Ben Shapiro Lab 6

LAB 6

Lab 6

The author of the article “Ben Shapiro DESTROYS Ben Shapiro (When Trying to Wreck Jon Stewart)” is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The author writes about Ben Shapiro who undoubtedly does have a lot of influence among his followers. The author argues that Ben Shapiro uses a wide range of logical fallacies in his YouTube channels to appeal or entice his followers to subscribe for the benefit of his bank account, and not for the common good of the people. For instance, Abdul-Jabbar (par 6) points out that when Shapiro attempts to demean Jon Stewart, he uses ad hominem fallacy - whereby he personally attacks him. In par 6, Abdul-Jabbar indicates that Shapiro states in his video introduction that, “our cultural elite, they hate you. They really, really hate you.” In this case, Shapiro uses the phrase ‘cultural elite’ as a trigger to prejudice his audience. Further, Shapiro also uses the fallacy of hyperbole when he repeatedly uses the word radical to ‘machine gun’ his audience. Shapiro also uses the said fallacy when he alludes to Stewart as an old man in more than three instances in the video, as a way of laying off his points and perhaps trigger him.

While use of logical fallacies may be appealing to public figures in terms of advancing their agenda, i.e. access to finances, it is important to note that the utilization of logical fallacies may lead to massive negative implications. This is more so the case given that public figures tend to have larger influence and reach. Towards this end, the said massive audiences may include individuals who are searching for sincere answers. As a consequence, this audience may not be able to get the answers they are seeking and could end up being misled. This is more so the case given that public figures in this context may only be giving a ration appearance when in reality, they have a nefarious agenda to advance (Abdul-Jabbar par 5). Thus, such public figures destroy people with ‘logic and facts’, when in reality they just use ‘lipservice and faux’.