Define vagueness as uncertainty about a speaker’s intentions, then show how deliberately vague claims select for listeners who are similar, close, and paying attention. Obscurity functions as a costly signal: only insiders invest effort to decode, rewarding loyalty while preserving deniability.
— This explains why obscurantist rhetoric persists in politics, academia, and wellness scenes and helps diagnose when ambiguity is being used to build in‑groups and dodge falsifiability.
Tyler Cowen
2025.08.29
63% relevant
The paper argues 'alternative realities are endogenously conspiratorial to resist evidence,' echoing the idea that ambiguity/obscurity is a feature that selects and hardens in‑group believers while preserving deniability; elite criticism then fits the conspiracy frame and strengthens adherence.
Jerusalem Demsas
2025.08.28
67% relevant
The poll finds similar majorities of Trump (70%) and Harris (77%) voters opposing 'white supremacists' speaking on campus, while the author notes they likely disagree on who qualifies—illustrating how ambiguous labels select for in‑group readings and mask disagreement.
David Pinsof
2025.06.30
100% relevant
Pinsof’s example ('Darwinian cynicism is the antidote to immoral morality') and his trio—Similar, Close, Paying attention—illustrate vagueness as an intentional audience filter.
David Pinsof
2025.04.21
72% relevant
The article catalogs popular, content‑light slogans ('Live life to the fullest,' 'Trust your heart') that function as ambiguous cues allowing audiences to project their own intentions—mirroring the idea that vagueness selects for insiders while preserving deniability.