Ad Hominem Fallacy-

Ad hominem fallacy-

 

“Ad hominem (Latin for “to the man” or “to the person”), short for argumentum ad hominem, is where an argument is rebutted by attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself.”

–Wikipedia

 

A fallacy is a false way of thinking. An ad hominem is when one attacks someone’s character rather than the argument itself.

 

See, someone could say, “Double cheeseburgers are unhealthy.”

 

And, an ad hominem fallacious retort, “But, I saw you eating three cheeseburgers last week!”

 

Just because someone ate three cheeseburgers last week does not make the statement “double cheeseburgers are unhealthy,” inaccurate.

 

I was once accused of “being fake” by an acquaintance. I still don’t know what “being fake” means, really.

 

I know what a hypocrite is…. (someone who says something and does the exact opposite). But as far as being accused of being “fake,” when I say things, I mean them. You can’t tell me I don’t mean what I say because you’re not in my brain! I’m the only one who knows what is alive inside of me. Am I being fake or is it your perception of what you think I am? Are you simply spitting on your own mind?

 

I’m not perfect human being, nor do I have any desire to be one or claim to be one. I might say something like, “We shouldn’t judge people”—-but that does NOT mean I’ve never judged anyone. It also doesn’t make the statement, “We shouldn’t judge people” any less accurate.

 

We run into all kinds of problems when we start mind-reading and assuming we know what’s alive inside someone else. When we look at other people, we only see the outside construct, and no matter how put-together that veneer is, inside everyone exist internal struggles we never get to experience. We run into a problem when we think we are the only ones with these internal struggles. We run into problems when we see ourselves as complicated 3d characters, but everyone else is a 2d stock character.

 

And, when I write, I usually write the advice I want/need to take myself. I’m not a yogi because I’m an enlightened being…. I’m a yogini in training because I’m the one who needs enlightenment—-meaning, I’m a hot mess.