Enlightenment: Straw Man
I got into a discussion with a coworker today who was in the mood for some liberal bashing based on some poll results that he felt highlighted a common logical deficiency among left-leaning, knee-jerk partisans. I have decided to omit the details of the argument. Suffice it to say that he attacked my position vigorously until I made him listen to all of the components of my opinion. At that point he gave up, acknowledging that I at least thought something reasonable on the subject, even though it dovetailed with the poll results. His attacks on a gross simplification of my view were valid, but they weren't attacks on how I really felt. At that point, I achieved enlightenment: I have finally seen a straw man.