Appeal to flattery
{{short description|Emotion based fallacy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
Appeal to flattery{{cite web |url=http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-flattery.html |title=Fallacy: Appeal to Flattery |work=The Nizkor Project |access-date=2010-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806031017/http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-flattery.html |archive-date=6 August 2012 |url-status=dead }} is a fallacy in which a person uses flattery, excessive compliments, in an attempt to appeal to their audience's vanity to win support for their side.{{Cite book |last=Sprouse |first=Scott |date=2017 |title=The Reasoning Skills Workbook |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y9k2DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA48 |page=48 |isbn=9781387214617 |access-date=19 January 2017}} It is also known as apple polishing, wheel greasing, brown nosing, appeal to pride, appeal to vanity or argumentum ad superbiam.{{Cite book |last=Bennett |first=Bo |date=2012 |title=Logically Fallacious: The Ultimate Collection of Over 300 Logical Fallacies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WFvhN9lSm5gC&pg=PT61 |page=61 |isbn=9781456607371 |access-date=19 January 2018}} The appeal to flattery is a specific kind of appeal to emotion.{{Cite web |url=http://www.fallacyfiles.org/emotiona.html |title=Emotional Appeal |author=Gary Curtis |work=Fallacy Files |access-date=19 January 2018}}
Flattery is often used to hide the true intent of an idea or proposal. Praise offers a momentary personal distraction that can often weaken judgment. Moreover, it is usually a cunning form of appeal to consequences, since the audience is subject to be flattered as long as they comply with the flatterer.
Examples:
:"Surely a man as smart as you can see this is a brilliant proposal." (failing to accept the proposal is a tacit admission of stupidity)
:"Is there a strong man here who could carry this for me?" (a failure to demonstrate physical strength implies weakness)
A refusal which does not deny the compliment could be formulated thus: "I may be [positive attribute], but that doesn't mean that I will [perform action] for you."
It is not necessarily a logical fallacy, however, when the compliment is sincere, and directly related to the argument. Example:
:"You are a stunningly beautiful girl – you should become a model."