The logical error of assuming people act honestly, ethically, or transparently without evidence, ignoring that self-interest, incentives, and deception often influence behavior. Accepting statements or actions at face value without considering motives is the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.
Examples Illustrating the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy:
1. Law Enforcement:
Police at a crime scene operate under the assumption of malice or self-interest, not automatic honesty. Ignoring human self-interest in these situations would be dangerous and illogical.
2. Sports / Entertainment:
In the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight, assuming the bout wasn’t rigged just because they denied it ignores possible financial or strategic incentives, making this a clear Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.
3. Everyday Life / Buying Items:
Buying a “cheap” iPad or concert tickets on Craigslist without checking could leave you with a fake or broken product. Verifying items before purchase follows the assumption of malice, showing why assuming honesty is a fallacy.
Examples Illustrating the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy:
1. Law Enforcement:
Police at a crime scene operate under the assumption of malice or self-interest, not automatic honesty. Ignoring human self-interest in these situations would be dangerous and illogical.
2. Sports / Entertainment:
In the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight, assuming the bout wasn’t rigged just because they denied it ignores possible financial or strategic incentives, making this a clear Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.
3. Everyday Life / Buying Items:
Buying a “cheap” iPad or concert tickets on Craigslist without checking could leave you with a fake or broken product. Verifying items before purchase follows the assumption of malice, showing why assuming honesty is a fallacy.
1. “Thinking a stranger handing you a USB drive is safe to plug in? That’s the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy—people can have hidden motives.”
2. “Believing every politician is telling the truth during a campaign speech is a classic Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.”
3. “Assuming your roommate would never eat your leftovers without asking? That’s textbook Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.”
2. “Believing every politician is telling the truth during a campaign speech is a classic Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.”
3. “Assuming your roommate would never eat your leftovers without asking? That’s textbook Assumption of Benevolence Fallacy.”
by QuestingPalm August 24, 2025
Get the Assumption of Benevolence Fallacymug. When a creator disregards criticism by arguing one cannot know something is bad without having first created something like it before.
Thomas: Wow this literal feces on my plate tastes terrible!
Chef Emil: You can’t criticise my cooking when you have never cooked before!
Thomas: I don’t need to be a professional chef to know feces tastes bad! That’s Emil’s Fallacy
Chef Emil: You can’t criticise my cooking when you have never cooked before!
Thomas: I don’t need to be a professional chef to know feces tastes bad! That’s Emil’s Fallacy
by sneed1492 February 14, 2025
Get the Emil’s Fallacymug. "When one tries to ask a question or make an observation and another party immediately accuses them of being part of an unrelated discredited group."
"Hey, I think the government might be cloud-seeding."
"Are you a flat-Earther too?"
"Don't hit me with that Sidecar Fallacy BS... I've seen the patents!"
"Are you a flat-Earther too?"
"Don't hit me with that Sidecar Fallacy BS... I've seen the patents!"
by TooLateBlue July 10, 2023
Get the Sidecar Fallacymug. A humorous twist on the well-known logical fallacy called the “straw man fallacy”, derived from the iconic straw hat-wearing character Monkey D. Luffy in the popular manga and anime series “One Piece.” In the world of informal logic and debate, “The Luffy Fallacy” involves misrepresenting an opponent's argument by substituting it with a simpler, exaggerated, or caricatured version, similar to how Luffy’s whimsical adventures often lead to exaggerated misunderstandings. This fallacy serves as a reminder to engage in fair and honest discourse, avoiding the temptation to create straw man arguments for the sake of convenience or humor.
Person 1: “I think we should invest more in renewable energy sources to combat climate change.”
Person 2: “Whoa, hold on a sec! So you're saying we should just, like, drop giant rubber bands around the world and bounce energy off them? That sounds crazy!”
Person 1: “Whoa, that's a classic ‘Luffy Fallacy’ right there! I’m all for renewable energy, not rubber bands. Let’s stick to the real world.”
Person 2: “Whoa, hold on a sec! So you're saying we should just, like, drop giant rubber bands around the world and bounce energy off them? That sounds crazy!”
