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Thinking again to your adolescence, do you bear in mind your oldsters ever asking you, “If all of your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?”
I do know this fictional state of affairs was once regularly introduced to me after I argued to do one thing “because everyone else was doing it” but it surely didn’t regularly paintings rather well.
As adults, the time period “jumping on the bandwagon” is a frequently used word expressing our tendency to do one thing simply because “everyone else” is doing it.
We have a tendency to like conformity as a result of agreeing with folks is useful because it permits us to coexist and cooperate with each and every different. According to the Asch Conformity Experiment, that is as a result of two issues:
People regularly use this false reasoning to communicate others into taking a definite motion or believing one thing simply because it’s the typical factor to do. However, that is wrong common sense and could have detrimental penalties, so it’s necessary to be ready to establish the bandwagon logical fallacy so that you don’t fall into its entice.
In this text, we can take a look at what the bandwagon fallacy is after which overview 9 examples that can arise all over a controversy so you’ll know precisely what you’re on the lookout for when attempting to spot this logical fallacy.
Let’s get began.
What is the Bandwagon Fallacy?
The bandwagon fallacy is in accordance with the idea that almost all’s opinion is all the time legitimate. This has a peer power element to it, because it argues that if everybody else believes one thing, you will have to too.
However, this common sense most effective proves {that a} trust is not unusual, now not that it is correct. This logical fallacy is utilized in arguments to persuade others of one thing when there is not any factual argument to use to end up the subject to hand.
This erroneous approach of reasoning is not unusual to come throughout, whether or not it’s getting used by accident or on goal for any person’s receive advantages.
Advertising is particularly full of examples of the bandwagon fallacy as it’s a great way to make doable consumers consider they may change into a part of a bigger staff who already advantages from the usage of a definite services or products.
The bandwagon fallacy has 18th century political beginnings, as musicians would journey on a bandwagon forward of a crowd after they have been going to a political rally, which might collect an increasing number of other people as a result of the joy.
The idiom that has come from this means that folks will observe anything else if it’s garnered numerous other people’s consideration, although they do not know what it’s or whether or not or now not it’s true. The bandwagon fallacy has a snowball impact, that means as an increasing number of other people soar at the wagon, others will proceed to achieve this as effectively.
This announcing transitioned to the figurative time period we use nowadays via the Nineties.
The bandwagon fallacy is particularly robust when the one who is at the receiving finish of it needs to be well-liked or to really feel like they’re part of a bunch. It’s additionally efficient at tricking individuals who aren’t just right at making their very own choices or they’re hesitant to check out anything else new.
This fallacy is regularly used within the following scenarios:
Its conventional shape is:
The bandwagon fallacy is going via a number of different names, such because the “argumentum ad populum” (attraction to the folk), “authority of the many” and “appeal to popularity”.
These phrases are regularly used interchangeably, however on this article, we can stick to the most typical title and definition of this fallacy with out digging into the slight variations that others can have.
Let’s check out some examples of bandwagon fallacies so you’ll get a complete working out of ways to spot them.
9 Bandwagon Fallacy Examples to Spot During an Argument
1. Fitness and Health Trends
Caroline eats a well-rounded vitamin and workouts frequently. However, all of her pals at paintings are beginning a low-carb vitamin that is composed most commonly of protein shakes.
Her officemate tells Caroline about their plan and the way they’re going to all stay each and every different responsible, so she will have to sign up for in. Caroline comes to a decision this will have to be the wholesome factor to achieve this she consents to do that particular vitamin at the side of everybody else.
This is also destructive for Caroline, particularly if her coworkers aren’t very an expert about well being and health they usually’re basically aiming to shed some pounds. Caroline’s weight might already be supreme and consuming a extra well-rounded vitamin is most likely in Caroline’s perfect pastime making an allowance for her workout time table.
Fitness and well being tendencies are regularly examples of the bandwagon fallacy, as a result of issues change into well-liked although they aren’t just right for everybody. Recent examples of this come with explicit diets just like the gluten unfastened vitamin, the paleo motion, consuming vegan, and so on.
Also, vitamin aids (comparable to ephedra) have brought about a damaging bandwagon fallacy impact. Ephedra turned into well-liked with out other people paying consideration to dosing, which ultimately led to fatalities.
2. Going to College
“Because everyone else goes away to college, it must be the right thing to do.”
Our nation does spend a disproportionate amount of money on those that attend faculty than those that make a selection now not to. However, the majority of other people don’t even finally end up reaching a bachelor’s level.
