Goodwin's law

In 1981, U of I Professor Goodwin made the observation that Usenet discussions gravitate downhill.

He postulated that as the length of a discussion thread grows, the probability approaches one (1) that one participant will introduce the terms "Hitler" or "Nazi".

The custom has evolved that the first party to utter "Hitler" or "Nazi" has lost the discussion, and the thread terminates.

Goodwin's Law has been invoked, guys. I'm out of this thread.

by Fryth August 28, 2004

Godwin's Law

A term that originated on Usenet, Godwin's Law states that as an online argument grows longer and more heated, it becomes increasingly likely that somebody will bring up Adolf Hitler or the Nazis. When such an event occurs, the person guilty of invoking Godwin's Law has effectively forfieted the argument.

"Dude, shut up. Nobody cares what you think."

"Oh, so now you're trying to censor me? Go to hell, you damn Nazi!"

by You Can't Kill the Metal June 12, 2005

Godwin's law

Usenet There is a tradition in many groups that, once this occurs, that thread is over, and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever argument was in progress. Godwin's Law thus practically guarantees the existence of an upper bound on thread length in those groups. However there is also a widely- recognized codicil that any intentional triggering of Godwin's Law in order to invoke its thread-ending effects will be unsuccessful.

"As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."

by Anonymous September 9, 2003

Godwin's Law

Made obsolete by the Neocons.

Thanks to the Neocons, Godwin's law is now obsolete.

by El_Haggis September 9, 2006

Diesel's Variation of Godwin's Law

"As an internet discussion about Bill O'Reilly grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Falafel or Loofa approaches one."

"So anyway I'd be rubbing your big boobs and getting your nipples really hard, kinda' kissing your neck from behind...and then I would take the other hand with the falafel thing..."

"Aw crap, there goes Diesel's Variation of Godwin's Law."

by TWL.com August 12, 2008

Godwin's Law

Godwin's Law states that "the longer a heated Internet discussion goes on for, the more likely it is that someone will compare their opponent(s) to Hitler, the Nazis, or Nazi Germany in general."

Anyone who invokes Godwin's Law in an argument is said to automatically lose by default, even if it is perfectly reasonable; because if you resort to comparing your opponent to arguably the most evil dictator in the world obviously implies that A) You know you're wrong, B) You've run out of ideas, and C) You're a sore loser and want to make your opponent look bad, even though it does the exact opposite.

The only (incredibly rare) exception is if the person is legitimately comparable to him (for example, if they are massively racist, especially anti-Semitic, for no discernible reason), but even then it usually still has the same result.

by Ubeenbamboozledson October 13, 2022

Reverse Godwin's Law

Go straight to Hitler.

Assertion: vegetarianism is the best.
Reverse Godwin's Law response: Hitler was a vegetarian allegedly.

Assertion: Biden/Trump love sweets (which must be good).
Reverse Godwin's Law response: Hitler loved sweets according to Volker Ullrich

by TownWombat April 22, 2024