Heard of Gish Gallop? The dirty tactic narcissists use to escape accountability

An unbelievably effective manipulation tactic if you don’t know about it. Never fall prey again.

Photo by Sivani Bandaru on Unsplash

Hot damn. The Gish Gallop is one of the most maddening argument tropes around. Why? Because it’s so stupid. And so bloody easy for a narcissist to run rings around you (or any relevant point).

In this article, I’ll explain exactly what the ‘Gish Gallop’ is, the psychological factors that make it successful, and the reverse Gish Gallop employed when you're standing your ground.

But, most importantly — how to counter the fool who dares to try this.

Let’s get into it.

What is the Gish Gallop?

It’s a rhetorical arguing technique, named after 20th century creationist Duane Gish. A Charleton at debating, he won arguments by overwhelming his opponents with a barrage of ridiculous information.

Here’s a real-time example:

Let’s say you’ve brought up a contentious issue with a narcissist. A blunder that’s really irked you. One that supersedes an apology and can’t simply fly under the radar, unnoticed.

You: ‘Calling me those horrible names and…