Argument from Elections

A related fallacy where someone argues that a position must be accepted because it was supported by election results. The structure: "X won the election, therefore X's policies are correct." The fallacy lies in moving from electoral success to epistemic authority, from votes to validity. Elections confer power, not truth. Argument from Elections is a form of appeal to popularity, dressed in democratic clothing.

"Why should we accept this policy? Because the candidate who promised it won in a landslide!" That's Argument from Elections—treating electoral victory as justification. But winning doesn't make right; it just makes powerful. Arguments from elections are arguments from authority with ballots instead of credentials."

by Abzugal February 28, 2026

Critical Theory of Elections

The application of Critical Theory to elections—examining how electoral systems are shaped by power, how they serve to legitimate inequality, and how they might be transformed. Critical Theory of Elections asks: What do elections actually do? Do they give people power, or just the feeling of power? How do campaign finance, media control, and voter suppression shape outcomes? How do elections serve to manage dissent and maintain order? Drawing on critical political theory and electoral studies, it insists that elections are never just the voice of the people—they're a system of power, with rules set by the powerful, for the powerful. Understanding elections requires understanding what they achieve—and what they prevent.

"Just vote, they say. Critical Theory of Elections asks: vote for whom? Between options set by whom? Elections matter, but they're not democracy. The real decisions—about war, about economy, about justice—happen elsewhere. Elections can legitimize a system without changing it. Critical theory insists on asking: what happens after the election? Who still has power, and who still doesn't?"

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 4, 2026

electronous

the complex of technical and social concepts embracing electric, electronic, nanotechnical, and neuronic. The word for the new age

We are entering the electronous age of spiritual machines.

by Passerini May 19, 2006

Electroneastiality

Commiting lewd acts to an electronic device.

"i feel bad for Joey's new ipod"

"what? why?"

"dude he's into that electroneastiality shit"

"oh damn...hope apple didnt make this version fertile"

by Erik Villoria June 9, 2007

electronic dust

The lint-like substance found inside a computer casing.

Man, my computer fan is covered in electronic dust!

by Iodized Salt November 11, 2007

electronic data system

EDS=Everyday sucks. low wages, suck ass mgrs, game playing ass clowns.

Everyone I worked with at EDS (electronic data systems) agreed it sucks

by apolloobserved May 6, 2008

electronic undergrowth

The morass of irrelevant and confusing messages transmitted by electronic media that conceal important information hidden in their midst. For example, receiving 70+ e-mails a day of which five are actually relevant, three are essential and one is absolutely vital. Unfortunately that single crucial message is overlooked whilst you plough through the other totally unnecessary communications and you therefore get a bollocking for doing 65 unnecessary things and 4 sensible things that could have waited whilst you could have done the one career-saving thing that you didn't become aware of until it was too late.

I'm sorry I didn't attend that vital meeting; your e-mail was lost in my electronic undergrowth.

by robo283 May 18, 2008