What is a 'bad tactic'?

AnimeGirlConnoisseur

AnimeGirlConnoisseur

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What is a 'bad tactic'? How do we determine if a tactic is bad? Are there certain contexts in which an otherwise bad tactic ceases to be bad? If so how do we identify these contexts?

A while ago, a fat guy called Robert 'Moviebob' Chipman said "There are no bad tactics, only bad targets" The meaning of this (as far as I understand it) is that it is acceptable to take any action against someone as long as that person is 'bad'. Yes, Moviebob is stupid and I'm probably stupid for dwelling on anything that came out of his mouth, but that got me wondering if it is ever acceptable to employ a bad tactic. Perhaps if the ends justify the means. For instance, most people find killing to be unacceptable, but will make exceptions in certain contexts (war and self-defense). Killing someone in self-defense is a very black and white scenario, but when you put things on the macro-level it suddenly becomes much more difficult to determine and weigh the 'badness' of one's means against the 'goodness' of one's ends. I think that makes the concept of inherently 'good' and 'bad' tactics rather comforting, since that gives us the ability to not have to worry about ends and means. However, all possible choices a human can make aren't neatly segregated into 'good' and 'bad', so clearly we must take context into consideration (and by extension employ something akin to 'bad targets' or 'ends justify the means' thinking) whenever we make choices. The only problem is that you can take these styles of thinking to the extreme and use them to justify all sorts of horrible shit. How does a person not do that?

TL;DR: I took a shower without jacking off and now I think I'm Socrates
 
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a lesson in optics from someone named "animegirlconnoisseur"
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The only problem is that you can take these styles of thinking to the extreme and use them to justify all sorts of horrible shit. How does a person not do that?
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If you figure out how not to, please write to:

Democratic Socialists of America​

75 Maiden Lane, Ste 702
New York City, NY

(no reward)
 
The only bad tactics are the ones that have proven themselves not to work, or somehow go against what you are trying to push/achieve by applying them.
 
A reference to a 'bad tactic' simply is referring to whether or not someone is holding their organization or themselves to a form of standard, such as manipulating information or evidence to try to swing a situation to your advantage. If your opponent is willing to use underhanded tactics (and most usually are) you are doing nothing but harming yourself by not being willing to do the same.

Trying to decry someone being bad or immoral for using a tactic that is losing is simply just coping on the part of the losing party. One should not expect chivalry, honor, or fair play in modern society as real politik is the way of things.
 
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Agarathium1066 said:
A reference to a 'bad tactic' simply is referring to whether or not someone is holding their organization or themselves to a form of standard, such as manipulating information or evidence to try to swing a situation to your advantage. If your opponent is willing to use underhanded tactics (and most usually are) you are doing nothing but harming yourself by not being willing to do the same.

Trying to decry someone being bad or immoral for using a tactic that is losing is simply just coping on the part of the losing party. One should not expect chivalry, honor, or fair play in modern society as real politik is the way of things.
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I completely understand where you are coming from. The only problem is I believe that this will end with everybody believing that everything (regardless of how fucked up it is) is on the table as long as it helps them achieve their goal.
 
AnimeGirlConnoisseur said:
I completely understand where you are coming from. The only problem is I believe that this will end with everybody believing that everything (regardless of how fucked up it is) is on the table as long as it helps them achieve their goal.
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That's a very relevant concern.. but I'm afraid that boat will continue to sail on without us. So long as there's a way to gain from being underhanded and shifty it will be done. Governments and various societal laws will claim this is not acceptable.. but then they do it anyway while lying about it.
 
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Agarathium1066 said:
That's a very relevant concern.. but I'm afraid that boat will continue to sail on without us. So long as there's a way to gain from being underhanded and shifty it will be done. Governments and various societal laws will claim this is not acceptable.. but then they do it anyway while lying about it.
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I can't say I have an argument against that.
 
Threatening to rape someone's kids as revenge is a bad tactic, if the person you're trying to threaten doesnt end up robloxing you, someone on your own team might anyway
 
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A bad tactic is anything that is maladaptive or lacking in productive output. A good example is shouting at police officers “you work for us!”

I mean sure - taxpayers, constituents, democracy - but de facto police at a protest are paid to end the protest. Anyone trying to argue with the police is wasting their time.
 
Good tactic: bringing enough violence to submit your enemy and achieve desired results
Bad tactic: bringing enough violence to provoke your enemy and then be destroyed by them
 
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People have pointed out ineffective or contraproductive tactics as bad.

But the bad tactics/bad targets is essentially a question of morality. And the rightful ethical approach is to make sure you're not being more ethical than your opponents. No use bringing a knife to a gunfight.
 
If it didn't work and you got caught it was a bad tactic

If you won and got away with it that's a good tactic

Then again I'm 32 and jaded af so take it as you will
 
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