Poisoning the Well

Other Names

Discrediting, Smear Tactics

Description

When you pre-emptively attack your opponent's position or attempt to bias the audience against them.

Example

You have all heard my side of the story. Now you will hear my opponent give his version of events and you will see that his story is nothing but lies and irrational appeals.

Famous Examples

I'm sorry I'm not a classic maternal archetype. I don't know what to do when you people come to me with your weird puberty issues.

Context: Rick and Morty season 3, episode 5 - The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy
Anybody who says they don't like fighting in the NHL have to be out of their minds.
A lot of my rhymes are just to get chuckles out of people. Anybody with half a brain is going to be able to tell when I’m joking and when I’m serious.
Someone must not be afraid to say, "moral perversion is wrong." If we do not act now, homosexuals will "own" America! If you and I do not speak up now, this homosexual steamroller will literally crush all decent men, women, and children who get in its way ... and our nation will pay a terrible price!
Now, thanks to the climate change hoax narrative, a shockingly high percentage of liberals actually believe that there were no forest fires, no hurricanes, no tornadoes, no floods, no droughts and no snow storms before the invention of the combustion engine (and the subsequent burning of fossil fuels).
Morty: Well can we at least go get our family so we could take them with us if we lose?

Rick: That's planning for failure Morty. Even dumber than regular planning.

Context: Rick and Morty season 2, episode 5 - Get Schwifty
Anyone continuing to explore the citadel is either stupid or one of the unfortunate millions held hostage by their own terrible ideas.

Context: Rick and Morty season 3, episode 7 - The Ricklantis Mixup

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