Moving the Bullpost

The practice of shifting the criteria for what counts as "bullshit" after your opponent has already demonstrated that their argument meets your previous standards. First, you call their argument bullshit. They provide sources. You move the bullpost: "Those sources are bullshit." They provide different sources. You move again: "Your interpretation of those sources is bullshit." They explain their interpretation. You move again: "The whole field is bullshit." The bullpost keeps moving because the goal isn't to evaluate truth—it's to maintain the position that the other person is wrong, no matter what. Moving the bullpost is the favorite tactic of people who have decided that reality itself is bullshit when it doesn't agree with them.

Moving the Bullpost Example: "She cited a peer-reviewed study. He moved the bullpost: 'Peer review is bullshit.' She cited government data. He moved again: 'Government data is bullshit.' She cited his own past statements. He moved again: 'I was wrong then, and that's bullshit too.' There was no source, no evidence, no argument that could satisfy him, because the bullpost was not about evidence—it was about maintaining the position that she was wrong. She stopped trying. He declared victory."

Moving the Bullpost by AbzuInExile February 16, 2026