Everybody Does It

Written by Mark Davis for Strike The Root.

The good old “argumentum ad populum” or “appeal to the people” is a logical fallacy that has been used by countless children the world over for time immemorial. Unfortunately, the equally old lesson traditionally imparted by parents to children who use this appeal “Would you jump off a bridge if everybody does it?” no longer seems to be, well, popular. Independent thought, much less personal sovereignty, are no longer in vogue. Collectivist thought and state sovereignty are all the rage now. Popularity polls are used to determine musical tastes, fashion trends, places to eat, what to drink, which liar to vote for and what law to pass. For many, the basic concept of self has eroded over the past few generations as recognizing popularity has come to permeate modern society as the standard for all that’s good and right. Perpetual childhood is not just the modern ideal of self, it is the dominant social meme that the elite have instilled upon each of us through the authoritarian state institutions so many easily accept as credible, if not transcendent. Now let’s have a look at that bridge.
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