''Ergo decedo'',

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for "therefore I leave" or "then I go off", a truncation of ''argumentum ergo decedo'', and colloquially denominated the traitorous critic fallacy, denotes responding to the criticism of a critic by implying that the critic is motivated by undisclosed favorability or affiliation to an

out-group Outgroup may refer to: * Outgroup (cladistics), an evolutionary-history concept * Outgroup (sociology) In sociology and social psychology, an in-group is a social group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a member. By contras ...

, rather than responding to the criticism itself. The fallacy implicitly alleges that the critic does not appreciate the values and customs of the criticized group or is traitorous, and thus suggests that the critic should avoid the question or topic entirely, typically by leaving the criticized group. ''Argumentum ergo decedo'' is generally categorized as a species of

informal fallacy Informal fallacies are a type of incorrect argument in natural language. The source of the error is not just due to the ''form'' of the argument, as is the case for formal fallacies, but can also be due to their ''content'' and ''context''. Fall ...

and more specifically as a species of the subclass of ad hominem informal fallacies.

In politics

''Argumentum ergo decedo'' is directly related to the ''

tu quoque (; Latin , for "you also") is a discussion technique that intends to discredit the opponent's argument by attacking the opponent's own personal behavior and actions as being inconsistent with their argument, therefore accusing hypocrisy. This ...

'' fallacy when responding to political criticism. As

whataboutism Whataboutism or whataboutery (as in "what about…?") denotes in a pejorative sense a procedure in which a critical question or argument is not answered or discussed, but retorted with a critical counter-question which expresses a counter-accu ...

is used against external criticism, ''ergo decedo'' is used against internal criticism.

Examples

Critic: "I think we need to work on improving Nauru's taxation system. The current system suffers from multiple issues that have been resolved in other places such as

Tuvalu Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-nor ...

and the

Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Intern ...

."
;Respondent: "Well, if you don't like it, why don't you just leave and go somewhere you think is better?" Critic: "Our office's atmosphere is unsuitable for starting constructive conversations about reforms for the future of the company. A number of improvements are needed."
;Respondent: "Well, if you don't like the corporate system, then why are you here? You should just leave!"

References

{{Propaganda Genetic fallacies Latin logical phrases Propaganda techniques Informal fallacies

In politics

Examples

See also

References