Does this rhetoric have a documented name ('you seem like a smart person; I'm surprised...')

Factual Questions
1

I’ve seen this a lot in internet discussions; opening debate comments of the form:

“I’m surprised you said that you don’t believe in [flying squid ghosts] because you seem like a smart person”

Specifically, this argument seems most common in support of arguments that are not supported by evidence or verifiable facts, and it often seems to be the case that the person making the argument really should have no reason at all to be expressing surprise - that is, the argument is used to attack something that’s really kind of consistent for the person being addressed.

The format nearly always contains all three of:

  • ‘I thought you were smart’
  • ‘I am surprised about your views’
  • Crackpot argument

It’s so consistent, I feel sure someone must have written about this already.

2

I’ve always called it “condescension.”

3

Said another way, the poster’s internal syllogism goes about like this:

I’m smart or at least a correct thinker.
These are my views with which all right-thinking people agree.
You’ve expressed disagreement.
Therefore you must be stupid, wrong, or both.
I can’t quite say that so I say what amounts to “For a smart person you sure have stupid views”.
I’m so pleased that I outsmarted you with my linguistic subtlety. Like in judo, your own ego momentum will now force you to agree with me.
I win!

In other words, it’s a variant of damning by faint praise. And just as ineffective. In the majority of cases I suspect it’s really just “A dumb person’s idea of a smart debating move.” Cf. Dunning Kreuger.

4

What I’ve heard is:

“If you’re so smart, why do you believe in God?”

“If you’re so smart, why don’t you?”

5

Yeah, it always seems to be exactly that - the position being argued is nearly always the most fucknuttian nonsense like some health quackery, or extreme version of a fad diet, or something like that.

6

Which aligns with the whole sales technique used to sell CTs. Which is:

The sheeple can’t see the Truth; they’re too blindered. But us deeply insightful smarty-pants can! So it stands to reason that smart people will buy into fall for the same BS I did.

So there’s some genuine cognitive disconnect for the CT (or woo) believer: It’s sold as appealing to smart or at least uniquely insightful people. I believe it and I think I’m smart/insightful. You disbelieve it but you seem smart. Danger: contradiction. Does not Compute!! Does Not Compute!!

7

Does this rhetoric have a documented name

Compliment sandwich

(without the bottom bun and used for malicious purposes)

8

I’ve always thought of it as a form of ad hominem.

9

Negging, a version of a negative compliment.

10

Good point, yeah, it’s negging.

11

“Damning with faint praise”?

(Or is that more like a mother’s dismissive “That’s nice, dear”?)