I think I've already mentioned this earlier, but I want to talk about appealing to spite again. Out of all of the appeals to emotion, I think the appeal to spite is my favorite, because you're appealing to someone's sense of revenge. In an appeal to spite, you're convincing someone to either do something they wouldn't normally do or to not do something they would normally do just to get back at someone. I really like this appeal because it's really catering to most base feelings people have. It takes the most rational of decisions and twists the outcome due to pettiness. Here's an example:
A small farming community bands together to chase wild animals away from their crop/animals. However, one day...
Villager A: Hey B, could I borrow your wife for a minute? My wife's giving birth right now and I don't know what to do.
Villager B: Sorry, but she's also giving birth right now.
Later on
Villager B: Hey, A help! my flock is being attacked by ravenous wolves!
Villager A: I'm -
Villager A's internal monologue: Wait a second, why should I help him? he didn't help me in my time of need.
Villager A: -Sorry, but I'm giving birth right now.
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Appeal to spite is a good example of a bad argument. The way you described it as "catering to most base feelings people have,” was a really good way to describe what appeal to spite actually was doing. I really liked you example of Villager A and B and how appeal to spite come into effect when Villager A lets his emotions make his decision. Appeal to spite is obviously something that comes up a more frequently in a person's life. Although appeal to spite seems to have its purpose when dealing in real life, the textbook form of appeal to spite makes no sense whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteI also think appeal to spite is very interesting. The hope of revenge I am sure as at least has entered most of our minds at one time or another. Even though spite or revenge gets you anywhere its interesting how it occurs so often through our society. It goes back to the old saying just like the book refers to two wrongs don’t make a right. I always remember my mom saying that when I was younger never believed her till I got older lol. Very good example as well I found it funny because it depicts exactly what a normal person would probably really be thinking and saying, not as sugar coated as the book.
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