It’s Iimi! Storming the Motte and Bailey!

Now working with Krysta’s group (see Issue 259), Iimi is asked about the internment and her view of the reasons to justify it. She describes the tactic as a shifting deception used to prevent legitimate criticism. Asked to elaborate, Iimi provides other real-life examples. She also provides the tactic needed when… Storming the Motte and Bailey!

Post-Comic Notes:

The Motte and Bailey Fallacy is named for a medieval defense where people would ordinarily live in the comfortable “bailey.” When attacked, they would retreat to the uncomfortable but defensible motte. In the fallacy, a person supports a controversial and not easily defended position (Bailey). When that view is attacked, the person retreats to a more moderate and easily defended position (the motte). Then, when the attack is over, the person returns to promoting the bailey. Rinse and repeat.

The tactic is a bait and switch of two superficially similar concepts used with the intent to deflect attention from the controversial position. To overcome it, one must be crystal clear that their issue is not with the motte but with the bailey.

Is the abuse of “prudential judgment” a motte while the bailey is dissent? Iimi says she imagines it depends on the individual. Have they been misled into thinking that prudential judgment means optional? This leads over to the discussion of needing to know intent. We might think they are two different things, or the person doesn’t realize they are shifting.

Image Credits

Some images used in this comic were AI drafted by the author using NightCafe and then edited by the same. No copyrighted artist names (living or dead) were used in the prompts or for “AI training.”

Next Comic Status

I am in the process of turning the script into a comic. However, things are happening in real life that may require slowing down or taking a hiatus on the comic. We will see what God allows.