You suggest adding healthier breakroom snacks, and someone snaps, “So you want to ban donuts now?” That’s a classic “straw man”: misrepresenting your point to make it easier to attack. It’s a tactic often used in debates, online spats, and everyday conversations.

As Darwin once noted, “Great is the power of steady misrepresentation, but … this power does not long endure.”

Real credibility comes from addressing real arguments, not distorted ones. Next time you’re in a disagreement, pause and ask: Am I engaging with the actual point or just knocking down a convenient fiction?

Make it a great day, dear reader, and avoid the straw man.