attribution 

The act of James being a lying asshole.

It's called attribution

attribution by The Empire Did Nothing Wrong January 15, 2018

Fundamental Attribution Error 

When a problem with a person is really a problem with the situation.
We tend to attribute people’s behavior to their core character rather than to their situation. It's the Situation, Not the Person.

“What a jerk!... see how he drives!”
“Fundamental Attribution Error honey, I wonder the situation he’s in that’s causing him to drive so crazy.”

"What do you mean?"
"He is the doctor in charge of emergency at the hospital few blocks away... don´t you remember?"

Fundamental Attribution Error by rperazag June 10, 2010

Correct Attribution 

A way of wording an expression in a way that specifies which individual, entity, or other thing committed an act or caused something to happen.

An example of an 'indirect attribution' is, "It was determined that 'unless exempt by diplomatic status, all persons entering the United States, including U.S. citizens, are subject to examination and search by Customs and Border Patrol officers'." Transformed into a "correct attribution" that statement would say something like, "In August of 2009, CBP Directive 3340-049 laid out its policies on searching electronic devices....In the course of a border search, with or without individualized suspicion, an Officer may examine electronic devices and may review and analyze the information encountered at the border.” Though correctly attributing an action increases transparency and accountability, and generally furthers the common good, it takes more time to say and/or space to write.

Correct Attribution by but for October 14, 2017

Con-Textual Attribution Error 

The tendency to mistake the superficial excitement derived from receiving text messages for the excitement bourne out of genuine chemistry between you and your text-happy new friend, especially prevalent in the budding stages of romance when a high degree of unfamiliarity is present between said parties. In the alternate context of an in-person or phone conversation, the same conversation would not be nearly as exciting.

It's no wonder your romances always crash so hard after you finally get to know the person, all the excitement between you is nothing more than the anticipation and reception of text messages. It's classic Con-Textual Attribution Error. Similar to the excitement and subsequent letdown of Christmas.

Con-Textual Attribution Error by mckwistonator October 22, 2011

cast-attrition thriller 

A film sub-genre in which the characters are picked off one by one, often by a masked killer or malignant force. Salient examples: Friday the 13th (Jason); Final Destination (Death); Sunshine (the Sun).

Coined by Tasha Robinson of the AV Club to describe Danny Boyle's film "Sunshine"(2007).

Originating quote, from the review of "Sunshine"(2007) -
In many ways, Sunshine is a been-there-done-that cast-attrition thriller: Alien with an exterior monster instead of an interior one, Event Horizon with better effects and less gore, Pitch Black with the contrast turned way up. The cast members make wry jokes about getting eliminated one at a time, horror-movie style, but they still follow all the horror-movie procedures, even duly splitting up in a dangerous, unknown situation. It's like they've gracefully accepted that they're just hitting a series of predestined, genre-mandated marks. - Tasha Robinson, Onion A.V. Club

cast-attrition thriller by PhD (Pretentious hipster Douchebag) September 4, 2007

attrition

The act of wearing something down over time

armies depending on superior numbers to defeat a smaller armys fight wars of attrition

attrition by Rich November 19, 2003

War of Attrition

A war in which forces do not confront each other in direct combat with the full strength of their teams, but instead aim to wear each other down over a period of time using tactics such as guerilla warfare, sabotage and other dishonourable means of combat.

The war is a war which will not necessarily be won by superior skill but by patience and skillful resource management.

Person 1: How did you lose all your poker chips you had 3/4 of the entire box?
Person 2: It degenerated into a war of attrition

Person 1: But you had the advantage so how did you lose?
Person 2: Patience is a virtue, the enemy was virtuous.

War of Attrition by Super_Dash August 12, 2010