Objective Truth Fallacy

A fallacy and metafallacy where one invokes "objective truth" not as a genuine commitment to inquiry but as a rhetorical weapon to legitimize their own worldview while delegitimizing all others. The fallacy lies in claiming that one's framework simply is objective reality, that one's conclusions are truth itself, and therefore that any alternative is not just wrong but unreal. It's a metafallacy because it preemptively immunizes one's position from critique—if you claim to speak for objective truth itself, then challenging you is challenging reality. The Objective Truth Fallacy transforms the legitimate pursuit of truth into a cudgel for intellectual domination, using the concept of objectivity to shut down inquiry rather than advance it.

Example: "He didn't argue that his view was supported by evidence—he claimed it was objective truth, and that anyone who disagreed was simply denying reality. Classic Objective Truth Fallacy: using the concept of truth to avoid having to demonstrate it."

by Dumu The Void March 13, 2026

Evidence-Based Fallacy

A fallacy and metafallacy where scientific evidence is invoked to justify positions that lie outside the proper domain of evidence—particularly bigotry, prejudice, racism, xenophobia, aporophobia (hatred of the poor), and other forms of discrimination. The fallacy operates by claiming that discriminatory policies or attitudes are "supported by evidence" (about crime rates, economic impacts, cultural differences) while ignoring that evidence never dictates values, that statistical patterns don't justify moral judgments, and that using evidence to justify oppression misuses the very concept of evidence. It's a metafallacy because it weaponizes the legitimate authority of science to defend what science cannot possibly justify—treating "evidence-based" as a blank check for any position that can find a supporting statistic, regardless of the values, ethics, and human consequences involved.

Example: "He cited crime statistics to justify housing discrimination—the Evidence-Based Fallacy in full flower, using numbers to launder prejudice while pretending that evidence alone could ever justify treating humans as less than human."

by Dumu The Void March 13, 2026

Dry Flat Road Fallacy

A logical fallacy representing the opposite of the slippery slope—the unwarranted assumption that a present bad situation, negative trend, or harmful policy will inevitably lead to positive outcomes in the future, without evidence for this optimistic trajectory. Where the slippery slope argues that a small step will lead to disaster, the dry flat road argues that current troubles are just a flat, featureless stretch that will eventually deliver us to sunny uplands. "Yes, inequality is rising, but it will eventually force systemic change that leads to justice." "Yes, the environment is degrading, but necessity will drive innovation that saves us." "Yes, working conditions are worsening, but this will radicalize workers and bring revolution." The fallacy lies in treating "it could get better" as "it will get better"—projecting desired outcomes onto the future without mechanism, evidence, or timeline. Like a dry flat road that seems to promise an easy journey but may lead anywhere, this fallacy comforts without justifying.

Example: "He dismissed every concern about authoritarian trends with 'this will eventually lead to a popular uprising that restores democracy'—Dry Flat Road Fallacy, treating a hoped-for future as inevitable just because the present is bleak."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Arbitrary Analogy Fallacy

A fallacy where one dismisses an argument, claim, or position by comparing it arbitrarily to something universally derided—Flat Earth theory, anti-vaxxers, tinfoil hats, or other culturally recognized symbols of irrationality—without establishing a substantive logical connection. The fallacy lies in the arbitrariness of the comparison: rather than engaging with the actual argument, the speaker simply invokes a stigmatized label, relying on cultural disgust to do the work of refutation. "That's just like Flat Earthers." "You sound like an anti-vaxxer." "Next you'll be wearing a tinfoil hat." The comparison is arbitrary because the logical relationship between the target argument and the stigmatized position is never demonstrated—they're just associated through rhetorical gesture. This fallacy is particularly powerful because it bypasses reasoning entirely, triggering emotional rejection rather than intellectual engagement. It's the lazy debater's way of dismissing without thinking.

Example: "He raised legitimate questions about media consolidation, and she responded with 'oh, so you're a conspiracy theorist now?'—Arbitrary Analogy Fallacy, using the stigma of conspiracy to avoid engaging with actual concerns."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Arbitrary Dilemma Fallacy

A fallacy, extremely common in politics, where one artificially restricts the range of available options to a false dilemma—typically presenting a limited set of choices as the only possibilities, when others exist. The most famous form is TINA (There Is No Alternative), where a particular policy or system is presented as inevitable because "there's no other choice." Another common form is lesser-evilism, where one is told to support a flawed option because the alternative is supposedly worse—without considering whether other alternatives exist or whether the framing itself is manipulative. "We have to accept this austerity because there's no alternative." "Vote for this corrupt candidate because the other one is even worse." "Support this imperfect policy because the opposition would be catastrophic." The fallacy lies in the arbitrariness of the dilemma: the options presented are treated as exhaustive when they're not, and the criteria for what counts as "worse" are assumed rather than argued. The dilemma is arbitrary because it's constructed to foreclose rather than enable genuine choice.

Example: "She argued that we had to accept the surveillance bill because 'the terrorists win otherwise'—Arbitrary Dilemma Fallacy, presenting a false choice between surveillance and security while ignoring the possibility of security without surveillance."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

The Lighting Mcqueen Fallacy

A logical fallacy where someone believes their own superiority overrides facts because they think they're above everyone else, hence the fallacy name where Lightning was a self-centered arrogant rookie

King: "Lightning, you need to actually get skill in order to win and hire an excellent crew"
Lightning: "Compelling argument, Mr. the king, however, I am a hot shot rookie who is faster and better than you in every single way, therefore, your argument is invalid"
King: "What you just said is an example of The Lighting Mcqueen Fallacy. There, I made a fallacy about you"

by I-write March 19, 2026

Sunk cost fallacy

Sunk cost fallacy is a dead song of popular EDM artist Fox Stevenson that the community kept dear to their hearts.

No, Sunk Cost Fallacy is a dead song and is neve- WAIT WHAT!?!??!? SCF BEFORE GTA VI WHAT THE SHI-!?!

by samostalniivan123 May 27, 2025