Learn English – name/term for phrasing something such that to disagree implicates yourself

phrasessingle-word-requeststerminology

For example:

Now available in all good stores. . .

where to not agree to stock an item suggests that your store is not good, or:

All rational people agree that. . .

where to refuse to agree suggests that you are not rational, or:

Those who can, teach.

(a slogan used for encouraging people to become teachers) which suggests that if you aren't teaching a subject you are implicitly "worse" at that subject.

Obviously, all of these are subtle phrasing tricks that may be used casually or quite deliberately.

Is there a term for this type of phrasing?

Best Answer

I found a rather handy list of logical fallacies (which is what you're describing) and several of them seem to fit:

  • Bandwagon:

    It's obvious that Bandwagon is going to win as the greatest fallacy. You wouldn't want to be one of the losers who choose something else, would you?

  • Appeal To False Authority:

    Your logical fallacies aren't logical fallacies at all because Einstein said so. Einstein also said that this one is better.

  • Appeal To Majority:

    Most people think that this fallacy is the best, so clearly it is.

It would really depend on the context that wrapped the fallacy. Those three, however seem to mostly serve to diminish anyone challenging them, simply for challenging them.

They imply that "you aren't one of us", or "you are a heretic for not agreeing with (false authority/majority)" or "your favorite store is sub par if it doesn't have this item".

I don't think there is a single term to describe this other than fallacy, as the mechanics of each fallacy differ sufficiently to warrant separate classification.

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