Fallacious Arguments Series – The Bandwagon

The Bandwagon fallacy rests upon the idea that a significant portion of a population believing a particular position is true makes that position true. Popularity doesn’t automatically make something true but is often used as a sole justification of validity. Regardless of whether the population validating the position is qualified to do so. Example:

Albert: Climate Change is the most important existential challenge of our time.

Gloria: Only greenie hipster latte sippers believe that, while they drive their SUVs and play with their smartphones.

Can you sense where Gloria is going with this?

Albert: Polls regularly show that the majority of Canadians, in line with the majority of climate scientists, see Climate Change as a threat.

Gloria: Not real Canadians. The Green Party called the last election the ‘climate election’. They lost. Real Canadians know it’s a hoax.

There she goes, claiming Bandwagon. Her basic tenet being that (real) Canadians voted on the matter, so Climate Change is a proven hoax.