Shoe Atheism
A term popularized on reddit to describe insecure atheists who are obsessed with having a rational or intellectual life outlook, but don't know enough about philosophy to defend one, and so try to expand the definition of atheism wide enough that it encompasses objects it is nonsensical to include, such as rocks, alligators, and shoes. No one seems certain what the goal is, since it involves saying that one is an atheist in the sense some non-rational object is, and so either seems to be implicating that rocks are intelligent, or is saying that ones opinion is on the level of that of a rock's.
The most common self-described variant is "agnostic atheism," a term made by strong atheists who feel so bold that they don't simply identify as weak atheists, but assault the concept of agnosticism in general, and try to mix it with weak atheism, while insisting that strong atheism doesn't count unless you profess 100% certainty. No amount of explaining the real purpose and definition of the words, or that no one is falling for their trick seems to get through to them, and it almost inadvertently results in them trying to explain their niche special pleading semantic set as if you simply don't understand it and will instantly accept terms made by insecure teenagers on the internet in the last decade, and which are used by no one else as more important than the real definitions.
The most common self-described variant is "agnostic atheism," a term made by strong atheists who feel so bold that they don't simply identify as weak atheists, but assault the concept of agnosticism in general, and try to mix it with weak atheism, while insisting that strong atheism doesn't count unless you profess 100% certainty. No amount of explaining the real purpose and definition of the words, or that no one is falling for their trick seems to get through to them, and it almost inadvertently results in them trying to explain their niche special pleading semantic set as if you simply don't understand it and will instantly accept terms made by insecure teenagers on the internet in the last decade, and which are used by no one else as more important than the real definitions.
I saw some people identifying as agnostic atheists again today. Looks like shoe atheism is still holding out.
Shoe Atheism by Dead Vein November 14, 2014
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