No. 15 Missing the Point
Moving the Goalposts
In Turkish: Kale Direğini Oynatma Safsatası
I did what you asked. Now you’re asking for something else. The goal counts.
Paint the room and I’ll never say another word.
The wall’s done, but the window? The door? The skirting? Do those and I’ll never say another word.
The goal moves back a metre every time I score. I’m off to have tea with Dursun.
What is it?
Setting a condition, then changing it once it’s met. Evidence is demanded, evidence arrives, “that doesn’t count”; a job is asked for, the job is done, “the real job is this one”. The target moves back a metre just as it’s about to be hit.
The pattern
- “If you do / show X, I’ll accept.”
- X is done / shown.
- “Actually, Y is needed too.” (Y goes on forever.)
Why it fails
For someone who doesn’t want to concede, the easiest path is never to declare a loss. Each new condition looks reasonable on its own; seen as a series, the game is obvious. The other side tires or gives up, and the one moving the posts has “won” without conceding anything.
How to spot it
- The condition was met and acceptance didn’t follow; a new condition did.
- Stock phrases: “fine, but…”, “actually…”, “that doesn’t count”.
- Nothing you do is enough, and the definition of enough keeps running ahead of you.
What to say
Get the condition stated up front: “If I do this, do you accept? Yes or no?” When the posts move, point at it: “That was the condition, it’s met. Now you’re adding one. How many more are there?”
When it’s not a fallacy
Changing the condition when new information appears is legitimate: “the evidence turned out to be fake, we need new evidence.” So is showing that a piece of evidence genuinely falls short. The fallacy is shifting the target without a reason, or with a fresh reason invented each time.
Examples
- Work“Add three charts and I’ll approve the report.” Three charts added: “Actually it needed a table too.”
- Family“Get your grades up and you’ll get a phone.” Grades go up: “Let’s see one more term.”
- Social media“Show a source.” A source is shown: “That source is biased.” Another: “So is that.”
- Football“Win this match and I’ll accept the coach.” They win: “Let’s see him win away.”