One of the most basic logical fallacies taught in "critical thinking" classes, normally taught by the philosophy department, is "ad hominem", wherein a party to a debate can't find anything to attack in the opponent's argument, so he attacks the opponent. It's like "shoot the messanger" though not exactly.

It has nothing to do with "carpe diem", etc. It has even less with "gaudeamus igitur."

Did you actually attend that "critical thinking" course?

RE