Non sequiturs

Contributed by Auggie: Opinionated Curmudgeon at Large
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I think it’s time to coin a new phrase called “extreme extrapolation”. This is an argumentative technique employed by people who are desperate, myopic or logically challenged. Here is how it works: A person is unable (or too lazy) to come up with an intelligent, convincing case to support their position, so they argue that if event A occurs (the event they are against), then events B, C and D are the string of unwanted consequences that will naturally follow. Of course, when preaching the projected consequences they ignore facts, logic or anything else that might expose their argument as fraudulent.

A good place to find examples of this tact is the ‘letters to the editor’ section of your local newspaper, especially when a divisive public referendum is up for vote. Let’s say for example there is a referendum to ban baiting as a bear hunting technique. Some dolt will submit a passionate letter crying how the authorities are trying to exert too much control over the common folk, and “they won’t stop there, no, the next thing you know they’ll outlaw bear hunting altogether and then deer hunting, duck hunting and eventually fishing”. These hypothetical events are completely unrelated to the referendum and there is no evidence that anyone against bear baiting wants to protect yellow perch, but it’s bound to strike a chord with Frank’s bait & tackle shop. Assuming Frank is an idiot too. I wonder, since these people are already on the delusion express, why not keep chugging along and pick up a few more passengers? I’m sure that once big brother gets the fishing ban approved, its only a matter of time before mouse traps and bug zappers are prohibited. I’m still waiting for someone on the other side of the argument to use the same tactic, if only to demonstrate it’s absurdity; “Hey listen pal, you’ve already got your duck, bear, and deer hunting. If we keep relaxing the rules the next thing you know we’ll be legalizing pet hunts, and sooner or later you’ll want to hunt humans for sport”.

Now that I think about it, I bet that’s exactly what happened to Jonathan Kincaid.