Strawman Disclaimer
Distancing from a viewpoint while actively expressing it.
"I'm not one to subscribe to woke thinking, but [proceeds to describe actual social justice position]"
"I don't believe in conspiracy theories, but [shares conspiratorial reasoning]"
"I'm not a pessimist, but everything is getting worse."
"I'm not saying all corporations are evil, but [describes systemic corporate malfeasance]"
Why It's Unproductive
Creates distance from a position while actively taking it, which makes the actual argument harder to engage with honestly. It's tempting because distancing from a label feels like claiming independence and nuance, but it signals wanting credit for thoughtfulness while avoiding vulnerability to criticism. Forces responders to address both the identity claim and the substance.
The Better Move
Just state the position. If the argument is nuanced, let the reasoning show that. You don't need to pre-negotiate your identity before making a point.
Why It's Better
Lets people respond to what's actually being argued instead of getting tangled in whether you are or aren't the kind of person who would say this. Earns nuance by demonstrating it, not disclaiming it.
Examples
OP: "We should have better protections for gig workers since they lack basic benefits." Antipattern: "I'm not one to subscribe to the socialist thinking of Bernie Sanders, but we should have better protections for gig workers since they lack basic benefits." Better: "I think we should have better protections for gig workers. The current model shifts too much risk onto individuals."
OP: "Smart sleep masks are broadcasting users' brainwave data to an open server." Antipattern: "I'm a neuroscientist, so I'm not going to say the EEG data is mind reading or anything, but non-privacy of brain data is very bad." Better: "The EEG data alone isn't detailed enough to extract thoughts, but setting a precedent that brain data doesn't need to be private is a serious problem."
OP: "Anti-LLM sentiment in software development is nearly non-existent." Antipattern: "I'm not presenting these as an 'LLMs are bad' argument and my own feelings go both ways, but here are five categories of legitimate developer concerns about LLMs." Better: "That's not true. There are real concerns: job displacement, reduced craft satisfaction, skill erosion, training data ethics, and uncertainty about where this all goes. Those aren't fringe positions."