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Anyone spending significant time online has encountered ads claiming “This one weird trick will …” do any number of things. Those ads manipulate the curiosity of the reader, leading to more ad clicks and more revenue for some business or other. Their annoyance factor is directly related to their effectiveness in drawing attention.
As we have all seen in recent times, this same technique is being used in public discourse. A good “hook” for an event, or better yet for a movement’s name, can draw a great deal of attention to the material being offered to people. In this setting though, “one weird trick” can do enormous societal damage.
Charlie Kirk built his movement with the slogan “Prove Me Wrong.” This format was very effective at drawing crowds and promoting his ideas. But his entire approach was essentially based on a fundamental lie which was his “one weird trick.”
It is known as the ” burden of proof fallacy,” which is well known in debating. It works by twisting the responsibility of proving one’s point, even up to one’s entire philosophy, into demanding the opponent disprove it. This is intellectually dishonest and logically bankrupt, as a dictionary or reference source will explain. It was Kirk’s one trick, and I believe it invalidates everything he ever said or did.
No wonder “critical thinking” courses at colleges are under attack by conservatives. Charlie Kirk — and his legacy — depend on its absence to spread their dogma. Let’s use our critical thinking — and our common sense — to strengthen the American ideal rather than destroy it as some would.