The Broken Foot Analogy: Identifying Common (and Stupid) Fallacies
All the ridiculous ways we argue in order to miss the point.
Unless you’ve been in a coma, you’ve probably noticed that the national news cycle and social media is reeling from the horrors in Charlottesville. And in the wake of this latest reminder that yes, racism is real and happening right now, you’ve probably also noticed the proliferation of foolish and aggressively ignorant arguments, both off- and online. For example: “But what about Black Lives Matter?” or the bizarro proposal that “both sides” are equally to blame for violent rhetoric.
Besides participation on the social meeds, I’ve had ample opportunity to receive similarly cruel missives in the comments section of my past publications (related: people are stupid and mean). It’s just part of the exquisite joy and agony of writing on the internet — haters gonna hate.
If one is attentive, patterns will arise; you’ll notice the same kinds of arguments, comments and rhetorical questions. Failures in logic may vary in theme, but at the core they’re all, well… failures. Because I am a curious creature, skilled researcher and prodigious reader, I’ve spent some serious time studying logical fallacies and fallacious arguments. By now I’ve become so versed it’s like being in the Matrix, but instead of reading binary code I’m capable of seeing bullshit like it glows in the dark.
Now, I’m not here to educate you on racism, though I will suggest that you LISTEN TO PEOPLE OF COLOR. Instead, my intent is to illustrate in the most cogent way possible how folks who truly don’t want to listen — much less grow and learn — try to state their cases. Consider it a quick reference guide for fallacious arguments and deception.
For the sake of simplicity and crystal clear illustration, I propose the following analogy:
Let’s say you have a broken foot. No need to get into how it broke, it’s just broken. And let’s say you have to walk around a bit in order to get to work, buy groceries…you know, just live your life. But you’re doing it with a broken foot, and that’s pretty frustrating and painful. Now, let’s say your broken foot has been stepped on two times today. Ouch, right? That sure will exacerbate things.
So you’re walking around with the broken foot that’s been stepped on, and you hop on a crowded bus to get home, which results in your foot being stepped on YET AGAIN. Since the person stepping on your foot doesn’t notice, you say, “Hey, you’re stepping on my foot, and it’s broken!” Because this is the third time today, you tear up a little. You’re in pain, right? Of course you’re going to cry.
That’s the scenario. The broken foot serves as a metaphor. It can represent systemic racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism… whatever you want. The foot being stepped on is a micro-aggression; sure, it’s an accident, but it happened and it has caused harm. Are we clear on the analogy? Good.
Fallacious arguments and deceptive techniques in response to the broken foot analogy
Links to additional information can be found throughout these examples.
What am I supposed to do, not walk??!
False dichotomy: the fallacy that there are only two choices. In the case, stepping on feet or not walking.
If I stop stepping on your foot, then I’ll have to buy a hovercraft and never touch the ground again!
Slipper slope/absurd extrapolation: the fallacy that one relatively insignificant event can lead to a (highly improbably, likely absurd) significant event.
Yeah, but what about the time you coughed and didn’t cover your mouth?
False or moral equivalence: the implication that two [moral] issues carry the same weight or are essentially similar.
Am I supposed to watch out for every foot I might step on?
Good for the goose: the extrapolation that what is good for one is good for all. Also an appeal to extremes, wherein a reasonable argument is made absurd by taking it to the extreme. See also: converse accident.
If you don’t like me stepping on your foot, don’t ride the bus.
Either/Or, False Dilemma, or Excluded Middle Fallacy:
This fallacy simply paints an issue as one between two extremes with no possible room for middle ground or nuance or compromise. It is closely related to the straw man fallacy, which essentially paints one side, instead of both, as so extreme none can agree with it. -Don Lindsay Archive
Clearly it wasn’t my intention to step on your foot.
Intent argument: instead of apologizing for the action or its impact, the respondent has made their intention (to not step on feet) the central excuse. See here for more on intent versus impact.
I’m sorry you feel that way.
Non-apology apology: the respondent takes no responsibility or expresses remorse for their action, instead apologizing for the aggrieved’s feelings.
You know me! I have lots of friends with feet.
Friend argument:
…an argument used by people who want to claim knowledge about and/or sympathy with a group, by referring to their “friends” belonging to this group. It is commonly used to clear and absolve oneself from suspicion of racism, xenophobia or other kinds of prejudice. It is a particular form of the “Not prejudiced, but…” statement. -RationalWiki
I’m not a foot stepper! How dare you characterize me as such!
