Never Trust A Politician
* From “The A**HOLE’S Guide To Arguing (Or, How To Succeed In Politics)”
“You can’t believe what the media tells you. It’s all lies and propaganda.”
“Never trust a politician.”
Sounds about right, doesn’t it? But actually it is not.
These are common examples of the genetic fallacy where one automatically assumes that something is either good or bad depending on where and who it came from.
“My mother has never been wrong, about anything. So when she tells me that the Chinese are about to invade, I stock up on food supplies and ammo.”
You love your mum, I get it. I do too. Still, I would investigate the matter for myself and not just take her word for it. The suspected ‘Chinese invasion’ might turn out to be based on nothing more than leaflets in the mail advertising the opening of a new Chinese restaurant.
“George Soros recommends buying stocks in Pink Rubber Ducky Inc.? Then I know where to invest my money. A dude doesn’t get that rich by betting on bad companies.”
When you are that rich, you can afford to make mistakes. You can gamble and loose without going broke. Are you able to do the same? While it is a good idea to get expert advice that could give you an edge, make sure you do not end up going over the edge instead.
© Merlyn Gabriel Miller
