Hey what’s up guys! Kathy Gibbens here…
I wanted to start off today by sharing a review that was left on Apple podcast…you guys don’t know how much it means to me when you leave a review! And this one is special b/c it’s from my sister-in-law, Amy! She said: Kathy, here’s a review from another family member who knows that this topic and format totally is YOU! Thank you for the way you present excellent info that makes a true difference, you make it look easy but I know you work really hard in the process. The manipulation series was such a bonus, so relevant for real life. And way to go on your first interview! A mix of those in your content will be just the right balance and I look forward to many more! Well done, keep on keeping on! Thank you so much, Amy! I am fortunate & thankful to have family members who listen and support what I’m doing here on the podcast. And that last line was special b/c the phrase, “keep on keeping on” is something our Mom used to say to us all the time. Like me, my sister in law also homeschools her kids with our sponsor, Classical Conversations…And if you want to homeschool but are worried about your child’s socialization…there’s a solution.
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Ok, I told you in the last episode that we would be diving a little deeper into the Guilt by Association Fallacy, and that brings me to the New Fallacy for today. It’s called Argumentum ad Hitlerum. It’s also called Appeal to Hitler, Argument from Hitler, the Nazi Argument, among other names. It’s a form of an Appeal Fallacy, where someone is appealing to a comparison to Hitler or the Nazis. Basically, the Argumentum ad Hitlerum says that if you do, think or believe something that Hiter also did, thought or believed, then you’re basically a Nazi. The reason this Guilt by Association fallacy having to do with Hiter gets it’s own name is that for some reason, people use this comparison a lot.
Here’s a silly example: Your friend, Grant, sees you putting on your right shoe first and your left shoe second. He gasps, “Oh my gosh! Hitler put his shoes on the right one first and the left one second…you’re a tyrant who hates Jews!” Ok, it’s silly, but you can easily see the fallacy…just b/c you put your shoes on the same way Hitler did doesn’t make you a tyrant! And it certainly doesn’t mean you hate Jews!
As with the Guilt by Association fallacy, the problem with the Appeal to Hitler is that you have to actually ask if the action, belief or idea is really bad, regardless of whether or not Hiter also believed or did it. In this case, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with putting on your shoes right first and left second, and that certainly isn’t what makes someone a tyrant. The correlation just doesn’t hold up.
Here’s another example: June says that she’s trying to quit smoking & drinking and wants to start eating healthier. Her brother, Paul, says, “What, are you trying to be like Hitler? He didn’t drink, didn’t smoke and was a vegetarian! AND he was responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people! Are you sure you want to go down that path?” June replies: “Yikes! I had no idea! No, I don’t want to have anything to do with being like that psychopath!” Can you see how Paul, just by pointing out a similarity with an intensely unlikeable person, caused June to re-think her decisions…even though they were really good & healthy decisions? And by the way, from what I’ve read, it IS true that Hitler was a vegetarian who didn’t smoke or drink, although he thought doing drugs was ok.
And, I don’t know this for sure, but I can probably guarantee you that Hitler also thought 2+2=4. Does that make it false just b/c an evil man believed that? No, of course not. We have to judge the thought or the idea for itself rather than just rejecting it immediately b/c we dislike someone who believed it.
Now, if we were to assess whether his ideas about a superior race were a good idea or not, that’s a whole ‘nother thing. But, we have to look at the idea itself, rather than just lump people into the ‘Nazi’ group just b/c there is a random similarity.
Question to ask yourself: “ “Is it really true that it’s a bad idea just b/c Hitler & the Nazis did it or believed it?” *repeat*
Remember: When you learn HOW to think, you will no longer fall prey to those who are trying to tell you what THEY want you to think and it all starts with asking one simple question: “Is that really true?”
