Sourcedismissing

The rhetorical tactic of demanding sources from an opponent and then dismissing every single source provided, regardless of quality or relevance, without engaging with their content. The goal is not to evaluate evidence but to exhaust the opponent, create the appearance of skepticism, and avoid conceding any point. Common dismissal phrases include “that source is biased,” “that’s not peer‑reviewed,” “that’s too old,” “that’s from a partisan outlet,” or simply “I don’t accept that.” Sourcedismissing often follows moving the goalposts: the first source is dismissed, then a second, then a third, ad infinitum. It is a form of attrition argumentation.

Example: “She provided a peer‑reviewed meta‑analysis. He dismissed it as ‘funded by industry.’ She provided an independent replication. He dismissed it as ‘underpowered.’ She provided a government report. He dismissed it as ‘political.’ Sourcedismissing – he never intended to accept any evidence.”

Sourcedismissing by Dumu The Void June 1, 2026

Sourcedismissing

The rhetorical tactic of demanding sources from an opponent and then dismissing every single source provided, regardless of quality or relevance, without engaging with their content. The goal is not to evaluate evidence but to exhaust the opponent, create the appearance of skepticism, and avoid conceding any point. Common dismissal phrases include “that source is biased,” “that’s not peer‑reviewed,” “that’s too old,” “that’s from a partisan outlet,” or simply “I don’t accept that.” Sourcedismissing often follows moving the goalposts: the first source is dismissed, then a second, then a third, ad infinitum. It is a form of attrition argumentation.

Example: “She provided a peer‑reviewed meta‑analysis. He dismissed it as ‘funded by industry.’ She provided an independent replication. He dismissed it as ‘underpowered.’ She provided a government report. He dismissed it as ‘political.’ Sourcedismissing – he never intended to accept any evidence.”

Sourcedismissing by Dumu The Void June 1, 2026