False Equivalency

An Attempt to Explain a Matter of the Simplest Kind, Which Would Hardly Trouble the Mind at All and would, under ordinary conditions, scarcely merit a paragraph, were the Mind Not So Frequently Overstimulated by the Passions of the Age, and thereby rendered both impatient with calm reasoning and inclined to regard the plain statement of facts as an unnecessary irritation

This post may prove irritating to some readers. That, while unfortunate, is occasionally unavoidable.

In raising our children, we have written several short goals. One of them is simple: teach them to think and reason for themselves. I want my children to be capable of clear thought, resistant to manipulation by passion, false narratives, or the constant pollution of social media.

So in line with that goal I offer a short lesson on clear thinking for the masses which, evidently, are in need of a little dose of cold water to wake up the brain.

When it comes to poor thinking, there is a logical fallacy known as false equivalency. Per Dictionary.com, false equivalency is "a logical fallacy in which one assumes or asserts that two things are the same or equal when, while alike in some ways, they are not sufficiently similar to be considered equivalent." 

So, let's break this down a bit to make it easier to understand. 

Logical refers to reasoning that is:

• ordered

• consistent

• governed by rules of inference

• moving from premises to conclusions in a way that fits

Something is logical when its conclusions follow from what is asserted, not from how strongly one feels about it.

Next, fallacy. A fallacy is:

• an error

• a deception (sometimes intentional, often not)

• a failure that undermines an argument

Historically, the word carries the sense of being led astray, either by faulty thinking or by persuasive misdirection.

Putting these words together, a logical fallacy is A logical fallacy is a mistake in reasoning; it is when you believe or promote an argument that sounds convincing but doesn’t actually follow logic once you slow it down and inspect it.

One way to fall into this trap is by promoting or accepting a false equivalency. I share all of this because there is a particular error in reasoning being widely promoted in our culture right now, one that does not actually follow rational thinking.

I am speaking around the tragic deaths of Renee Good and Charlie Kirk.

What follows is not a judgment of moral worth or legal culpability, but an examination of the reasoning used to compare these events.

More directly, I am speaking to an argument I keep seeing promoted on social media, written out on signs by protesters, and even overheard by talking heads on the radio, the YouTube and the news. The argument is very simple, and also compelling: 

if you cared about the death of Charlie Kirk, you should care about the death of Renee Good. 

Or:

If the death of Charlie Kirk was wrong, then the death of Renee Good is wrong too. 

This is a false equivalency. 

• The death of Charlie Kirk was a deliberate act of political violence.

• The death of Renee Good occurred in the context of a firearm discharge during a volatile encounter.

While both resulted in tragic loss of life, equating these events collapses crucial distinctions of intent, agency, and causation and in doing so, commits the very error this essay seeks to address.

 I'm a visual guy so I made a Venn Diagram to illustrate it.

Why this matters

Frequently, especially when our emotions are involved (and let's be honest, politics these days are 99.9% emotional instead of rational) we don't think clearly. And a lack of clear thinking can lead to serious mistakes. I'm sure you've made these before on a minor level. On a more serious level this is what they may call a "crime of passion" where you're so overwhelmed by your emotions that you aren't thinking clearly and do something egregious. 

So I would humbly offer another approach to politics. 

It is okay to take politics serious. Afterall, the decisions by politicians can have serious consequences. But it is helpful to remember that, at the end of the day, becoming emotionally charged about politics isn't actually going to help the situation. Indeed, it can often fan the flames and make it worse. And it can lead you to get all worked up over a fallacy. 

Post Script

This essay does not constitute an endorsement of any political party, policy, or enforcement action. It addresses a logical error, not a political platform.