Summary
Ad Hominem
I have chosen the Ad Hominem fallacy. Ad Hominem means to undermine someone’s argument by making negative comments or attacks toward their personal character traits. An original example I can elaborate on would be my aunt trying to tell me that I am crazy, I’m manipulative and more. She did this in order to undermine my argument that I experienced some gruesome life experience due to a choice she made with no remorse which ultimately turned out to be premeditated as well. And 20/20, my aunt kicked me out of what I used to call home. With absolutely nowhere to go and an ongoing detrimental relationship, I experienced homelessness for the first time. Some see it as only a bad thing, but it has made me strong. I remained in college the entire time, and I now have a first-time home of my own. After moving in, I started to realize how much help a family I did not have. I expressed myself in my concerns however, my aunt spoke for the entire family by choice. The things she called me hurt however; I knew it was only said because she had no possible valid argument to rebuttal me with.
2 thoughts on “Jahira Bethune: Conversation #7”
Hello Jahira,
I am very sorry to read of your horrific experience with your aunt, and I am proud of you for believing in yourself and persevering through the hard times, and succeeding in having a home of your own. Your aunt’s tactic to discredit you by calling you “crazy” are indeed ad hominem attacks. People use such tactics of name calling when they do not have an argument to back themselves and when they know they are in the wrong. Such tactics are very commonly used by abusers, psychopaths and narcissists. You are intelligent and analytical to have figured out exactly what your aunt was doing when she was calling you these names, which also constitutes “gaslighting.” What I like about logical thinking is that it enables us to see through the manipulations that people use, it enables us to keep a cool head and not get manipulated by such people.
I’m sorry to hear about your experience with your aunt and her use of the ad hominem fallacy to undermine your argument. It can be hurtful and frustrating when someone attacks your character instead of addressing the substance of your argument.