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On the internet you can find the use and often overuse of all nine Logical Fallacies in
internet drama. They are often used in flame wars, rants, commentaries and the
like. The following are examples of each one being used in some form of drama on
the internet. Also these fallacies are often used with each other.
1. Emotionally loaded terms. These are used constantly when someone is trying
to cover up the fact that they are in the wrong or gain undeserved sympathy.
Some I knew in response to some stolen art wrote a sob story and use such
terms as; from the bottom of my heart and my loves not to mention It
pains me very being as a way of trying to garner sympathy or to persuade
everyone into thinking that the user is a victim. This is often known as
BAWWWWing and some people will invoke a meme called Call Whine-One-
One for a WAAAAAMBULANCE.
3. Faulty Cause and Effect. This is used a lot on the internet too. Usually by
users trying to blame another person for their actions or to draw attention
away from the real issue. A notorious YouTube user known as VenonfangX
once filed several false DMCA Takedown Notices against another user,
dprjones who happened to be a lawyer. In an attempt to divert attention
away from the fact that he committed perjury, he use a faulty cause and
effect argument by stating that dprjoness videos were the cause of all the
hatred he was receiving when there was no evidence that this was true.
6. False Analogies. One of the most commonly used false analogies used in
internet drama is so commonly found that an internet meme has been
created for it. This meme is known as Godwins Law. Godwins Law states:
The longer a discussion becomes, the chances of someone referencing Hitler
or Nazis increases by one. Practically every flame war or drama fest I have
been involved with online has someone comparing the holocaust to the
argument. Such as someone comparing the fact that certain people being
targeted on World of Warcraft, or why something on the internet is not
perfect, or when someones opinion offends another, they will say something
along the lines of Such and such is just so despicable! Even worst then the
Nazis or the holocaust!
8. Non Sequitur. People on the internet will invoke non sequitur arguments when
talking about almost anything on the internet. A few examples are when
people talk about politics and religion. Often times this is used in conjunction
with one or more of the other fallacies. Such as; Obama has a Arabic middle
name and therefore he has no business running this country!
9. Oversimplification. This is used a lot when people are talking about current
world issues such as when I heard on the internet; If the CIA is doing things
that are illegal, disband the CIA! or, If we used a fraction of the money we
spend on the military we could solve world hunger! etc.