fallacy
Gish gallop
Also called: Argument from verbosity, Proof by verbosity
A Gish gallop overwhelms an opponent with a rapid stream of weak arguments and claims, more than can be answered in the time available.
How it works
Making a claim takes seconds; refuting it properly takes much longer. Any point left unanswered is then presented as conceded.
Examples
A debater lists twenty quick objections in two minutes, several of them misleading, then says: "My opponent couldn't answer most of my points."
A long post stacks dozens of links and claims, many irrelevant, so that checking them all is impractical.
How to spot it
- Many claims, little support for each.
- Unanswered points treated as conceded.
- Speed and quantity over depth.
How to respond
- Pick the strongest one or two claims and address them thoroughly.
- Name the tactic so the audience understands the imbalance.
- Ask the speaker to choose their best argument.