Meta-Truth

A truth that operates on a level above regular factual claims, dealing with the nature, construction, and limits of truth itself. It's not about whether a statement is true (e.g., "the sky is blue"), but about the framework that makes such an assessment possible (e.g., "truth is a relationship between statements and a socially-agreed-upon reality"). Meta-truths are the rules of the truth-game, often emerging in philosophy, postmodern critique, or when someone says, "Well, technically, truth is subjective." They're the truths you use to deconstruct other truths, often leaving you intellectually satisfied but unable to win a simple argument.

Example: "In the debate, he pulled a meta-truth: 'Your facts are all correct, but they're trapped within a capitalist paradigm that defines value through growth, which is itself a constructed truth.' He was factually obliterated, but claimed a higher, meta-truth victory that pissed everyone off."

by Dumu The Void January 30, 2026

Meta-Debate

The debate about how to properly conduct a debate, which inevitably becomes a more heated and pedantic debate than the original one. It's when the argument shifts from the topic (e.g., "Is pizza a sandwich?") to the rules of engagement ("You're using an ad hominem!", "No, that's a tu quoque!"). It's the rhetorical equivalent of two lawyers arguing over courtroom procedure while the jury dies of old age. The goal is no longer to persuade, but to win by declaring the other person's entire mode of discussion invalid.

Example: "We started arguing about rent control, but within minutes we were in a full meta-debate about logical fallacies, burden of proof, and the definition of 'evidence.' Two hours later, we'd solved nothing about housing but were deeply angry about the proper use of the Socratic method."

by Dumu The Void January 30, 2026

Meta-Argument

An argument whose subject is another argument. It's not about the initial claim, but about the structure, validity, or motives behind the opposing case. "You're only saying that because you're emotional!" "That's a genetic fallacy!" The meta-argument is a tactical retreat from the messy battlefield of facts to the fortified high ground of rhetorical theory, where you can snipe at your opponent's way of arguing instead of their actual points.

Example: "His actual point about the budget was weak, so he launched a meta-argument: 'Your entire premise is rooted in a neoliberal paradigm that you haven't even acknowledged, which makes your following five points epistemically bankrupt.' He didn't address a single number, but he looked very smug."

by Dumu The Void January 30, 2026

Meta-Reality

The concept that what we perceive as base reality might itself be a construct, simulation, or narrative layer within a larger, truer reality. It’s the philosophical and sometimes psychedelic suspicion that we’re not at the bottom level of existence. This includes simulation theory, the idea that gods are themselves created, or that our universe is a thought in a meta-mind. It’s reality questioning its own reality, leading to a dizzying sense that everything, including the rules of physics, might be local software.

Example: "After his DMT trip, he couldn't stop talking about meta-reality. 'Our world is just the dream of a sleeping giant,' he'd say, 'and its alarm clock is the heat death of the universe. Also, the giant is allergic to peanuts, which is why they're deadly.' It made existential dread feel weirdly specific."

by Dumu The Void January 30, 2026

Meta-Solutions

Interventions that aim to solve problems by changing the underlying system, framework, or mindset that allows the problem to persist. Instead of addressing symptoms (a first-order solution), a meta-solution redesigns the game so the symptom can't emerge. This often involves addressing meta-problems, changing incentives, or introducing new cognitive or social technologies that transform the problem space entirely.

Meta-Solutions Example: Instead of a meta-solution to police brutality being more training or body cameras (first-order), a Meta-Solution is to radically redefine public safety, shifting resources and authority from armed police to community-based mental health and conflict resolution teams, thereby changing the system so that violent confrontations are less likely to occur in the first place.

by Dumu The Void February 4, 2026

Meta-Problems

Problems that are generated by the failed or clumsy attempts to solve a previous, more basic problem. They are the "second-order" crises, complications, and unintended consequences that arise from the solution itself. Solving the original problem often makes the meta-problem worse, creating a vicious cycle. You can't fix them with the same thinking that created them; you need to step back and rethink the entire approach.

Meta-Problems Example: The original problem is urban crime. A solution is aggressive "stop-and-frisk" policing. The Meta-Problem created is the devastating erosion of community trust in law enforcement, leading to less cooperation, more violence, and a deeper legitimacy crisis. The "solution" has now spawned a worse, more complex problem.

by Dumu The Void February 4, 2026

Meta-Linguistics

The study of language from a level "above" its grammar and vocabulary, focusing on the unspoken, contextual, and social rules that govern how language is used to achieve power, build relationships, and construct reality. It analyzes the frames, metaphors, politeness strategies, and presuppositions embedded in speech. It's not what you say, but the hidden game you're playing by saying it that way.

Example: A politician says, "Let's have a conversation about entitlement reform." Meta-Linguistics analyzes this not for policy details (there are none), but for its framing: labeling social security as an "entitlement" (vs. "earned benefit"), and calling for a "conversation" (vs. a "plan") are strategic moves to shape public perception before any debate even starts.

by Dumu The Void February 4, 2026