GodwinAusten

GodwinAusten is a colloquial and informal term that refers to the law that states as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1. The phrase itself is a portmanteau of the name of British novelist Jane Austen and the name of Mount Godwin-Austen, also known as K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth. The origin of GodwinAusten is a variation on Godwin's Law, which was formulated by Mike Godwin in 1990. Godwin's Law states that "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1." GodwinAusten humorously suggests that in the context of discussions about Jane Austen's works, the likelihood of such comparisons, however anachronistic or inappropriate, also becomes statistically significant. The term is typically used to comment on or mock the perceived tendency of some online participants to introduce extreme or irrelevant comparisons into discussions, even when the topic is seemingly far removed from such themes. It is not a formal law or a widely recognized academic concept, but rather a piece of internet culture and a humorous observation on online discourse. The usage of GodwinAusten highlights the often unpredictable and sometimes absurd nature of online conversations.