128 How to Win Every Argument
Only those who are sexually inadequate themselves now advocate
single-sex teaching in our schools.
(Any volunteers?)Well-poisoning is recommended whenever your claim might
not survive sustained scrutiny. It is also useful for dealing with an
opponent whose point goes against received opinion but is,
unfortunately, valid. Judicious poisoning will make such an
opponent look so foolish that people will ignore the validity. It
will also make you look witty and confident, and may even serve
to conceal the fact that you are wrong.
Populum, argumentum ad
The argumentum ad populum appeals to popular attitudes
instead of presenting relevant material. In other words, it is based
on prejudice. It exploits the known propensity of people to
accept that which fits in comfortably with their preconceptions.
The popular prejudices may or may not be justified, but the
speaker who makes his case depend solely upon them is guilty of
an ad populum fallacy.
In recommending Higginbottom, I'd point out that the smart money is
on him.
(Few people think they belong with the stupid guys.)The ad populum is often equated with mob appeal, with
inflaming passions and prejudices more appropriate to mass
hysteria than to rational discourse. Mob orators make a career of
the ad populum, choosing words calculated to raise the emo-
tional temperature.