The Logical Fallacy's definitions

Olaf Effect

When you are predisposed to hate a character that shows up on screen but you are surprised that he/she was not as annoying as you thought.

When Uncle Grandpa cameoed on Steven Universe, it was sort of like the Olaf Effect. You would think you would hate him, but you didn't (sort of).

by The Logical Fallacy February 1, 2016

Anarcho-communism

A left-wing, libertarian extremist ideology that rejects all forms of societal hierarchies - social, economic, genetic - and by extension the state for creating and enforcing them.

"Anarcho-communism. Anarcho-communists are a first variant of leftist anarchism. They are communists, but minus the state."
-- Jreg, "Anti-Centrism: Know Your Extremists (From Anprim to Nazbol)"

by The Logical Fallacy July 7, 2020

Tinny

An adjective meant to describe a word unpleasant to the sound or pronunciation. Opposite of Woody.

"'Sausage'! There's a good woody sort of word, 'sausage'. 'Gorn.'"
"'Antelope!'"
"Where? On the lawn?"
"No, no, Daddy. Just the word."
"Don't want antelope nibbling the hoops."
"No, no -- 'ant-e-lope'. Sort of nice and woody type of thing."
"Don't think so, Becky old chap."
"No, no -- 'antelope' - 'antelope', 'tinny' sort of word."
-- "The Woody Sketch" from Monty Python's Flying Circus

by The Logical Fallacy May 12, 2017

Knights Who Say 'Ni' Effect

When something good (or at the very least "okay") becomes insufferable by association with those who like and/or praise it.

In the time since then and the release of Portal 2, you'll be pleased to hear that I eventually did come up with a criticism for Portal 1: it's got the worst fucking fans in the world. Nothing ruins a good thing quite like knowing you share your opinions with mindless little tits who bray like mules if you so much as mention the word "cake," and the good thing in question can never be the same again. This is technically known as the "Knights Who Say 'Ni' Effect."
--Zero Punctuation

by The Logical Fallacy June 11, 2017

Arkham's razor

The weirdest explanation is the correct one. Opposite of Occam's razor.

Occam's razor says that people used primitive tech and slave labor build the pyramids. Arkham's razor says that Satan called in a favor from space aliens to build them in order to make people disbelieve in Jesus hundreds of years before he was born.

by The Logical Fallacy June 5, 2017

The Trend

A trend in the '60s and '70s where various rock bands would title themselves "The" followed by a random noun. Usually done to capitalize on the success of The Beatles.

The Animals, The Association, The Beatles, The Byrds, The Castaways, The Crusaders, The Doors, The Gentrys, The Keys, The Kinks, The Marbles, The Monkees, The Temptations, The Turtles, The Troggs, The Who, The Zombies, The Trend

by The Logical Fallacy May 24, 2017

hard power

The use of brute-force and hard solutions to beat a problem into shape, created from a moral righteousness through strength. Contrast with soft power.

"Toby Maguire's Spider-Man largely uses what's known in international relations as hard power - he rushes into battle, relying on brute strength to stop his foes. There's no time for negotiations with the Green Goblin, Doc Ock and The Sandman. Just some good ol' fashioned fisticuffs"

-- The Philosophy of Spider-Man – Wisecrack Edition

by The Logical Fallacy January 1, 2019