There is numerous debate on whether or not or now not going to faculty is terribly essential for most of the people, however there isn’t a lot debate about the truth that there are exceptions to this, and there are lots of individuals who have change into very a hit in lifestyles with out attending faculty.
3. Advertising
Advertising normally regularly makes use of the method of constructing one thing appear well-liked, subsequently making it interesting. Take a take a look at this advert for toothpaste for example:
The advert suggests that you just’re already at the back of the curve as a result of such a lot of other people have already switched, which is an attraction to have you ever “jump on the bandwagon” so to talk.
4. In History
Most other people believed the earth was once the middle of the universe till the sixteenth century, which we now know isn’t true.
The “geocentric” type that was once as soon as frequently believed was once a faith-based remark that was once most commonly authorised as a result of others claimed it to be true with out making their very own observations or calculations.
Those who ultimately exposed the reality like Galileo and Copernicus have been individuals who would now not attraction to what everybody else believed (i.e. they didn’t soar at the bandwagon) only for the sake of it.
5. In Movies
The bandwagon fallacy regularly arises in motion pictures. If you’ve noticed Mean Girls, you’ll most likely bear in mind a scene the place everybody in the highschool was once copying the issues the antagonist, Regina, was once doing.
No subject how ridiculous her movements gave the impression, everybody was once following Regina’s lead simply because Regina was once so well-liked. As her movements and type statements began to be mimicked via others, an increasing number of other people jumped on that bandwagon so they may have compatibility into the group.
6. In Fashion
Fashion tendencies come and pass…and are available again once more. And with up to 90’s fashion has been ridiculed within the media within the mere 20 years because it was once the norm, I can by no means know the way–or why– it returned so briefly.
As I walked thru faculty campus remaining yr seeing an enormous selection of other people following this development, I had to surprise what number of of them in fact felt like they have been expressing themselves precisely how they sought after to…and what number of have been following this rising type development simply because folks have been doing it.
I believe for many who will inevitably glance again on their footage from faculty two decades from now, questioning WHAT they have been pondering…however I’ve to suppose as tendencies exchange, that can all the time be the case.
7. Social Media Use
Sarah believes social media is destructive to relationships. She prefers face-to-face interactions and thinks communique can also be misunderstood thru social media.
However, as a result of all of her pals have joined and communicate to each and every different thru this medium, Sarah has made up our minds it will have to now not be that unhealthy and creates an account.
Sarah has made up our minds to abandon her values and ideology in prefer of her pals’ behaviors. She doesn’t have proof that social media is both just right or unhealthy for relationships, however she assumes it will have to be alright since everybody else is doing it. So, Sarah has jumped at the bandwagon.
8. Buying the Latest Gadgets
“Everyone is getting the new smartphone that’s coming out this weekend, you have to get it too!”
This is one of those peer power that falls underneath the bandwagon fallacy. The speaker is attempting to persuade any person that they will have to do one thing as a result of everybody else is, so it will have to be a good suggestion.
However, if the individual has a telephone that works completely effectively for them they usually don’t have a want for a brand new one, the truth that different persons are purchasing it doesn’t create a necessity–it’s going to create a need–however that doesn’t make it essential.
Plus, if their price range doesn’t permit for it, following the group with this one can also be destructive.
9. Sports
When it comes to cheering on sports activities groups, spectators were recognized to get started following a group after they change into a hit–although the group has been round for a very long time.
Then, if that group turns into much less well-liked or has an unsuccessful season, the sports activities lover strikes on to change into keen on the following group this is a hit or well-liked.
In this example, the fan’s trust that the group they’re rooting for is the “best” is founded only upon their remark of folks’s rising enthusiasm for the group.
Whether or now not the group will have to be their favourite is beside the point, it’s their reasoning at the back of rooting for the group–believing they will have to as a result of an increasing number of persons are doing it– is what makes this an instance of a bandwagon fallacy.
Read More About Logical Fallacy Examples
Final Thoughts on Spotting the Bandwagon Fallacy
This improper line of reasoning items a controversy with out evidence of its validity– it most effective acknowledges recognition.
While there are numerous well-liked ideals which are, in reality, true–it’s the info that reinforce the ideals that lead them to true, now not the concept that they’re well-liked.
You have most likely spotted that the bandwagon fallacy doesn’t take any opposite proof into consideration when creating a declare, which isn’t most effective irrational, however will also be unhealthy.
Be searching for this sort of argument one day so you’ll spot it and acknowledge the fallacy fairly than fall into its entice.
Connie Mathers is a certified editor and freelance author. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she isn’t writing, Connie is both spending time together with her daughter and two canines, operating, or operating at her full-time task as a social employee in Richmond, VA.
