CavPagBar's definitions
1. A person who positions themselves as the “protector” or ally of victims in order to dodge suspicion, scrutiny, or collective blame for the very problem they benefit from or contribute to.
• They loudly decry or “call out” a bad actor or group (e.g., online predators, corrupt officials, toxic workplace culture) not because they genuinely care about the victims, but because it shields them from being lumped in with the accused.
• The performance of sympathy acts like camouflage: by barking at the wolves, the sheepdog convinces the flock that they’re trustworthy—even when their motives are questionable.
2. A rhetorical deflection technique where someone takes a “hero stance” against a hated issue to shift attention away from their own involvement, complicity, or association with it.
• They loudly decry or “call out” a bad actor or group (e.g., online predators, corrupt officials, toxic workplace culture) not because they genuinely care about the victims, but because it shields them from being lumped in with the accused.
• The performance of sympathy acts like camouflage: by barking at the wolves, the sheepdog convinces the flock that they’re trustworthy—even when their motives are questionable.
2. A rhetorical deflection technique where someone takes a “hero stance” against a hated issue to shift attention away from their own involvement, complicity, or association with it.
by CavPagBar September 17, 2025
Get the Sheepdogmug.