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Comment by s1artibartfast | Hacker News Reader

Is there a word for these types of snarky quips that trigger off a single word but fail to address the point?

I feel like I'm seeing them more and more.

The killer didn't do any hunting. They did shooting and running.

He stalked his prey and killed it. That's hunting. Then law enforcement tracked him and trapped him. Also hunting! But none of the rich family has done any hunting (yet). So far they are the hunted.

why are you romanticizing him? He waited outside a conference. That is like saying I hunted a hamburger at McDonalds.

All of this is besides the central point, which is that a killer would likely be on the run from detectives and maybe PIs for the rest of their lives.

I'm not. Hunting people in a safe democratic society isn't "romantic", it's not "The Most Dangerous Game" or anything else. Your analogy is absolutely accurate. Harvesting an oyster would be another. Still totally hunting (or maybe just gathering).

> the rest of their lives

Only if any of their adversaries survive with sufficient will to fight.

If it happened as they said, they couldn't really track him without the tip off.

He just happened to be at the right place at the right time with the right equipment?

I know a lot of game hunters who would say that’s pretty much the definition of hunting.

Reliable, repeatable coincidences like that are called "skills".

but we can't call it hunting, that's too romantic! it's only hunting when sweaty rich dudes kill animals.

> Is there a word for these types of snarky quips that trigger off a single word but fail to address the point?

They're (attempts at) a bon mot

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bon_mot

I think based on examples I am seeing for what qualifies as a bon mot, it would be different, but since you specified "attempt" in parentheses I guess it could qualify as some sort of attempt.

The thing is I don't think it is a genuine attempt. Is more like an intentionally counterfeit bon mot. It doesn't actually engage with the parent sentiment, but might fool people that are only half reading.

> Is there a word for these types of snarky quips that trigger off a single word but fail to address the point?

No but please let me know when you find one! And indeed you are correct, this is a fairly new pattern and it's absolutely increasing.

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