Appeal To Flattery.

Appeal To Flattery
Argumentum ad adulatio

1. Person A is flattered by person B.

2. Person B makes claim “X”.

3. Therefore “X” must be true.

Appeal to flattery, also known as apple polishing, is a type of logical fallacy that appeals to emotion. It is often used in media, politics as well as every day situations, although one might not even notice the use of such a fallacy. Appeal to flattery is the use of excessive complements to flatter someone (or many people), in attempt to winning them over, or gaining support for ones side. Flattery can be used to ones advantage because it acts as a momentary distraction that can weaken judgment.
Flattery is often used to hide or “sugarcoat” the true intent of an idea or proposal, this leading it to be very fallacious. It is fallacious in the sense that fact is not being used to support the argument, flattery is used instead in the place of evidence for accepting a claim. The reasoning being used by person B is completely irrelevant to the actual situation therefore it should not be taken into account when person A is making a decision. In reality, person B should not get what they want just because they complement person A, but because they have proven that they deserve it and use factual evidence to support their argument. This fallacy will only truly work best if person A cannot see right through person B. The next time you try to ask for something, throw in a complement or two in hopes of flattering your person A.

Examples
The following is an example of appeal to flattery that really demonstrates the use of flattery in the place of evidence for accepting a claim (the example is not my own, it is simply used to demonstrate how extreme flattery can be used. Also I found it very amusing):
My Bill, that is a really nice tie. By the way, it is quite clear that one plus one is equal to forty three (http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-flattery.html).
My own examples:
1. Clearly, only a gifted intelligent group of individuals such as yourselves can see that this man is a complete idiot.
Failing to admit that the man is an idiot in this example would result in the person feeling stupid or unwanted therefore the man is an idiot.
2. Mr. Murray, all of the yoga you have been doing has really paid off, you are looking great, and may I ad, your attire today is just looking superb. So, how about a couple of extra marks on this project.
An obvious example of appealing to flattery. Person A will clearly see through person B therefore person B will not receive extra marks on the project.



Examples In Media
The other day I came across an old Ottawa citizen newspaper and I found a letter in it that demonstrated appealing to flattery. It is as follows:
Brightly polite
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, October 25, 2007
I really enjoyed the clever humour of Bruce Ward's front-page article. After a year of living in Ottawa, I find residents and retail staff to be brightly polite. But having lived in Winnipeg for 29 years, I do find people in that city more likely to be openly friendly.
In Ottawa, drivers tolerate cyclists far more, for example waiting for us to cross in front of them, and moving over to another lane to give us more space.
This is such an ethnically diverse city, more so by the mix of Anglophones and francophone’s. Perhaps many people are shy and hesitant to be nice in case the act is misconstrued. People are the same the world over so all of us should relax and try harder to be nice.
DenzilFeinberg,Ottawa
This letter demonstrates appealing to flattery for the following reason: just because the man enjoys Bruce Ward’s humor does not make his claim valid. He is simply trying to get people to agree with him by adding flattery, it is really up to you to decide if you agree with him or not, maybe his attempt at flattery will shape your view.

Another example I found of appealing to flattery was while watching television. It was in a television program titled “Desperate Housewives” and it was aired on Sunday November 2, 2008 and it came from season 5 episode 6. A lady named Mrs. Hilderburn is talking to a woman named Gabby Solice and she says the following:
“I suppose I should be flattered that a woman as young and beautiful as you should see me as a threat”

In saying this Mrs. Hilderburn is complementing Gabby and expecting a certain reaction, and

she got it. Gabby was flattered and did not know how to react.

Selected References
1. Unknown, et al "Fallacy: Appeal to flattery." Nizkor, 28th May, 1999, 30 Oct 2008 .
2. Feinberg, Denzil. "Brightly Polite." 25 Oct 2007 2 Nov 2008 .
3. LaBossiere, Micheal. "Appeal To Flattery ." 5/20/2004 2 Nov 2008 .