Neo-Obscurantism Unmasked

Ostentation of Indignation

Reacting in an astonished, almost offended way to dissenting views in order to give weak-minded audience the impression that they should feel ashamed for even considering them.

When dealing with an accusation, an objection, or sometimes even a simple question, defenders of mainstream narrative often react with an overly indignated tone (using expression such as: "These are very grave claims", "Are you perhaps implying that...", "Do you realize what you`re saying!?", etc.), almost as if the very act of doubting the establishment somehow represented a grave personal offense, or an act of blasphemy against something sacred.
The most typical form of this tactic is the infamous "You`re disrespecting the victims!" gambit, which is almost inevitably invoked whenever the issue at hand is some kind of tragic event where a lot of people were allegedly killed, or otherwise gravely harmed.
This is a guilt and shaming tactic: its purpose is to have weak-minded people, taken aback by the sudden reaction, instinctively think they`ve somehow done something bad, while at the same time make it clear to anyone that similar behavior won`t be tolerated and anyone who does will face social shunning; in this way it is possible to effectively prevent people from making inconvenient questions, turning certain issues into taboo subjects.

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