Some things are cliche because they’re so often repeated, and sometimes they’re repeated so often because they’re often apt. Are we really not allowed to call a spade a spade? I can understand that just saying, “whataboutism” and nothing more would be low effort shitppsting, but in the context of a reasoned argument pointing out how something truly is just whataboutism, we’re not supposed to point that out?
The comment that set this all off was short and made a single point that can be accurately described by a cliche. There was nothing else to it. I an understand not wanting people to dismiss real arguments with cliches, but I don’t think that’s what happened here. When someone brags about using a straw man to deflect reasonable criticism, it merits a response.
> When someone brags about using a straw man to deflect reasonable criticism, it merits a response.
Maybe, but that response shouldn't just classify the argument as an instance of the cliche, since that would be low-effort shitposting, as you point out. HN already has the downvote arrow to express that kind of disagreement.
The comment that set this all off was short and made a single point that can be accurately described by a cliche. There was nothing else to it. I an understand not wanting people to dismiss real arguments with cliches, but I don’t think that’s what happened here. When someone brags about using a straw man to deflect reasonable criticism, it merits a response.