What it sounds like
- Why talk about pollution when taxes are too high?
- "Why did costs double?" "Well, our team culture is strong." Great, but the invoice is still doing parkour.
Logical fallacy
Red Herring
Introducing an irrelevant point to distract from the issue.
Classic tell: Why talk about pollution when taxes are too high?
Back to the guideFurther explanation
What is happening underneath?
Introducing an irrelevant point to distract from the issue.
A distracting issue is dragged across the trail so the original question gets lost. It may be interesting; it is just not the point.
How to tell
- The conversation changes topics right when accountability or evidence is due.
Why people use it
- Diversion buys time, drains energy, and makes the other person chase a new argument.
How to combat it
- Say: "That may matter later. Right now I am asking why costs doubled."
Manipulation watch
How this gets used on people.
- Political interviews use this constantly: answer the question they wish had been asked, then sprint away from the actual one.