Definiton:
* Focusing attention on something specific, outlandish, outrageous, apparently deeply irrational -
while ignoring "everything else" - an overall balanced profile of the situation and the possessions, composition, prevalence, origins / reasons for acquiring / keeping, intentions, temporal dynamics, etc., and significance of the given item in that overall picture.
Classification:
* manipulation
What it claims to do:
* demonstrate the given claim - here, person's irrationality, pathology
What it really does:
* draws attention, leads to unbalanced conclusions, etc.
Examples:
* Irene's bottle caps
* Collyer bothers' possessions ( pianos, automobile parts, books, newspapers, etc. - all trash ? any of it really trash ? )
* Swan Figurine
* Favorite Travel Brochure
* etc. - most or all case examples have something of this
Antidote:
* recognizing, identifying, calling it out, making this pattern known
* paying attention to the overall situation, linguistic devices / presentation
* alternative interpretation / questioning whether what is being presented is even truly what is being claimed
* asking inconvenient questions -
** what are the biggest issues and their causes here ? ( ref The Questions )
** is what is being focused on really the significant factor ? ( e.g. bottle caps, a swan figurine are guaranteed to be not significnat )
** would a holistic, good-faith practitioner be focusing on stuff like that, or would they be asking The Questions ?
Metaphors / Symbolism:
* Magician't Trick - look at the active hand, ignore the hand behind the back / elsewhere / the side door
* Wizard of Oz - projecting power, authority, rationality, impartiality, scientific objectivity.. while being none such
See also:
* MFSDC - Morbid Fascinated Sensationalized Disgust and Contempt ( presentation style - empahsizing the purportedly shocking aspects )