An ad hominem version that attacks the debater personally, labeling them as someone who only argues for the sake of conflict or "playing the game." It pathologizes the act of disagreement, painting the person as a compulsive "player" addicted to rhetorical combat rather than truth-seeking. This fallacy dismisses all their points by attacking their purported motivation for engaging at all.
Example: "Don't bother with him, he's not actually interested in solutions. He's a classic ping-pong player fallacy—he just likes the sound of his own voice and watching people react. Any reply you give is just another serve for him." This disqualifies the person from being heard by assigning them a malicious, sport-like intent.
by Dumuabzu February 3, 2026
Get the Ping-pong Player Fallacy mug.by The Halal Cook February 5, 2026
Get the Jin Xina Ping mug.The dynamic where complex issues are forced into a binary, point-counterpoint format that artificially elevates extreme positions and marginalizes nuance. The "bias" is towards spectacle and conflict, rewarding the debater who delivers the cleverest "zinger" or most dramatic rebuttal, rather than the one who contributes most to collective understanding.
*Example: A cable news segment on climate change featuring a shouting match between a climate scientist and a professional contrarian. The host frames it as a "he said, she said" duel. The debate ping-pong game bias turns a 99% scientific consensus into a 50/50 spectacle, distorting public perception by privileging theatrical conflict over informational weight.*
by Dumu The Void February 9, 2026
Get the Debate Ping-Pong Game Bias mug.The tendency of a debate to devolve into a rapid, sterile exchange of formal logical charges ("straw man!" "non sequitur!" "ad hominem!") where scoring points on procedural grounds replaces engagement with substance. The "bias" is towards valuing the form of the argument as a game, making it impossible to discuss the underlying issue.
Logical Ping-Pong Game Bias Example: Two people debating economics rapidly descend into: "That's an anecdotal fallacy!" "You're attacking a straw man of my position!" "Your premise is circular!" The discussion dies as they become referees of a logical ping-pong game, more focused on catching each other's rhetorical fouls than on understanding the economic policy.
by Dumu The Void February 9, 2026
Get the Logical Ping-Pong Game Bias mug.On a smart phone, the act of pulling the Home screen downward (aka swiping downward on Home Screen) and hearing a “ping” once the data refreshes, indicating a new notification. The phone cannot have push notifications on, otherwise it’s called a “no pull ping”
by ThatWomanK February 15, 2026
Get the Pull & ping mug.On a smart phone, the act of pulling the Home screen downward (aka swiping downward on Home Screen) and hearing a “ping” once the data refreshes, indicating a new notification. The phone cannot have push notifications on, otherwise it’s called a “no pull ping”
by ThatWomanK February 15, 2026
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