Discourse Guidelines
Community Standards for Productive Discussion
This page outlines expectations and tools for engaging in productive discourse within the IrregularChat community.
Chatham House Rules
All discussions in this community operate under Chatham House Rules:
- Participants are free to use information received during discussions
- The identity or affiliation of the speaker(s), or any other participant, may NOT be revealed
- Screenshots shared outside of the community without permission are not acceptable behavior
This creates a safe space for open, honest discussion without fear of attribution or retaliation.
Before Engaging: Three Questions
Before diving into a discussion, consider these questions:
1. Is This Person Engaging in Good Faith?
Look for signs of genuine engagement:
- Are they willing to consider alternative viewpoints?
- Do they respond to your actual points or deflect?
- Are they seeking understanding or just "winning"?
2. What Is the Broader Topic?
- Is this a specific claim or part of a larger discussion?
- What context might be missing?
- Are there underlying assumptions that need to be addressed first?
3. What Is the Primary Source?
- Where did this information originate?
- Is the source credible and verifiable?
- Has the information been filtered through secondary sources that may have altered it?
Mental Fallacies to Watch For
Are we discussing a mental fallacy? Here are common ones to identify:
| Fallacy | Description |
|---|---|
| Strawman Argument | Misrepresenting an opponent's position to make it easier to attack |
| Ad Hominem | Attacking the person making the argument instead of the argument itself |
| Whataboutism (Tu Quoque) | Deflecting criticism by accusing the opponent of similar or worse behavior |
| False Dilemma | Presenting only two extreme choices when more options exist |
| Appeal to Emotion | Using fear, pity, or outrage instead of logic to persuade |
| Slippery Slope | Claiming one action will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without evidence |
| Red Herring | Distracting from the main issue by introducing an unrelated topic |
| Appeal to Authority | Using a questionable or unrelated authority to support an argument |
| Cherry-Picking | Selecting only favorable evidence while ignoring contradictory data |
| Bandwagon Fallacy | Arguing something is true or right because many people believe it |
Bad Faith Tactics to Recognize
Be aware of these manipulation tactics:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Grifter | An individual who leverages political or ideological movements for personal profit |
| Bad Faith Argument | An argument made without intent to engage honestly, often to provoke or derail |
| False Flag | An operation made to appear as if conducted by an opposing group |
| Disinfo Agent | A person believed to intentionally spread false or misleading information |
| Astroturfing | Creating the appearance of grassroots support through coordinated efforts |
| Gaslighting | Causing someone to doubt their memory, perception, or judgment |
| Projection | Attributing one's own behavior or motives to others |
Principles for Better Discourse
Use these mental tools to improve discussions:
Occam's Razor
The simplest explanation with the fewest assumptions is usually the correct one.
Hanlon's Razor
Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity or ignorance.
Hume's Guillotine (Is-Ought Problem)
Just because something is a certain way doesn't mean it ought to be that way. Descriptive statements don't automatically imply prescriptive conclusions.
Steelman Principle
Strengthen your opponent's argument to its best possible form before engaging with it, rather than attacking a weak version. This is the opposite of a strawman.
Rapoport's Rules
Before criticizing someone's argument:
- Restate their position so clearly that they say "Thanks, I wish I'd put it that way"
- List any points of agreement, especially if they are not matters of general consensus
- Mention anything you have learned from them
- Only then offer your critique or rebuttal
Encouraged Behaviors
- Assume good faith until proven otherwise
- Ask clarifying questions before forming conclusions
- Cite primary sources when making claims
- Acknowledge when you're wrong or have learned something new
- Separate the argument from the person making it
- Be willing to change your mind when presented with better evidence
- Take breaks if discussions become heated
Discouraged Behaviors
- Sharing screenshots outside the community without permission
- Personal attacks or doxxing
- Deliberately misrepresenting others' positions
- Arguing in bad faith to "win" rather than understand
- Spreading unverified information as fact
- Brigading or coordinated harassment