Red Herring Fallacy: Distracting from the point

In discussions and thinking carefully, there are mistakes called “fallacies” that make things unclear. One tricky type is the “Red Herring Fallacy”. It’s like a sneaky way people use to change the subject and avoid the main point. Learning about this trick is important for understanding arguments better. In this article, we’ll look at how the red herring fallacy works, how to notice it, and what to do about it.

Origins and Definition

The phrase “red herring” comes from fox hunting. Hunters would use a fish called a red herring to throw off the hunting dogs’ sense of smell. Instead of following the fox’s scent, the dogs would get distracted by the strong smell of the fish.

Now, imagine we’re arguing about whether students should have longer lunch breaks at school. Instead of discussing that, someone might bring up a completely different topic, like the importance of physical education classes. This unrelated topic is like the red herring fish in fox hunting—it distracts us from the main issue of lunch breaks.

For example, if we’re talking about what movie to watch, and someone says, “But what about how expensive movie tickets are these days? We should focus on finding a cheaper theater instead of choosing a movie,” they’re using a red herring. The real question is which movie to watch, not the price of tickets.

So, the red herring fallacy happens when someone tries to change the subject to something unrelated to avoid talking about the main point.

Why is it done?

The red herring trick is when someone tries to talk about something different to avoid the main topic. It’s like if we’re discussing what movie to watch, and instead of choosing between two options, someone starts talking about their favorite food. They might do this to make people forget about the original question or to make their own point seem more important.

Common Signs of Red Herring Fallacy

1. Changing the Subject: Instead of talking about the main thing, they start talking about something completely different.
2. Using Feelings: Instead of using facts, they might try to make you feel a certain way, like scared or angry, to take your focus away from the main point.
3. Attacking the Person: Instead of talking about the argument itself, they might say mean things about the person who made the argument.
4. Twisting the Argument: They might change what was said to make it seem worse or different, so they can argue against that instead.
5. Adding Unnecessary Details: They might throw in extra information that doesn’t really matter, just to confuse you and make it harder to stay focused

Related Article: Selective Exposure: The Filtered View

How to Cope Red Herring Fallacy

1. Stay on Track: Keep thinking about the main point of the argument. If someone starts talking about something else, gently bring the conversation back to what you were talking about.
2. Ask Why: If someone brings up a new topic that doesn’t seem related, ask them why they’re talking about it. Remind them about what you were originally discussing.
3. Think Clearly: Consider whether the new topic really has anything to do with what you were talking about before. If it doesn’t seem right, it could be a trick.
4.  Watch out for Tricks: Pay attention to whether someone is trying to make you feel a certain way or saying mean things to distract you. Stick to the facts and stay calm.
5. Keep Asking Questions: If you’re not sure what’s going on, keep asking questions until you understand. Don’t let anyone confuse you or change the subject.

In simple terms, the red herring trick can make it tough to think straight and have good conversations. But if we learn about it, spot it when it happens, and use our smarts, we can avoid getting tricked. This makes our talks better because we understand each other more. In a world where people say things that aren’t true and try to trick us with words, being able to see through these tricks is super important. It helps us figure out what’s real and make smart choices, even when things are confusing.