Anger

Informal fallacies → Other informal

The fallacy of anger is when you use anger or outrage to get people on your side instead of giving a proper reason. Being angry doesn't show that a claim is true or that a policy is right. Outrage can be appropriate, but it's not an argument. The fallacy is to substitute emotion for reasoning. The remedy is to ask: what's the argument, apart from the anger?

Examples

  • How dare they suggest this! It's an outrage!

  • I'm furious, so I must be right.

  • If you're not angry, you're not paying attention.

  • The very idea is offensive—that's all we need to know.

  • How could anyone support that?

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