Either/Or Fallacy

Jolene Landers and Katerina Mahdavi

Either/Or Fallacy
Definition: Requires absolutes that do
not allow for intermediate cases.

Rhetorical analysis of a visual fallacy

The Colgate Toothpaste advertisement as shown in this slide is a perfect example of the either/or fallacy. The speakers of this
advertisement are the manufacturers behind the product attempting to get the message out that their toothpaste has the
strongest effect over all other brands. The audience generally consists of anyone who brushes their teeth, and more specifically
people who care about their personal hygiene at a higher level. This specificity further narrows the audience down to people of
higher ages, ranging from teenagers to adults due to the fact that plaque and whitening is a larger concern as you age. The
overall point of the product is not only directed towards toothpaste itself, but is a deeper concern for one's personal hygiene by
fighting plaque germs. The appeal, logos is shown in the visual comparison on the side of the toothpaste brand. The
advertisement clearly states after twelve hours their product results much more effectively in fighting plaque germs. The
appeal, pathos can be seen also in the visual comparisons stating if you dont use this toothpaste you will simply have bad
teeth. Teeth are a very important factor in the lives of many therefore causing self-pity when not meeting the great
expectations of personal hygiene. On the other hand if you do choose to use this product, no worries, your teeth are good. The
either /or fallacy is clearly shown throughout the advertisement because it flat out compares two different possibilities, in this
case toothpaste products, with two different outcomes. The lines and font are bold and strong further supporting the
effectiveness of the product. The colors are mostly warm and mellow with just a tint of blue. Overall, the features of the
advertisement create a neutral and trustworthy appearance to the audience. The line located towards the bottom of the
advertisement ties in the product as a whole delivering the final message; the use of this toothpaste will result in the most
efficient and effective appearance unlike any other brands.

Rhetorical analysis of verbal fallacy

The passage chosen is a transcript from the 2016 Republican primary debates, spoken by Donald Trump in an attempt to convince the
Republican Party to back support his plan for global trade regulation. What his plan is, exactly, wasnt specified; he has only stated that
he has a plan. By using terms like killing and absolutely crushed he creates a tone of severity, which brings forth a sense of urgency
in the audience, which is further heightened by the statistics that he then lists; he does not state the source of these statistics. His use of
tone brings emotional credibility to his main idea, that if we do not redo our trade deals 100 percent then China, Japan, and Mexico
will continue killing us, both at the border, and with trade. This idea perfectly fits the textbook definition of the either/or fallacy.
America either follows his trade plan, or we get killed by Mexicans, Japanese, and Chinese people, whatever that means.

Our AD

Analysis of our AD
In our AD, we appeal to logos, pathos, and ethos in order to strengthen the belief in the idea that if our audience, the average
right-wing consumer, does not buy our toilet paper, they are indirectly supporting communistic ideals. Our appeal to logos is in
our statement that 100 percent of our profits go to wealthy capitalists, and that hundreds of thousands of people die in
communist countries every year. These cold, hard numbers cannot be argued with, and they convince consumers of our
credibility, although the latter statistic can be applied to any country, given that its population is high enough. We get our
audience to be emotionally invested by using words like American to bring forth a sense of patriotism. Finally, ethos is
shown by the fact that our toilet paper is Donald Trumps brand, because Donald Trump is a well-known capitalist.
Once our consumer is completely convinced that we are a pure, anti-communist brand, we use our brand comparison to show
that other brands are communist, with the infamous scythe and anvil superimposed over the toilet paper; meanwhile, our brand
is seen, with Donald Trumps smiling face, the American flag waving in the background, as if to say look! This toilet paper
represents the spirit of America!. Thus, our point is driven home; either you buy our toilet paper, or you support communism.

Works Cited
colgate ad: https://www.haikudeck.com/english-uncategorized-presentationy40MNWKwTY

Speech:
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=111711