Bruno the beagle stands in front of a ramshackle flying machine, arms crossed and eyebrows raised, looking deeply unconvinced

Appeal to Force: Bubba or The Flying Machine?

Bruno's having second thoughts about testing out the flying machine...

Bruno the beagle stands in front of a rickety flying machine looking alarmed, and Gizmo is trying to coerce him to get in
Bruno walks into Bubba, a huge, intimidating character and Gizmo looks pleased
Bruno looks between Bubba and the flying machine with a panicked expression, visibly calculating which option is less terrifying
Bruno climbs into the flying machine looking resigned to his fate as Bubba and Gizmo watch on with satisfaction

Looks like he'll have to take his chances with the flying machine!!

Want to learn more about the Appeal to Force fallacy? Check out our Appeal to Force Activity pack.

Appeal to Force Fallacy in a Nutshell

The Appeal to Force fallacy is when someone agrees with something - not because it's right, but because the alternative is worse. Usually much worse. Usually called Bubba.

Bruno had legitimate concerns about the flying machine. It was rickety. It was unproven. It was genuinely concerning. These were valid thoughts. And then Bubba arrived.

Bubba changed the calculation entirely. Not because Bubba had any data on the flying machine's safety record. Not because Bubba made a compelling argument about aerodynamics. Bubba just stood there. Being Bubba. And suddenly the flying machine looked absolutely fine.

That's the fallacy. Agreement under threat isn't agreement - it's survival. Bruno didn't change his mind. Bruno did a risk assessment and picked the option that didn't involve Bubba.

We respect the decision. We do not respect the reasoning.

See all 24 fallacies in What Are the Most Common Logical Fallacies?

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