Rou

There are few things that upset me more than fallacious arguments and flawed reasoning.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve listened to someone go off on some subject or another with some of the worst logic I’ve ever heard. Sometimes they’re doing it just to shame opponents into giving up the debate. Sometimes they don’t know they’re doing it because they don’t understand the subject matter. Sometimes, they just don’t understand why some of the things are flawed reasoning.

Take for example, some of the following:

If this just saves or helps one child, we’ve done the right thing - Sounds good. Tough to argue against because it means you want the child hurt. The problem is, it doesn’t mean anything. That’s not really a line of reasoning. It’s an appeal to play on your sympathy and prevent any opposition. Of course, horrible injustice can be done in the name of saving children, but they never seem to think about that.

That’s just un-American - My teeth grind just thinking about this one. Has ever there been something more myopic? If so, I’m honestly at a loss to think of it. As if there was some rulebook by which all Americans live.

This is in the national interest - Because that way it’s not selfish, it’s for the greater good. If it was in MY interest, my FAMILY’S interest, or my GROUP’S interest, it would be selfish. But when they make statements like this, be it national, state or community, it’s supposed to be ok then. And if you disagree, you’re hurting your neighbors.

Those are just a handful of examples of course. I could probably go on for years. The simple fact is that people use things like this to frame debates and silence opposition. But they don’t support their position, and they don’t confront criticism. When people can’t frame their argument properly, it just sends me into attack mode. Even if I agree with the basic principle, I slip into devil’s advocate mode.

And we somehow let them get away with it. I don’t understand that apathy in so many people. Maybe they’ve just never heard a good debate.