Godwin's law
Godwin's Law is an Internet maxim formulated by Mike Godwin in 1990, which posits that as online debates progress, the likelihood of participants comparing others to Adolf Hitler or the Nazis increases. Godwin's observations stemmed from his experiences on online bulletin boards in the 1980s, where he noted a frequent tendency among users to resort to these comparisons when disagreements escalated. He argued that such references often signify a breakdown in logical discourse, indicating that the arguers could no longer support their positions constructively. Godwin expressed concern that trivializing these comparisons undermined the historical significance of the Holocaust and the severity of the Nazis' actions. Despite his hopes that Godwin's Law would prompt more thoughtful online discussions, he acknowledged that the law has not significantly curbed instances of such comparisons. The law remains relevant today, particularly in the context of highly polarized political debates where individuals across the spectrum continue to draw parallels to Hitler and the Nazis. While Godwin recognized that some comparisons could be justified, he emphasized the importance of historical knowledge and sincerity in making such claims. Overall, Godwin's Law serves as a cautionary reminder of the challenges inherent in modern communication and the complexities of online discourse.
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Godwin's law
Godwin's Law is an Internet maxim stating that as online arguments continue, the probability of people or groups being compared to Adolf Hitler or Nazis increases. Adolf Hitler was the dictator of Germany and the head of the fascist Nazi Party during World War II (1939–1945). American attorney Mike Godwin devised the law in 1990. Into the twenty-first century, Godwin continued to believe the law applied due to the online prevalence of such logical fallacies as using Hitler comparisons to attack those with whom one simply disagrees. Godwin contended that these Hitler and Nazi comparisons appeared in arguments only at the point when arguers could no longer present their views in constructive ways and therefore resorted to demonizing their opponents. Godwin considered the comparisons the result of people exhausting their actual logical arguments.
Overview
Mike Godwin conceived of Godwin's Law in 1990 partly as a humorous response to what he saw as the frequency of Hitler and Nazi references in online arguments in the 1980s. In these years before the development of the modern Internet, Godwin frequented online bulletin boards, which allowed computer users around the world to communicate with one another through telephone-line connections. He noticed that many people on these boards who engaged in arguments with other users often resorted to comparing their opponents to Hitler or the Nazis. Godwin believed they did so as an outlet for their anger toward those who disagreed with them.
Godwin later saw even more of these Nazi comparisons on the actual Internet. He studied Germany's Nazi era intensely to discover if such comparisons were valid. After learning the extent of the Nazis' crimes against European Jews and others during World War II, which became known as the Holocaust, Godwin became disgusted that anyone would liken Internet debate opponents to Hitler or the Nazis. He believed doing so made light of the Nazis' actions, since few people arguing a point online in the late twentieth century could truly be called similar to Hitler or a Nazi.
Godwin created Godwin's Law in 1990 as a simultaneously serious and humorous response to these comparisons. The law stated that online arguers were more likely to compare their opponents to Hitler or the Nazis as they continued arguing. Godwin intended for his law to call attention to the fact that people who made these Nazi comparisons were no longer thinking logically about their arguments, since believing someone to be akin to Hitler was an exaggerated belief, most of the time. Godwin claimed the United States should reform its education system to teach young people more about history so they would not make such frivolous claims about people while on the Internet or in person.
In the twenty-first century, Godwin conceded his law had not actually reduced incidents of Hitler and Nazi comparisons in American society. However, he hoped his law made people think about how poorly developed some people's online arguments were. At the same time, Godwin did not assert that all Hitler and Nazi comparisons in the modern era were examples of logical fallacies; he believed some people deserved to be associated with Hitler. Godwin wished only that the people who made these arguments were knowledgeable and sincere in their comparisons.
Amidst increasingly polarizing social and political issues in the 2020s, Godwin’s Law continued to highlight how contentious online debates and arguments could become. Political figures on all sides of the political spectrum were rhetorically compared to Hitler and their respective supporters as Nazis on the Internet. The trivializing of a genocide continued. Challenges to Godwin's Law have occurred as well. Although instances of Godwin’s Law were reduced with the advent of moderation across social media platforms, its continued existence indicated an integral challenge of communication and technology.
Bibliography
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McHugh, Calder. “‘Trump Knows What He’s Doing’: The Creator of Godwin’s Law Says the Hitler Comparison Is Apt.” Poltico, 19 Dec. 2023, www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/12/19/godwins-law-trump-hitler-00132427. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
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