# Good responses to “that’s nonsense” **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702 "2016-05-25T22:55:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/21 "2016-05-26T10:30:55Z")
You should always be open to the possibility that what you have just said…actually _is_ nonsense. We’ve all spouted it from time to time. Best to ask them why they think so and then…depending on the quality of their response nod thoughtfully/stare menacingly/turn on your heels and storm off/fly into a rage (delete as appropriate) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/22 "2016-05-26T10:53:12Z")
Exactly. That’s why I like “How so?” in a very neutral tone, which could mean “I’m genuinely curious as to where I’m going wrong” or could mean “I really don’t think what I said was nonsense, so you’d better have something to back up what you just said”. If they explain why what you said was nonsense you just say, “Huh, thanks, I didn’t realise that…” or whatever. If they fail to explain why what said was nonsense, you are now officially in a position to rip them a new one. ---
**Author:** ![Anna1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b77776/32.png) [@Anna1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anna1982)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/23 "2016-05-26T11:02:07Z")
Flips hair ---
**Author:** ![Anna1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b77776/32.png) [@Anna1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anna1982)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/24 "2016-05-26T11:04:13Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > Either “why do you say that” (ball back in their court), or, “I thought you’d say that.” - back on the defensive. Depends on the situation. * * * i will try it sometimes dude ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/25 "2016-05-26T11:31:18Z")
Many remember Reubens for his paintings of Ruebenesque women. I remember him for his sharp wit. [QUOTE=Paul Reubens] I know you are, but what am I? [/quote] ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/26 "2016-05-26T12:51:28Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I can explain it for you but I can’t understand it for you I have a friend who uses variants of this kind of thing often. He will address a comment such as, “Management must be crazy to think blah blah blah,” by pretending to take it at face value. “Which people on the management team do you think are deranged? Is there any other evidence of their mental malfunction? Should we get outside help?” I am sure I recall him asking in a meeting when some idea was dismissed as nonsense, “Do you not know the meaning of those words? Or do you not understand them in that order?” ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/27 "2016-05-26T13:09:43Z")
A variant on “why?” would be “How - _exactly_?” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/28 "2016-05-26T13:24:37Z")
“That’s crazy talk!” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/29 "2016-05-26T13:31:55Z")
“That’s hypocritical,” followed by an statement they agree based on the same idea. Gays can’t get married. Marriage is for having children. So infertile people shouldn’t be allowed to get married. ---
**Author:** ![emulsified](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emulsified/32/2915_2.png) [@emulsified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emulsified)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/30 "2016-05-26T13:49:45Z")
Point outside the window. Say, “My GOD! What is that?!” When they turn to look, run out of the room. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/31 "2016-05-26T14:32:39Z")
[“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.”](https://youtu.be/MS5_cIwzkII) ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/32 "2016-05-26T14:41:03Z")
“Please explain to me why you believe it to be nonsense.” If they answer “it just is”, then you know you can’t argue logic or sense with them. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/33 "2016-05-26T14:42:30Z")
Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/34 "2016-05-26T14:56:03Z")
‘No, it isn’t.’ ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/35 "2016-05-26T15:03:16Z")
I’d be tempted to say “it seems nonsensical to people who don’t understand it.” ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/36 "2016-05-26T17:03:22Z")
Them: That’s Nonsense! Me: Not to smart people. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/37 "2016-05-26T18:01:49Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > “Please explain to me why you believe it to be nonsense.” > > If they answer “it just is”, then you know you can’t argue logic or sense with them. Well, sometimes it just is. Fine, maybe “it just is” isn’t the best or most well thought-out reply, but that doesn’t necessarily make the nonsense less nonsensical. If you’re spouting extraordinary nonsense, you’d better have some extraordinary proof backing it up. “The government is run by alien lizard people in disguise!” “That’s nonsense.” “Explain why it’s nonsense!” “It just is.” Again, “it just is”, isn’t the best possible reply here. But it’s also not entirely unreasonable in context. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/38 "2016-05-26T18:49:33Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > …Again, “it just is”, isn’t the best possible reply here. But it’s also not entirely unreasonable in context. Maybe this: > **[Hitchens's razor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchens%27s_razor)** > > Hitchens's razor is an epistemological razor that serves as a general rule for rejecting certain knowledge claims. It states "what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence". The razor was created by and later named after author and journalist Christopher Hitchens (1949–2011). It implies that the burden of proof regarding the truthfulness of a claim lies with the one who makes the claim; if this burden is not met, then the claim is unfounded, and its oppon The dict... > [@](#): > > What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/39 "2016-05-26T19:21:32Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ‘No, it isn’t.’ Yes, it is. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702/40 "2016-05-26T19:27:19Z")
The only answer worth any merit is, “As you wish.” And a big old smile. Save your breath. Smile and move on. There is no reason to try and convince anyone so very distant from your point. Don’t bother. Let it lie. “So, let’s see, what else can we talk about?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-responses-to-that-s-nonsense/755702.md?page=3)