A fallacy where someone dismisses arguments by labeling them "postmodernism." The label functions as intellectual dismissal: if it's postmodernist, it's automatically confused, relativist, or dangerous. The fallacy lies in treating the label as refutation, ignoring that postmodernism is a complex tradition and that labeling an argument doesn't engage its content. It's a way of feeling sophisticated while avoiding thought.
"I critiqued traditional notions of objectivity. Response: 'That's just postmodernism.' That's Hoc Est Postmodernismus Fallacy—using the label as a dismissal, not engaging the critique. Maybe it's postmodernist; maybe it's just good philosophy. The label doesn't tell you; thinking does. But labeling avoids thinking."
by Dumu The Void March 2, 2026
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