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dead_cat_strategy
A deliberate diversion tactic where someone introduces a shocking or outrageous topic to dominate the conversation and distract from an issue that is more damaging to them. Named after the idea that throwing a dead cat on a dining table will make everyone talk about the dead cat instead of anything else.
A politician facing corruption allegations makes an inflammatory statement about immigration, dominating the news cycle and burying the corruption story.
Hours before a damaging parliamentary vote on the government's economic record, a senior minister gives an interview making a provocative claim about a foreign country, flooding the news cycle and pushing the economic story off the front page.
A CEO facing a shareholder lawsuit over financial mismanagement tweets a wild accusation against a competitor on the eve of the court filing, making that feud the dominant business story of the week.
Binary (yes/no) questions an LLM must answer to identify this aspect:
Is a shocking, provocative, or outrageous statement or action introduced into the discourse?
Type: binaryDoes this statement divert attention from a more substantive issue that was being discussed?
Type: binaryDoes the originator benefit from the shift in attention regardless of whether the provocative statement is condemned?
Type: binaryA deliberate diversion tactic where someone introduces a shocking or outrageous topic to dominate the conversation and distract from an issue that is more damaging to them. Named after the idea that throwing a dead cat on a dining table will make everyone talk about the dead cat instead of anything else.
Outrage and shock are psychologically compelling and media-friendly. The provocation demands a response, consuming attention and energy that would otherwise focus on the original issue.
Explicitly name the distraction and redirect attention to the original issue. Ask: what were we discussing before this provocation?
Political communications, corporate PR, and social media discourse where controversies are manufactured to bury bad news.
Use these tools to detect, analyze, or train this aspect.