Argumentum ad odium appeals to hatred toward a person or group to justify a conclusion. It is common in political propaganda and polarizing discourse.
Example
“They are the problem, so everything they propose must be rejected.”
(Rejection is based on hostility, not evidence.)
Applied example (political)
“They are enemies of the homeland, so everything they propose is bad.” (Hatred is not evidence.)
Applied example (mystical)
“That dark group must be silenced, therefore its message is false.” (Hostility replaces evidence.)
Why it is fallacious
- It replaces analysis with animosity.
- It prevents evaluation of specific arguments.
- It dehumanizes opponents and blocks dialogue.
How to spot it
- Degrading labels and enemy language.
- Generalizations about groups without data.
- Automatic rejection without reviewing content.
How to respond
- Return to specific facts and evidence.
- Distinguish people from ideas or proposals.
- Demand verifiable arguments.
Fallacies
Spot fallacies in seconds
Try the AI fallacy detector on speeches, texts, or documents.