[Spivak]

I always enjoy seeing this line of reasoning because it seems completely unique to people in tech. A group is not a set of individuals, or at least that's what's meant when non-tech people talk about them. When the parent says "half the country" they don't mean "the set of all people who worship the police is around 150 million" they mean "the political body that is backed by around half the country has chosen to adopt as a core tenant a largely uncritical support of police."

[Clent]

This is hyperbole, it is common on politically arguments. To an observer, there is clearly more nuance.

The issue with hyperbole is when the response falls into one of the following buckets.

Hyperbole is taken literally by those who miss its intention.

Hyperbole is taken literally by those who abuse its intention; sometimes known as trolling.

The literal read is a math equation. People in tech often 'do the math' in their heads.

Patience for these misunderstandings is advised.

[NilMostChill]

"Line of reasoning" is a generous interpretation.

This is likely a bad faith argument with reference to an actual fallacy to give it the air of pseudo legitimacy.

To use a bad faith interpretation to attack a non-existent position is pretty effective.

[Spivak]

Probably, but I try to keep in mind that the intersection of tech and internet skews neurodivergent and that it's possible that it's really is just a misunderstanding. I work with people every day who really are that literal.

[the_only_law]

> I always enjoy seeing this line of reasoning because it seems completely unique to people in tech

Yeah… hyperbole is in now way unique to tech. The arrogance of this site sometimes.