What it sounds like
- You said smoking is bad, but you used to smoke.
- "You tell us to take breaks, but you answer emails at midnight." Fair burn. Still, breaks may be healthy.
Logical fallacy
Tu Quoque / Hypocrisy Fallacy
Dismissing an argument because the person making it does not perfectly follow it.
Classic tell: You said smoking is bad, but you used to smoke.
Back to the guideFurther explanation
What is happening underneath?
Dismissing an argument because the person making it does not perfectly follow it.
Hypocrisy can matter for trust, but it does not automatically refute a claim. A smoker can still accurately say cigarettes are harmful.
How to tell
- The argument attacks inconsistency instead of evaluating whether the recommendation is true.
Why people use it
- Calling out hypocrisy feels like winning because it punctures moral authority.
How to combat it
- Say: "That may show inconsistency. Does it show the claim itself is false?"
Manipulation watch
How this gets used on people.
- Campaigns use hypocrisy clips to make policy claims disappear under personality drama.