Shifting the Burden

The tactic of moving the burden of proof from the one making a claim to the one questioning it. Shifting the burden is what happens when someone says "prove me wrong" instead of supporting their own position. It's the logic of "you can't prove God doesn't exist, so he does," of "you can't prove vaccines are safe, so they're dangerous." Shifting the burden inverts the normal rules of argument, putting the challenger in the impossible position of proving a negative. The cure is recognizing that the burden of proof lies with the positive claim, not with its critics. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, not extraordinary skepticism.

Shifting the Burden Example: "He claimed the election was stolen. When asked for evidence, he shifted the burden: 'Prove it wasn't.' She couldn't prove a negative; that's not how proof works. But shifting the burden had worked: now she was on the defensive, trying to disprove his unsupported claim. The argument was upside down, and he liked it that way."

by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 17, 2026

Swafting

A cramp during sexual intercourse

During intercourse, my husband’s leg was swafting.

by booknerd94 October 20, 2025

shiftinggate

The theory that Mike Wheeler from Stranger Things is a shifter, and that he shifted three times within the series. Also that Stranger Things as a whole is Mike's DR (Desired Reality)

"Have you heard about Shiftinggate?"
"Yes! it's my favourite Stranger Things theory

by kawaiilers January 7, 2026

shiftinggate

The theory that Mike Wheeler from Stranger Things is a shifter, and that he shifted three times within the series. Also that Stranger Things as a whole is Mike's DR (Desired Reality)

"Have you heard about Shiftinggate?"
"Yes! it's my favourite Stranger Things theory

by kawaiilers January 7, 2026

Gift Shifting

The act (often by a husband) of shifting the timing of a previously planned gift to coincide with another event or holiday in order to either a)avoid being totally giftless or b) avoid double gifting

Jon gave his wife a bike on Mother's Day thereby Gift Shifting from his planned summer purchase.

by Hafester May 13, 2009

hood shifting

defined by moving from a less desirable neighborhood to another neighborhood, often one that is considered slightly more or less desirable.

Jamal: Yo Bro! I just moved down the block to 59th street. It's hella bangers ova there.
Jimmy: Damn homie! You hood shifting hard as hell.

by whymer August 3, 2017

bitch-shifting

When a whole lot of bitches are in the same room causing problems because of something your bottom bitch said, so you axe that hoe and readjust the hierarchy.

Parity, you better shut yo ass up before I gotta do some bitch-shifting, cuz you ain't that special.

by Imples August 13, 2020