Stacking the Deck Fallacy Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

Stacking the Deck Fallacy

Stacking the Deck Fallacy Definition

What is Stacking the Deck Fallacy?

The stacking the deck fallacy is a logical fallacy in which one argues that because there are more of one thing than another, it is better.  Stacking the Deck Fallacy is a statement made during a debate designed to give the arguer a more convincing argument.

An example of Stacking the Deck Fallacy

“I have a degree in theoretical astrophysics, so I know the Earth is flat.”

This is an example of Stacking the Deck Fallacy because a person does not need to have a degree in order to know the earth is  or not flat

Another example is saying that because there are more oranges than apples, oranges must be better.   This argument ignores other factors such as flavor and nutritional content

stacking the deck in your own favor is one of the most popular ways to deceive.  People do this all the time, and many will do it more than once in a conversation or discussion before they give up on trying to be persuasive.

The big problem is that it’s easy as pie to spot when somebody is trying to manipulate you, so it’s not a good strategy.

The deck is stacked when a particular party or individual unfairly increases the odds of winning. This can be done in two ways:

(a) stacking the deck with favorable cards.

(b) stacking the deck against unfavorable cards

Stacking the Deck Fallacy Examples

Stacking the Deck example in Philosophy

Examples of Stacking the Deck Fallacy in Philosophy:

The stacking the deck fallacy is when you assume that a conclusion is true because it’s what you want to be true.

For example, if someone said they wanted to believe in an afterlife and then started looking for reasons why there must be one, this would be an example of the stacking the deck fallacy.

This kind of reasoning can lead people to create their own reality and overlook other possibilities.

Stacking the Deck Fallacy Real-Life Examples

Stacking the Deck Fallacy in Real Life:

The deck is stacked against you. You’re not going to get a fair shake from the judge because he’s biased against your race/religion/political party.

Your opponent has an unfair advantage because they have more money, better connections, or a stronger political base.

Other examples:

• You believe that you’ll win the lottery because you bought a ticket and someone told you your lucky number.
• You think it’s okay to cheat on an exam because no one will find out
•  Your boss is hiring new employees, but he doesn’t want to hire women

Stacking the Deck Fallacy Examples in Media

Examples of Stacking the Deck Fallacy in Media:

A news outlet may report on a new study that is funded by the company that manufactures the drug being studied.

The reporter may not mention this in their article, which will lead readers to believe that the study was done independently and has no bias.  This would be an example of stacking the deck fallacy.

Stacking the Deck Fallacy Examples in Advertising

Stacking the Deck Fallacy in Advertising:

• Advertising a product that is not as good as the competition but is cheaper.
• Advertising products with false claims.
•  Using testimonials from people who have never actually used the product
• Advertising a product as “the best” without any supporting evidence.
• Showing only the positive aspects of a product while ignoring potential drawbacks.
• Using testimonials from people who are not experts in the field

Stacking the Deck Fallacy in Politics

Examples of Stacking the Deck Fallacy in Politics:

• The politician is making a false argument that they are the best candidate for the job.
• They use misleading statistics.
• They make an emotional appeal to voters by using fear tactics or appealing to people’s sense of patriotism.
• The candidate’s supporters are more likely to vote.
• The candidate is more likely to be interviewed by the media.
• Polls will show that the candidate has a higher chance of winning

Stacking the Deck Fallacy examples in Movies

Examples of Stacking the Deck Fallacy in Movies:

•  The protagonist is always the most talented person in their field.
• All of the other characters are either evil or incompetent.
• The protagonist never has any flaws, and if they do, then those flaws are quickly resolved by a deus ex machina.

Stacking the Deck Fallacy Examples in Literature

Examples of Stacking the Deck Fallacy in Literature:

• The protagonist is the only one who can save the world.
• The antagonist is too powerful to be defeated.
• There are no other characters in the story

Stacking the Deck Fallacy Examples in News

Examples of Stacking the Deck Fallacy in News:

•  The reporter selectively chooses stories to give the impression that there is a crime wave in the neighborhood.
• The reporter only interviews people who are victims of crimes, ignoring those who have not been victimized.
• The reporter quotes an expert with a questionable background or credentials.
• The news reports that the president is unpopular.  They only show footage of people protesting against him and not any supporters. They use words like “unpopular” or “disgraced” to describe him.

Related Articles:

• 12+ Dogmatism Fallacy Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

• 9+ No True Scotsman Fallacy Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

• 10+ Middle Ground Fallacy Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads