The false choice
Whenever anyone says that you must choose either option A or option B, consider whether they are intentionally restricting the scope of your choice, or even whether it may be better decline to choose at all. The false dilemma fallacy is a popular manipulative tactic at all levels of human interaction, from interpersonal discussions to global politics. It can arise from genuine misunderstanding of a situation or deliberate manipulation.
Whenever a small set of options is offered, consider the possibility that someone is trying to manipulate you, whether consciously or not. This is also sometimes combined with an artificial sense of urgency. You must choose NOW! This is another indication that someone is trying to manipulate you rather than allow you to consider the full situation.
This is not to say that all such "A or B" choices are a false dichotomy, though. There is truth, and there is falsehood. There are effective means and ineffective means to achieve desired ends. And there are moments when one may need to make a life-or-death decision at a moment's notice. Train your mind now so you can understand the difference when it matters.
Substance. Thank you sir: i find that it's easy to argue about choice a or b instead of being proactive to find a better option. As wife and i are expecting the little one, things like these seem to have even greater value. AND shame on me for that not always being the case ;)
I agree. I think equally that as the popular saying goes, each person has the grill to his sardine. Always others will somehow try to anipulate us, and much more if money is involved. I think we should train ourselves not to be manipulated and be alert when they become present in our lives. Good topic.
I made a video about false choices (with my daughter).
Excellent illustration!
I read a voting-specific article using a restaurant as an illustration. I can't recall the source, but it went something like this:
You're handed a menu, but the restaurant only prepares whatever dish gets ordered the most, and charges whatever they want after. Who cares if you wanted fillet mignon? The majority alternates between hamburgers and pizza. To extend that un-recalled author's illustration, you aren't allowed to leave the restaurant and seek food elsewhere. Also, the food is badly cooked and the price is always higher than anyone anticipated.
So electoral politics begins with the false premise that democracy is just, virtuous, or even efficient. Then it adds the false choice of which liar should rule everyone.
Before I had caller ID, I sometimes ended up participating in phone polls. I never liked it when their choices did not include "none of the above", or, better yet, "you have to be kidding"!
There is a perverse art to designing a poll. Between the wording of the questions and the selection bias of how a poll is administered, there's no reason to accept the results of most polls as being quite as conclusive as they may appear.
Thank you for this post. You are my friend, this is useful. I can use your experiences
Unfortunately, I can't tell whether you even read the post, since your reply is so vague and insubstantial. It's a short post, so surely you could be specific about something.