Appeal to Common Folk
In place of evidence, attempting to establish a connection to the audience based on being a 'regular person' just like each of them, then suggesting that your proposition is something that all common folk believe or should accept.
THE IDEA
Appeal to Common Folk
(also known as: appeal to the common man)
Description: In place of evidence, attempting to establish a connection to the audience based on being a “regular person” just like each of them. Then suggesting that your proposition is something that all common folk believe or should accept.
Logical Form: I am an ordinary person like you. Ordinary people accept this claim. Therefore, you should accept it too.
Example #1: Politician speaking to a crowd: 'I'm just like you – I work hard, I pay my taxes, and I struggle to make ends meet. That's why I know that these tax increases are unfair to the common man.'
Explanation: The speaker’s shared identity does not establish that the tax increases are unfair.
Example #2: A religious appeal identifies with the “common folk” and treats that connection as evidence for the religion’s truth claims.
Explanation: Solidarity with an audience may help win support, but it does not establish a religious claim. The error is using that connection in place of relevant reasons.
Exception: If the “common folk” appeal is made in addition to valid reasons, then it is not a fallacy, although I would argue it is cheap pandering that people are starting to see right through.
When to use it
A politician campaigning for lower taxes by portraying themselves as a regular person struggling with finances, without providing evidence for the policy's effectiveness.
A company marketing a product as 'for the people' to create a sense of solidarity, while neglecting to provide factual comparisons or testimonials.
A religious leader appealing to the struggles of the common person to gain followers, using emotional resonance rather than doctrinal evidence.
A social media influencer claiming to be 'just like you' to promote a lifestyle product, bypassing critical evaluation of the product's value.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Tax Increase Appeal
Politician speaking to a crowd: 'I'm just like you – I work hard, I pay my taxes, and I struggle to make ends meet. That's why I know that these tax increases are unfair to the common man.' The shared experience does not establish that the tax increases are unfair.
Religious Appeal
A speaker identifies a religion with the struggles of ordinary people and asks the audience to accept its truth claims on that basis. The connection may be meaningful to the audience, but it does not supply evidence for those claims.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
When have you seen an appeal to common folk used in advertising or politics?
How can you distinguish between a genuine connection with an audience and a fallacious appeal to the common person?
What are the ethical implications of using this fallacy to sway public opinion?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Logically Fallacious - The Ultimate Collection of Over 300 Logical Fallacies