Analogies are Evil

Everyone likes an analogy, because a good analogy transforms a new and difficult concept into something familiar and easy to understand.

I don’t understand quantum physics, but I understand how my post is delivered! Thanks Professor McGarrigan!

And analogies are good. Sometimes. The problem is the person explaining the concept is rarely completely free of prejudice. Everyone has an ulterior motive. Even if they aren’t aware of it. And when choosing an appropriate simile the perpetrator will either consciously or unconsciously align you with their way of thinking. Practically, analogies are a kind of fallacy.

Politicians and marketing people use this to their advantage frequently. Associating groupthink from a topic people are passionate about to their mandate. And sadly it works. It works very well.

Really my only conclusion for you, my humble reader, is to do the same. But probably, you already do

I finish up with a bad simile that you probably already hate:

Pirating music is stealing

This entry was posted on Friday, November 14th, 2008 at 14:00 and is filed under Life. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.