I’m realizing that in addition to fabricated option, we have lots of other nouns for this concept, with different implications.
Illusion, mirage, fantasy
Nonsense, foolishness
Fairly tale, fable, tall tale
Bunk
Dead end, bridge to nowhere
Or, as I suggested below, comb-over
I’m sure there are many others.
A fabricated option is the complement of a “false dichotomy.” In the false dichotomy, a realistic third option is being left out. With fabricated options, an unrealistic third option is being added in.
The phrase “false dichotomy” nicely highlights the intellectual objects (the set of options), as discrete entities that we can hold in our minds. By contrast, the many alternative phrases I noted above focus attention on the illusion and tell us how we should feel about it.
The phrase “fabricated option,” unlike all the others, reminds us that there exist alternatives to the fabricated option that are more worthy of our consideration.
If I say “price gouging bans are a fabricated option,” it suggests that there are other options for dealing with high prices during an emergency, and reminds us that we are looking for an effective solution to a problem that may admit more than one approach to solving it. This is a useful way to redirect a conversation. By contrast, if I say that “price gouging bans are an illusion,” it holds attention on price gouging bans, when in fact we’re really hoping that attention moves away from this idea.
I’d like a phrase that is even more optimized for this property. One suggestion is to say that an idea is “a distraction,” or a “distracting option.” We might say something like “I honestly think that price gouging bans are a bit of a distraction from more effective solutions to the problem.” And then we can talk about the problem (taut supply constraints) and realistic solutions (ways to alleviate those supply constraints).
There’s a chance our debate partner doubles down and says, “no, I really think the right answer is a price gouging ban,” but there’s a good chance that they accept our move into the more constructive solution. But the phrase “distracting option” carries less of a whiff of accusation as compared to “fabricated option.”
There might be an even better-optimized option out there.
I’m realizing that in addition to fabricated option, we have lots of other nouns for this concept, with different implications.
Illusion, mirage, fantasy
Nonsense, foolishness
Fairly tale, fable, tall tale
Bunk
Dead end, bridge to nowhere
Or, as I suggested below, comb-over
I’m sure there are many others.
A fabricated option is the complement of a “false dichotomy.” In the false dichotomy, a realistic third option is being left out. With fabricated options, an unrealistic third option is being added in.
The phrase “false dichotomy” nicely highlights the intellectual objects (the set of options), as discrete entities that we can hold in our minds. By contrast, the many alternative phrases I noted above focus attention on the illusion and tell us how we should feel about it.
The phrase “fabricated option,” unlike all the others, reminds us that there exist alternatives to the fabricated option that are more worthy of our consideration.
If I say “price gouging bans are a fabricated option,” it suggests that there are other options for dealing with high prices during an emergency, and reminds us that we are looking for an effective solution to a problem that may admit more than one approach to solving it. This is a useful way to redirect a conversation. By contrast, if I say that “price gouging bans are an illusion,” it holds attention on price gouging bans, when in fact we’re really hoping that attention moves away from this idea.
I’d like a phrase that is even more optimized for this property. One suggestion is to say that an idea is “a distraction,” or a “distracting option.” We might say something like “I honestly think that price gouging bans are a bit of a distraction from more effective solutions to the problem.” And then we can talk about the problem (taut supply constraints) and realistic solutions (ways to alleviate those supply constraints).
There’s a chance our debate partner doubles down and says, “no, I really think the right answer is a price gouging ban,” but there’s a good chance that they accept our move into the more constructive solution. But the phrase “distracting option” carries less of a whiff of accusation as compared to “fabricated option.”
There might be an even better-optimized option out there.
The most sensical comment here; more sensical than the frame in the article. Nice remix.