Rob is blowing a whistle, over and over.

Bob: “Why are you blowing that whistle, Rob?”

Rob: “To keep the dragons away.”

Bob: “I see no dragons.”

Rob: “It works!”

  • PeepinGoodArgs@reddthat.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    29
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Post hoc ergo propter hoc, or the post hoc fallacy, in general.

    Basically in OP’s case, I did this and something did or didn’t happen. Therefore, what I did caused that something to happen or not happen.

    Another comment used a survivorship bias with people that survived when others died or just living longer than other people. That’s also an example of the post hoc fallacy. The idea that the survivor did something that caused them to live isn’t necessarily true. They couldn’t just got lucky.

    It’s also the foundational fallacy that connects the president to economic outcomes. Ask any economist: the president can’t control the economy, and his influence is severely limited.