When “Everyone’s Doing It” Becomes the Argument “Join the millions who have already switched.” “America’s #1 choice.” “Everyone is talking about it.” You’ve heard these lines countless times—and they’re designed to trigger a simple instinct: If everyone else is on board, maybe I should be too. That’s the bandwagon fallacy, a persuasive tactic that equates […]
The Appeal to Emotion
When Feelings Replace Facts Picture this: a dramatic commercial shows a slow-motion scene of a worried parent, a vulnerable child, and a voiceover that warns, “If you don’t act now, everything you love could be at risk.” You feel something immediately—concern, urgency, maybe even fear. But here’s the key question: what evidence was actually presented? […]
The False Dilemma
When You’re Given Only Two Choices (But There Are Many) “You’re either with us or against us.” It’s a powerful line. Simple. Clear. Memorable. And often… completely misleading. This is the false dilemma fallacy—also known as the false dichotomy. It happens when someone presents a situation as having only two options, when in reality, there […]
The Straw Man Fallacy
Winning Arguments Against Things No One Actually Said Imagine you’re in a discussion about improving school lunches. You suggest adding healthier options—more fresh vegetables, less processed food. The response? “So you want kids to starve because they won’t eat rabbit food?” That’s not your argument. Not even close. Welcome to the straw man fallacy—one of […]
Ad Hominem: Attack the person
The loudest arguments aren’t really arguments at all… just well-aimed insults dressed up as reasoning. When Attacking the Person Replaces the Argument If you’ve ever watched a political debate, scrolled through social media, or sat in a heated meeting, you’ve probably seen this move: someone makes a point… and instead of responding to it, the […]
Trickery Based On Scale
This is really not a logical fallacy, it is a technique of misdirection that is based on the average person’s poor concept of large numbers. A perfect example comes from the infamous John Locke Foundation in North Carolina, a think tank (pronounced “propaganda propagator”) almost entirely funded by ultraconservative libertarian Art Pope. Pope also funds […]