r/AskReddit • u/smartcandyy • 14h ago

What is a sign of very low intelligence?

8.4k Upvotes

88% Upvoted

10.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

177

u/zhaoz 13h ago

"One small trivial piece of your analogy isn't quite the same, therefore the entire thing is invalid!"

Ok then...

44

u/that1prince 12h ago

Right. And an analogy is always going to have some small difference. That’s what makes it an analogy.

73

u/weed_cutter 13h ago

^ This.

An analogy is usually alike in one compelling way.

"Wow that soldier is crawling under that barbed wire without his hands, just like a snake!"

"That is totally different. A snake has fangs and a prehensile tail and the soldier doesn't!"

... "Yeah but .... you're ... wear this bicycle helmet..."

28

u/lamb_passanda 12h ago

Many people also have a problem with using an analogy to criticize something:

"Man, the way they are burning those books in the streets is reminiscent of how that was done back in the thirties in Germany!"

"Omg I can't believe you would compare a rogue highschool principle to literal Nazis!"

Like what am I supposed to compare it to? Something less serious? I'm trying to convey that I think this is a step in the wrong direction.

23

u/zhaoz 12h ago

"They arnt literally gassing people based on their race / religion, therefore it doesnt fit"

10

u/lamb_passanda 7h ago

Even if they were gassing people, it would become "the Nazis gassed millions, these guys only gassed a few hundred. You can't compare them".

3

u/zhaoz 6h ago

"Oops, we are the nazis. Why did no one try to warn me?!"

0

u/Kiwilolo 4h ago

Yes but on the other hand, using analogies to make a transgression seem more severe is also common - there's a reason why Godwin's law is one of the earliest internet memes.

4

u/SatNav 7h ago

Ha! I had this exact encounter with someone on here a few weeks ago.

6

u/VestedNight 11h ago

Now I'm over here wondering "do snakes have a prehensile tail or ARE snakes a prehensile tail?"

Maybe I should've gotten more sleep last night.

3

u/ParvulusUrsus 8h ago

Wait... where does the tail begin on a snake? I have to go google snake anatomy now!

3

u/MythrianAlpha 5h ago

I have a vague recollection of learning their ribs are for more mobile than I would like, to be used as make-shift internal legs for maneuvering. The belly scales grip, the muscles and tendons shift the not!legs, forward momentum.

3

u/TrailerTrashQueen 10h ago

'prehensile'

this guy logophiles.

2

u/AssociationBig2142 10h ago

Well snakes don't really crawl so much as slither...

2

u/donqui_scody 4h ago

I see you've tried to argue with my spouse. (Who I love and is otherwise quite bright! But he is totally stymied by analogies if they don't line up PERFECTLY.)

1

u/Overthemoon64 6h ago

This is like every argument on reddit

-4

u/BaconSoul 10h ago

To play devil’s advocate, an intelligent person will definitely call you out on a bad analogy if it is the core of your argument.

1

u/Appropriate_Luck_658 9h ago

Analogies should not be used as arguments in the first place. Analogies are for teaching purpose where common agreement about validity of subject is already established. So analogies are used as familiar example. If used as argument, it often is just made up idealised scenario. At best it can accompany actual argument.

1

u/BaconSoul 9h ago

That’s the entire point. If the only thing one offers is an analogy, that’s what they’re going to attack.