5 Logical Fallacies You’ve Definitely Fallen For (And How to Stop)

Have you ever passionately argued with someone, only to realize hours later that your entire point made zero sense? Sometimes, we are too far gone into the argument that we don’t want to embarassingly admit we were wrong. Yeah, me too. Logic, as much as we love it, doesn’t always come naturally—and even the sharpest thinkers get tripped up sometimes.

What’s worse? We don’t even realize it most of the time. Logical fallacies are like sneaky little gremlins hiding in our arguments and thoughts, making us believe we’re being rational when we’re not. And these gremlins aren’t just for heated debates; they show up in marketing, politics, relationships, and even self-talk.

I used to think I was immune. I mean, I’m a rational person, right? (Or so I thought.) Then I started learning about logical fallacies, and it hit me like a truck: I’d been falling for them all along. Whether it was losing an argument to my younger brother (ouch) or buying something I didn’t need because of a slick advertisement, fallacies had been pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Today, I want to shine a light on five logical fallacies you’ve almost definitely fallen for. The good news? Once you spot them, you can start to sidestep them. Think of this as a little toolkit for clearer thinking and better arguments.

Let’s jump in.

1. The Strawman Fallacy

What It Is: You oversimplify or distort someone’s argument to make it easier to attack. Instead of engaging with what they actually said, you fight against a version of it that you made up.

How It Happens: Picture this: you’re arguing with your friend about healthy eating. They say, “I think eating more vegetables and fruits is good for you.” And you fire back, “So you’re saying I should give up everything and live off only bananas? That’s ridiculous!”

See the problem? Your friend never said to only eat bananas. By misrepresenting their argument, you made it sound absurd and easy to dismiss. That’s the strawman fallacy at work.

Where I Fell For It: I once argued with a friend about whether social media is harmful. He said, “I think people spend too much time on social media, and it can mess with mental health.” I shot back with, “Oh, so you want us to delete all our accounts and become cavemen?” I thought I was being clever, but in reality, I was avoiding the real point he was making—that balance is important.

How to Avoid It: Listen carefully. When you argue, make sure you’re engaging with what the other person actually said, not what you think they meant. If you’re unsure, repeat their point back to them: “So what you’re saying is…” It’s a simple trick, but it works wonders.

2. Ad Hominem (Attack the Person, Not the Argument)

What It Is: Instead of addressing someone’s argument, you attack them as a person. The idea is that if you discredit them, their argument automatically falls apart.

How It Happens: Imagine you’re watching a football match analysis, and one person says, “You can’t trust what Gary Neville says about strikers—he played as a defender.” Sure, Gary might not have been a striker in his day, but does that mean his points are automatically invalid? Not necessarily. That’s an ad hominem.

Where I Fell For It: I hate to admit this, but I’ve done it in arguments with my friends during undergrad days. My guy would make a good point, and I’d blurt out, “Yeah, but you’re so not on first class, why should I listen to you?” Did his academic struggle have anything to do with his argument? Nope. Did it win me the argument? Also nope.

How to Avoid It: Focus on the argument, not the person making it. Even if someone’s character or expertise is questionable, it doesn’t automatically mean their point is wrong. Separate the two and deal with the idea itself.

3. The Bandwagon Fallacy

What It Is: You assume something is true or right just because everyone else believes it or does it.

How It Happens: Let’s say you see everyone rushing to buy a new phone because it’s “the best phone ever.” You jump on the bandwagon and buy it too—only to realize later it’s no better than your old one. Sound familiar? The bandwagon fallacy convinces us that popularity equals truth.

Where I Fell For It: I once bought a self-help book because it was everywhere. It had thousands of reviews, and everyone on social media was raving about it. I thought, Well, if everyone says it’s life-changing, it must be! Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. I did not like it one bit. It was generic and underwhelming, and I ended up regretting my purchase. I couldn’t read further.

How to Avoid It: Ask yourself, “Do I actually believe this, or am I just going along with the crowd?” Popularity doesn’t equal truth. Take a step back and think for yourself.

4. The False Dilemma (Black-and-White Thinking)

What It Is: You present a situation as having only two options when, in reality, there are more.

How It Happens: Imagine someone says, “You either support this policy completely, or you don’t care about the country at all.” That’s a false dilemma. It assumes there are only two choices: total support or total apathy. In truth, you might agree with some parts of the policy but not others.

Where I Fell For It: I remember debating whether I should take a big job opportunity that required me to move switch fields. My mind went straight to extremes: If I take it, everything I knew before will be useless and I will be miserable learning a new skill. If I don’t, I’ll be stuck and never grow. In reality, there were middle paths I hadn’t considered—like applying already-existing knowledge in the new field.

How to Avoid It: Recognize that life isn’t black and white. When you feel boxed into two options, pause and ask, “What are the other possibilities?” There’s usually a middle ground.

5. The Appeal to Authority

What It Is: You assume something is true because someone in a position of authority says so.

How It Happens: We see this all the time in advertising. A celebrity endorses a skincare product, and suddenly, we think it must work wonders. But does being famous mean they’re a skincare expert? Not at all.

Where I Fell For It: A while back, I bought a supplement because a “doctor” on YouTube recommended it. They had a lab coat, a stethoscope, and a convincing tone. I didn’t bother checking their credentials. Later, I found out they weren’t even a medical professional—just someone playing dress-up online. Lesson learned.

How to Avoid It: Authorities can be helpful, but don’t accept their word blindly. Always ask, “What’s the evidence?” Even experts can be wrong, so it’s worth doing your homework.

Start Spotting the Fallacies

Logical fallacies are everywhere—in arguments with friends, headlines on the news, and even your own internal dialogue. The tricky part is that they’re sneaky. They sound good, so we fall for them without realizing it.

But here’s the good news: once you start spotting fallacies, you can stop falling for them. You’ll argue more clearly, think more critically, and (bonus) become a lot harder to manipulate. Trust me, it’s worth it.