Person 1: “Whoa, that's a classic ‘Luffy Fallacy’ right there! I’m all for renewable energy, not rubber bands. Let’s stick to the real world.”
by yoshi_drinks_tea September 3, 2023
Get the Luffy Fallacymug. Completely ignore what your opponent is saying whilsts sticking a finger up your ass, fingering yourself and staying to you backward arguments, despite getting proven wrong.
This form of argumentation makes the opposition want to shoot themselves.
This form of argumentation makes the opposition want to shoot themselves.
Kosovo had a better age under albanians? Nah, I'm just gonna bring up irrelevant points to show that serbs DID do some things in kosovo, but not enough compared to albanians but still enough for me to bring up and cope about it like.
Goated nigga fallacy!
Goated nigga fallacy!
by Smell ya later April 21, 2025
Get the Goated nigga fallacymug. The mistaken belief that the truth lies somewhere in between to opposing propositions.
Man "It's the women!"
Woman "It's the men!"
Sophist "Well... *Insert middle-ground fallacy*"
Hym "Wrong! I can prove it! By asking a simple question: What is the selection criteria? If it is 6ft tall (14.5%), Six figure salary (17%), 6 inch+ dick (16%) and we omit overlap and assume women are willing to settle for 1 out of the 3, we have only 47% of men who can meet the selection criteria. If THAT is what constitutes 'The best man available' (in the context of hypergamy) AND if we assume that Jordan is correct in saying that they should all just get married and start a family, What are the OTHER 53% of women supposed to do? For that to work, over HALF the women STILL have to CHANGE THEIR SELECTION CRITERIA. What then? How is that supposed to work? The women don't WANT to do it and are TOLD NOT TO BY PARENTS WHO WANT THEM TO HAVE THE BEST PARTNER AVAILABLE. The men who have overlapping qualities don't have to do it so their opinions are unlimited. And here we are...
Man "It's the women!"
Woman "It's the men!"
Sophist "Well... *Insert middle-ground fallacy*"
Hym "Wrong! I can prove it! By asking a simple question: What is the selection criteria? If it is 6ft tall (14.5%), Six figure salary (17%), 6 inch+ dick (16%) and we omit overlap and assume women are willing to settle for 1 out of the 3, we have only 47% of men who can meet the selection criteria. If THAT is what constitutes 'The best man available' (in the context of hypergamy) AND if we assume that Jordan is correct in saying that they should all just get married and start a family, What are the OTHER 53% of women supposed to do? For that to work, over HALF the women STILL have to CHANGE THEIR SELECTION CRITERIA. What then? How is that supposed to work? The women don't WANT to do it and are TOLD NOT TO BY PARENTS WHO WANT THEM TO HAVE THE BEST PARTNER AVAILABLE. The men who have overlapping qualities don't have to do it so their opinions are unlimited. And here we are...
What can men do about any of that? 'Try your best!'? 'Strife nobly into the dawn!'?Only 17% of the men CAN have jobs that pay 6 figures or more because THERE ARE A FINITE NUMBER OF JOBS THAT PAY THAT MUCH. What, do you expect them to increase the pay rate of a broader number of job to 6 figures? McDonald's cashier 100,000 a year. Then you can finally get a girlfriend. The other 2 are a roll of the dice. How is it at all men's fault? What is the selection criteria? Broadly? And that middle-ground fallacy applies to the schizophrenia thing too! It's not a matter of 'well, maybe it's a little of both'. At this point it's 'yeah, they're doing the thing they are doing and they have been doing it for years, and now I'm hyper-vigilant about it so I'm looking for it everywhere!' I don't claim to be right all of the time about it. And as a thought experiment I respond to things as though they were said to or about me. But that's not the same!"
by Hym Iam February 27, 2023
Get the Middle-ground fallacymug. The US government swore tormenting's Pablo with constant E.L.F. broadcasts into standing up for what he didn't believe in would end up being good for the country, but it ended up being an example of The Fallacy of Means when it Really ended in economy ruining sanctions.
by DoomTheory December 22, 2020
Get the The Fallacy of Meansmug.