Imagine that you are in a pub or at a dinner party and the conversation has turned to politics. You find yourself holding a position that is becoming increasingly difficult to defend; the facts, it turns out, are against you, and you are losing the argument badly. Everyone else present is starting to disagree with you and it is becoming obvious that you will have to throw in the towel.
There is only one thing left to do – you chuck a dead cat on the table. Everyone else is so shocked by this turn of events that the argument is forgotten as you all agree how disgusting the sight is. You have successfully changed the subject and suddenly everyone is talking about this new topic instead of concentrating on you. You have retained your honour, and life can move on.
Strategy
This is the dead cat strategy, or ‘deadcatting’, so beloved of politicians. It implies introducing a topic so horrifying, dramatic or insulting that it distracts attention from something far more damaging. A similar tactic is the ‘Chewbacca defence’, intended to distract or mislead and named after a farcical courtroom scene in television’s South Park, in which a lawyer uses the Star Wars character to make an irrelevant point that so confuses the jury that he wins the case.
Denne historien er fra January 2021-utgaven av Sporting Gun.
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Denne historien er fra January 2021-utgaven av Sporting Gun.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Thermal spectrum
Paul Austin explores both ends of the thermal market with latest high-end release from Zeiss alongside a surprising entry-level offering from Xinfrared
Roe, rucks and new ground
Jon Snowdon and his team have much to keep them busy and a new tool to help them
Tales from a lifetime of foxing
Join Mike Powell as he explores the evolving world of fox shooting, drawing from a career that spans seven decades
Fox rot about Charlie
Patrick Hook responds to claims that fox numbers are dangerously on the wane
The sniff of success
Join Ryan Kay as he navigates the fascinating dynamic between a handler and their canine companion
Adventures of Nick & Ted
A new chapter in the histories of Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter has Nick Ridley reflecting on the dogs he has trained over the years he has been associated with the magazines
The problem: Inflammation in the nervous system
Vet's advice
Gundogs Q&A
No problem goes unsolved as Sporting Gun puts your questions to the gundog experts
Stop-start!
Fran Ardley continues her training tips on disciplining your dog to the stop whistle and the exercises you need to do
Gundogs at the Game Fair
Organising the Game Fair's prestigious gundog competitions: behind-the-scenes with Francesca Prentice