Tag Archives: trollemic

The welfare debate and the age of the trollemic

By Stephen Tall | Thu 4th April 2013 - 9:25 am

I decided to invent a new word yesterday:

Is “trollemic” a word? If not it should be. Trollemic = deliberately OTT argument to generate controversy & make rational debate impossible.

— Stephen Tall (@stephentall) April 3, 2013

It’s the welfare debate that’s prompted it, but it could be any other topic on a given week.

Yesterday saw the Daily Mail publish a typically sensationalist front page blaming the welfare state for the tragedy of six children being killed by their parents. On Monday the Mirror shouted ‘Shameful’, with a cartoon showing Thatcher, Cameron, Osorne and Clegg banging in the final nail of a coffin marked ‘RIP Welfare’.

Each is exaggerating to make their own point. Both are gross over-statements: trollemics.

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged ben goldacre, charlie brooker, daily mail, daily mirror, featured, james delingpole, julie burchill, mick philpott, polly toynbee and welfare | 26 Comments

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