a preexisting bias, as I suspect it most often is, then "Hypocrite!" is just a disingenuous weapon, wielded when your opponents are ugly and holstered when your friends are.
Of course, I suppose you could out the guy in your example on the principle that the law should apply to everyone, but that strikes me as a "foolish consistency". Unless you agree with the law.
As for outing on a personal level, I'm still not seeing a real motivation other than revenge.