Westerverism

A portmanteau of "Western" and "Bulverism" (assuming your opponent is wrong and explaining why they hold that error). This fallacy occurs when, instead of refuting a dissident or non-hegemonic argument, one dismisses it by asserting: 1) "All other systems are worse," 2) "It's the system that works," or 3) by slapping it with labels like "pseudoscience," "relativism," or "post-modernism." The refutation consists of justifying the opponent's supposed motives (arrogance, ignorance, ideology) from within the dominant worldview, thereby protecting the hegemony from substantive critique.

Example: "When challenged on the ecological damage of industrial agriculture, the agriboard exec relied on Westerverism: 'You're just engaging in anti-capitalist post-modernism. Sure, there are issues, but this is the system that feeds the world. Would you prefer Soviet-style famines?' The actual critique of monocultures and pesticides is never touched."

by Abzugal January 30, 2026