Personal attack/derailment: the respondent has transformed the call-out of their action into a personal attack of their character.
YOU’RE the foot stepper for bringing it up!
Smelt it/dealt it: this is truly no more than fart logic. Whoever notices and says something about an issue becomes the one who has created the issue.
Foot stepping wouldn’t persist if people [like you] stopped talking about it.
Silencing: similar to smelt it/dealt it, but with the added objective to quash dissent. An extensive list of silencing tactics as they relate to women and feminism can be found on the Geek Feminism Wiki.
Well that’s your opinion. I’m entitled to my opinion, too, and it’s that I am not stepping on your foot.
Uninformed opinion: the respondent has failed to educate themselves on the topic, but nevertheless has an opinion (and will become incensed if their opinion is not respected).
What foot? You don’t have a foot.
Erasure: engaging in a collective indifference, thus rendering the complainant (and, extensively, their cohorts) invisible. Read more here.
I don’t see feet, only whole bodies.
Erasure; silencing: see above. This example is a parody the color-blindness ideology.
We’ll just have to agree to disagree on that.
Argument to Moderation/False compromise:
“…if one does not understand a debate, it must be ‘fair’ to split the difference, and agree on a compromise between the opinions.” — Don Lindsay Archive
No, I didn’t.
Contrarian argument; dogmatism: taking the opposing side; unwillingness to consider the other side/position/argument.
I didn’t STEP on your foot… I tapped it.
Euphemism: using words that sound better in order to make an action/concept/situation more acceptable.
No one could know who stepped on your foot.
Error of fact: the respondent make a declaration of the (perceived) unknown that is, in fact, known or can be proven incorrect. Also known as a lie.
If you’d wear better shoes, I’d stop stepping on your foot.
Respectability politics: the fallacy that, in order to receive better treatment, the aggrieved party must behave/look/etc. better. A form of tone policing.
Then you shouldn’t have put your foot under my foot.
Victim blaming: holding the victim of a crime or unwanted act responsible for the actions that transpired against them.
Jeez, stop crying. You don’t have to get so worked up about it!
Tone policing: a form of silencing that fixates on the tone of or emotion behind a message rather than the message itself.
If you were nicer about it I would have apologized.
Tone policing: see above.
Ugh, does your foot have to be so sensitive? Other people have feet, too. You don’t see them crying.
Sensitivity accusation: A form of silencing that insinuates an emotional response is oversized, irrational, and/or inappropriate. This tactic is frequently deployed on women.
OMG lighten up. Can’t you take a joke?
Accusation of humorlessness; silencing: a tactic used when an objection to marginalizing humor is raised. When a user makes offensive statements on the internet, then defends themselves by stating they were making a joke or being ironic, this is called Poe’s Law.
You have two feet, don’t you?
Minimization: a form of deception that downplays the significance of an event or emotion.
You know, other people have it so much worse than your foot. Way to focus on your own narrow, petty problems.
Derailment: derailing attempts to divert the topic at hand into a discussion of another issue. Bustle offers a primer, with eight examples of derailing tactics.
Just because you want to feel hurt about your foot doesn’t mean anyone else is going to care.
Minimization and silencing: this example posits pain as a choice, and is a variation of the accusation that marginalized people are simply “looking for something to be angry about.”
Almost everyone thinks stepping on feet is fine.
Argumentum ad populum: the fallacious argument that something must be true or correct because many believe it is so. Also deployed as the bandwagon argument, in which popular ideas are necessarily right.
People will never stop stepping on feet.
Appeal to tradition: an argument that engages an absence of reason, but rather relies on history or tradition (“this is the way it’s always been done”) as justification for the continuation of a belief or protocol.
Note: this is not an exhaustive list, but I think you get the gist.
So now what?
Instead of suggesting that you flame the next person you encounter who uses one of these arguments or techniques, I’m going to remind you that we all do this and there are some evolutionary reasons why. (Mind you: reasons, not excuses.) It’s a natural defense: we don’t want to be wrong. However, if you lean into the discomfort, you might just find that you’ve got room to grow and loads more to learn.
But what do I say?
Oh! Right. What do I propose as the best, most conciliatory response to “Hey, you’re stepping on my foot, and it’s broken”?
I’m sorry. I’ll do better.
It’s quite simple, but as you’ve probably noticed: it’s not easy.
