Ali, I really enjoyed this read. The bit about children using the Gish gallop made me laugh as I remembered my years in the classroom. I also really enjoyed the video with the insights on your approach to success. it was great encouragement to stay the course.
Glad to hear it, Angie. You must have a great perspective having worked with so many children. I only have mine, and so I sometimes don't know if what I'm seeing is specific or not. I do remember the first time I realized a bit of one of my habits in my daughter, and that terrified me. Just the ease with which they pick up habits and behaviors from adults around them. So I say "Gish galloping and kids", but I do wonder if mine picked it up because I might have done it at some point.
I’d never heard that phrase before but have heard people use that tactic to win arguments, particularly politicians on panel shows. Wonder if they’re taught that during media training?
Ah no, the emoji isn’t how I’d respond at all. However, this got me thinking about how I’d respond in certain situations. If with friends, I would use some choice language to describe how I thought someone engaged in a discussion but in a more formal setting, my language would be more circumspect. Having a phrase like ‘Gish galloping’ certainly helps with that. But that throws up another question, should we say what we feel in terms familiar to those we were raised with or craft our response to the current audience? Both are equally powerful but one response is accepted by both camps but not the other? Occasionally I fail this test in a business environment.
Saying things without actually saying things in work settings would make for a good deep-dive. It's funny, when I now think back on it, the whole doublespeak that a group of people working together can eventually adopt and take as read.
(I secretly wish I could plaster that line from David Mitchell at the office: "Why can't people just say what they mean.")
Separate from doublespeak at work, which I'm not a fan of, I think I did tend to adapt some of my language to the audience. It's partly personality, and partly because at work, it might be hard to get things done unless you're persuading and convincing those around you, who might not know you well, to do things. "Accountability without control" was our term for it.
I like the idea of a 12 Angry Men analysis. Yes, please!
Sounds good, we'll do it then. 🙂
Ali, I really enjoyed this read. The bit about children using the Gish gallop made me laugh as I remembered my years in the classroom. I also really enjoyed the video with the insights on your approach to success. it was great encouragement to stay the course.
Glad to hear it, Angie. You must have a great perspective having worked with so many children. I only have mine, and so I sometimes don't know if what I'm seeing is specific or not. I do remember the first time I realized a bit of one of my habits in my daughter, and that terrified me. Just the ease with which they pick up habits and behaviors from adults around them. So I say "Gish galloping and kids", but I do wonder if mine picked it up because I might have done it at some point.
I have many thoughts on this and you've sent me down a rabbit hole. To be continued...
Great piece, Ali! I loved the quote from Island, especially
Thanks, Dave!
I’d never heard that phrase before but have heard people use that tactic to win arguments, particularly politicians on panel shows. Wonder if they’re taught that during media training?
Absolutely, I see it all the time. As a viewer, it's really frustrating, because you walk away having learned nothing of value.
I’m from the north of England and have a much more blunt, forthright expression or two for these instances 🤣
Here I am, trying to be all clever and subtle. Turns out, all one needs to do is make a face! 😄
I love it.
Ah no, the emoji isn’t how I’d respond at all. However, this got me thinking about how I’d respond in certain situations. If with friends, I would use some choice language to describe how I thought someone engaged in a discussion but in a more formal setting, my language would be more circumspect. Having a phrase like ‘Gish galloping’ certainly helps with that. But that throws up another question, should we say what we feel in terms familiar to those we were raised with or craft our response to the current audience? Both are equally powerful but one response is accepted by both camps but not the other? Occasionally I fail this test in a business environment.
Saying things without actually saying things in work settings would make for a good deep-dive. It's funny, when I now think back on it, the whole doublespeak that a group of people working together can eventually adopt and take as read.
(I secretly wish I could plaster that line from David Mitchell at the office: "Why can't people just say what they mean.")
Separate from doublespeak at work, which I'm not a fan of, I think I did tend to adapt some of my language to the audience. It's partly personality, and partly because at work, it might be hard to get things done unless you're persuading and convincing those around you, who might not know you well, to do things. "Accountability without control" was our term for it.