# Godwin this, and Godwin that. Stick Godwin up your ass. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 29, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399 "2008-01-29T01:59:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/1 "2008-01-29T01:59:33Z")
[This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=453331) was the final straw for me. I hereby propose Dave’s Law: The first person who invokes Godwin’s Law anywhere, under any circumstances, is a pinhead. For God’s sake, it was a joke, a mere exercise in memetics. Stop being retarded about it and just say Hitler or Nazis if that’s what you mean. Oooh, I said it, I must be the loser! :rolleyes: Morons. All of you “Godwinizers”, to a person, are too stupid for words. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/2 "2008-01-29T02:06:56Z")
And how do you feel about that? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/3 "2008-01-29T02:06:59Z")
You’d have to be a total nazi to hate Godwin. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/4 "2008-01-29T02:07:33Z")
Yeah, well how would you feel if Hitler killed your whole family! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/5 "2008-01-29T02:12:43Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] You’d have to be a total nazi to hate Godwin. [/QUOTE] Not if Godwin killed your family. ---
**Author:** ![Anomalous\_Reading](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Anomalous\_Reading](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anomalous_Reading)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/6 "2008-01-29T02:20:14Z")
Fucking BROWNSHIRTS! (He has a fucking point) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/7 "2008-01-29T02:22:54Z")
I don’t think Godwin would fit up my ass, but yes, the OP has a point. After all, Godwin’s Law is really about _probability_. If the _probability_ of Hitler or Nazis being mentioned only increases with the length of a thread, then at some point it’s as good as inevitable, so why sweat it? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/8 "2008-01-29T02:24:31Z")
[Godwin’s Law](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law) for those playing along at home. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/9 "2008-01-29T02:29:03Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] For God’s sake, it was a joke, a mere exercise in memetics. [/QUOTE] As was my mention of “Godwinize” in the linked thread. What is your point? (And yes, comparisons of Suharto to Hitler are relevant and legitimate within definite limits, for reasons I explained quite thoroughly.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/10 "2008-01-29T02:32:13Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] [Morons. All of you “Godwinizers”, to a person, are too stupid for words. [/QUOTE] BTW, the “Godwinizers” are the ones who invoke Hitler/Nazis in the thread, not the posters calling them on it. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/11 "2008-01-29T02:33:17Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] [This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=453331) was the final straw for me. I hereby propose Dave’s Law: The first person who invokes Godwin’s Law anywhere, under any circumstances, is a pinhead. For God’s sake, it was a joke, a mere exercise in memetics. Stop being retarded about it and just say Hitler or Nazis if that’s what you mean. Oooh, I said it, I must be the loser! :rolleyes: Morons. All of you “Godwinizers”, to a person, are too stupid for words. [/QUOTE] But, what if the person who brings it up is only trying to suggest that the post is using “inflammatory rhetoric or exaggerated comparisons” and has nothing to do with Nazis or Hitler? Why should they be reduced to saying “Hitler” when they’re only talking about exaggerated comparisons? > [@](#): > > Godwin’s law is often cited in online discussions as a caution against the use of inflammatory rhetoric or exaggerated comparisons, and is often conflated with fallacious arguments of the reductio ad Hitlerum form. from the Wiki article. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/12 "2008-01-29T02:35:37Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] As was my mention of “Godwinize” in the linked thread. What is your point? (And yes, comparisons of Suharto to Hitler are relevant and legitimate within definite limits, for reasons I explained quite thoroughly.) [/QUOTE] So just say it instead of beating around the bush. It’s not clever. OMG you said Godwin LOL!!111!! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/13 "2008-01-29T02:37:09Z")
While I can’t say that the linked example was particularly egregrious, I agree with the OP in general about the misuse/overuse of Godwin’s Law. IMO, Godwin’s Law should only be invoked when the comparison to Nazis or Hitler is the result of over the top rhetoric, e.g. “you know who else was in favor of rezoning downtown commercial lots for high density housing? Hitler!” And even then, sparingly. We’ve all heard of it. You’re not being clever by referring to it any time you see those two keywords. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/14 "2008-01-29T02:39:12Z")
Bring pie? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/15 "2008-01-29T02:41:58Z")
As the length of an online discussion increases, the probability of Godwin’s Law being invoked approaches one. > [@John Mace](#): > > BTW, the “Godwinizers” are the ones who invoke Hitler/Nazis in the thread, not the posters calling them on it. Then does that mean that people who invoke Godwin’s Law are Nazis? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/16 "2008-01-29T02:45:12Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] So just say it instead of beating around the bush. It’s not clever. OMG you said Godwin LOL!!111!! :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] It is debatable whether it was clever. It is certain that you are an asstard. ---
**Author:** ![Anomalous\_Reading](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Anomalous\_Reading](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anomalous_Reading)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/17 "2008-01-29T02:45:20Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] So just say it instead of beating around the bush. It’s not clever. OMG you said Godwin LOL!!111!! :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Seconded. The “Godwin” game of gotcha sometimes just gets so TIRED. And sometimes nazi’s or Hitler or whatever IS a legitimate parallel. Obviously not always. Obviously invoked too often. Even so, “Godwin” ends up a distracting, annoying, fucking ever present hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/18 "2008-01-29T02:55:02Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] It is debatable whether it was clever. It is certain that you are an asstard. [/QUOTE] Is that so? I assure you the sentiment is mutual. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/19 "2008-01-29T02:57:04Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] Is that so? I assure you the sentiment is mutual. [/QUOTE] You think you’re an asstard, too? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399/20 "2008-01-29T03:01:46Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] You think you’re an asstard, too? [/QUOTE] Where’s the putz smiley when I need it? Ah, what the hell. You know what I meant. I blame it on the State of the Union drinking game. I really should know better, but _c’est la vie_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/godwin-this-and-godwin-that-stick-godwin-up-your-ass/435399.md?page=2)