Converse accident

Converse accident is when you use one or a few unusual examples to say the rule is wrong for everyone. One exception or rare case doesn't overturn a general rule. Most people don't get that lucky or that unlucky—so the exception doesn't justify abandoning or reversing the rule. It's the mirror of the fallacy of accident: here you overgeneralise from the exception.

Examples

• My grandad smoked and lived to 90, so smoking can't be that bad.

• One athlete failed a drug test and was later cleared, so drug testing is useless.

• I once didn't wear a seatbelt and was fine, so seatbelts aren't necessary.

• A friend dropped out of school and became rich, so education doesn't matter.