The Logical Fallacy's definitions

feeding the alligators

When one exposes themselves to fiction that stimulates our negative qualities (like horror fiction) so that they can work through them in a healthy and harmless environment as catharsis.

Serial killers and other murderers appeal to the impulse Stephen King calls "feeding the alligators," and Carl Jung called "integration of the shadow self," but it all means the same thing: that entertaining our own dark side can be therapeutic.
-- 8-Bit Philosophy

by The Logical Fallacy May 27, 2017

Chambara

A genre of film (often exploitation) that focuses on revisionist depictions of the samurai. Usually involves moral grayness, revenge-driven antihero protagonists, nudity, sex scenes, swordplay, and blood.

Whereas westerns focuses on cowboys and indians and swashbucklers are about pirates, chambara films focus on samurai.

by The Logical Fallacy June 3, 2017

The Department of Bitching and Moaning

An organization to social justice warfare on the internet.

"So what's trending today?"
"Hmmm, another terrorist attack..."
"Pass."
"...more corruption in our justice system..."
"Double Pass."
"...someone thinking about not seeing the new Ghostbusters movie..."
"Someone is not thinking about seeing the new Ghostbusters movie! Away!"
--The Department of Bitching and Moaning, Nostalgia Critic review of Ghostbusters (2016)

by The Logical Fallacy October 11, 2018

Marxist Schadenfreude

When one takes pleasure in inflicting misfortune onto the rich and powerful (regardless of intentions).

Some of them suggest that he's not so much a champion of the oppressed so much as an adrenaline junkie who uses powerful and amoral opponents as a source of Marxist schadenfreude.

by The Logical Fallacy May 23, 2018

Futurism over Function

When certain features or basic functions present on a new product are changed for the sake of "innovation" with no consideration for practicality.

"It just feels like the thought process was 'well, let's change these designs, because that's what innovators do. And also it will get attention,' without actually improving on the old designs, or thinking about actual problems with the old designs that could be solved. See, what's happening here is not uncommon for Tesla and some other car companies, but specifically any of Elon's companies. I don't know if there's a name for it yet, so I'm just gonna call it Futurism over Function."
--> Cybertruck? More Like Cyber-Sucks! – SOME MORE NEWS

by The Logical Fallacy October 13, 2024

performative cruelty

Putting on a show of belittling, bullying and/or humiliating someone outside of an in-group for the purposes of placating or entertaining those within the group. Usually done to present oneself as "badass" or "hardcore".

In an age of performative cruelty,

kindness is punk as fuck.
Be punk as fuck.

by The Logical Fallacy April 11, 2025

Happenings

An art event, often staged or pre-scripted, that requires active participation from an audience to come to full fruition.

Fluxus art involved the viewer, relying on the element of chance to shape the ultimate outcome of the piece. The use of chance was also employed by Dada, Marcel Duchamp, and other performance art of the time, such as Happenings.

by The Logical Fallacy May 13, 2017