FAIL: Everybody else wants Obama to win, so vote to be around happy people

Posted by Michael at 8/28/2008 11:06 AM
Categories: Personal Arguments, Philosophy Arguments, Not Convincing
This argument addresses an Obama Presidency from a strictly symbolic perspective with corresponding self-fulfilling prophecies, rather than a pragmatic perspective revolving around policy issues. It works on multiple levels, from the personal (my coworkers would be less grumpy and irritable) to the international (Europeans would hate America less with Obama at the helm).

The idea is that, ultimately, people around me want Obama to be President, and, whether their reasoning makes sense or not, I will benefit from my neighbors being less whiny, cranky, and obnoxious.

Now, this argument is interesting because it's totally circular. It is factually true that, if you threaten to irritate me with your whining unless I help you elect your man (or donate to your charity, or attend your cocktail party, or Perform Arbitrary Action X), then I will experience less of your whining by complying with your demands.

This is a form of emotional blackmail, and your paltry attempts at it pale in comparison to what I've learned to endure from my Jewish mother.

It is not actually a form of persuasion. Basically you're saying that I should vote for Obama not because he's the better candidate, but because his supporters are volatile, melodramatic crybabies. I do not find this convincing.
 
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