Logical Fallacies and You

The reading about logical fallacies, although not being much more than a list with examples, seems to resonate in today’s society. Reading through, I was struck by the absurdity of some of the examples, even laughing out loud at some of them. But what if they were more subtle? A careless reader may absorb a logical fallacy without even realizing it. In this era of misinformation and “fake news”, it is possible, even probable, that news outlets are peppering their pieces with these fallacies, and the average consumer might just take them for the truth.

In fact, these outlets may even be successful at changing a consumer’s mind. With the historical ethos of companies such as CNN, FOX, and others, people are inclined to believe whatever they spit out. This could sway someone away from the truth, as they may think that if a huge corporation is reporting it, it has to be true. Fortunately, as more information and warnings are spread, informed people are starting to be more skeptical about what they read online and in print. Other forms of media are affected by this too. In the past, a picture was the truth, with there being no way to alter it save weeks of careful alterations and way more effort than anyone would put in. Nowadays, anyone with a computer can change details of a picture, and if they’re good enough, the whole scene. We can’t trust the news fully anymore, and understanding the ways that they manipulate the world’s goings-on is becoming more and more essential.