BANDWAGON
By: Deanie Pedigo
DEFINITION OF BANDWAGON
-Bandwagon is a fallacy that creates the appeal that majority opinion and actions
are always correct. When using this fallacy, they don’t want you to consider what you
personally believe, but instead how the rest of society is acting. A quick example of
this would be “Everyone else is reading the book so you should too.”
ANALOGY
-This picture is the perfect mental of image of every
one “jumping on the bandwagon”. When people
use this fallacy this is what they want. As you can
see, there are way more people every intended to
be on that truck, crowded for space and probably
very uncomfortable. However, the appeal that
everyone is on it makes people want to catch a ride
too.
UNIVERSAL EXAMPLE
- On several McDonald’s signs throughout the world,
including the one in Glasgow, on the bottom of the
sign it states that “billions and billions served”.
Without even realizing it, we are being advertised
through the bandwagon technique every time we
drive past these signs. Instead of the sign describing
their product, it states that you should eat
McDonald’s simply because so many other people
eat it.
UNIVERSAL VIDEO EXAMPLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s__nHCNT8y8
In this video, they make statements and show how “McDonalds” is the only place to go
and have fun while enjoying a meal. They show many people in this advertisement,
creating the idea that many people come to this restaurant. They even make a
remark that “11 Billion people” are served by McDonald’s daily, wanting you to think
that everyone eats there so you should.
CRUCIBLE EXAMPLES #1
Abigail: I went to open myself! (They turn to her, startled. She is enraptured, as though in a pearly white.) I want
the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back
to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget
Bishop with the Devil!
(As she is speaking, Betty is rising from the bed, a fever in her eyes, and picks up the chant.)
Betty: (starting too) I saw George Jacobs with the Devil! I saw Goody Howe with the Devil!
Parris: She speaks! (He rushes to embrace Betty.) She speaks!
Betty: (calling out hysterically and with great relief.) I saw Martha Bellows with the Devil!
Abigail: I saw Goody Sibber with the Devil! (It is rising to a great glee.)
Betty: I saw Alice Barrow with the Devil!
(The curtain begins to fall.)
Abigail: I saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil!
Betty: I saw Goody Bibber with the Devil!
Abigail: I saw Goody Booth with the Devil!
(Act 1, Page 189)
EXPLANATION OF EXAMPLE #1
- Abigail is the first to confess someone with the devil. Betty hears her doing this and
seizes the opportunity to accuse people that she doesn’t like. They continue to go
back and forth accusing other women because the other one continues to accuse. They
are jumping on the bandwagon here because without Abigail starting the confessions,
Betty wouldn’t have started. They continuously put women of dislike on the “confession
bandwagon” creating a fallacy.
CRUCIBLE EXAMPLE #2
Danforth: What is it, child? (But Abigail, pointing with fear, is now raising up her frightened eyes, her
awed face, toward the ceiling—the girls are doing the same—and now Hathorne, Hale, Putnam,
Cheever, Herrick, and Danforth do the same.) What’s there? (He lowers his eyes from the ceiling, and
now he is frightened; there is real tension in his voice.) Child! (She is transfixed—with all the girls, she
is whimpering open-mouthed, agape at the ceiling.) Girls! Why do you—
… Abigail: (to the ceiling, in a genuine conversation with the “bird” as though trying to talk it out of
attacking her). But God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin,
Mary.
… Danforth: (to Mary Warren) Why does she see this vision?
Mary Warren: She sees nothin’!
Abigail: (now staring full front as though hypnotized, and mimicking the exact tone of Mary Warren’s
cry). She sees nothin’!
Mary Warren: (pleading) Abby, you mustn’t!
Abigail and All the Girls: (all transfixed). Abby, you mustn’t!
(Act 3, page 224)
EXPLANATION OF EXAMPLE #2
- In this example, Abigail points out a bird and states that it is Mary Warren trying to
hurt her. With her actions “hypnotizing” it creates a thought that Mary Warren really
is under witchcraft and with all the girls following these “hypnotic” actions and
creating a bandwagon fallacy, they create a better claim that she is guilty. With all
the girls joining in, it creates an overwhelming and obvious statement.
SOURCES
 Davis, Eddie. "IMPOSSIBLE TRIVIA: McDonalds First Added This in 1968?" Lite Rock 969. N.p., 15 June
2102. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
 Herrington, Jason S. Band-Wagon. 28 August 2014. Electronic Cigerettes Part III: We’re Gonna Vape on
the EZGC Bandwagon. Web. 15 March 2015.
 "McDonald's: "America's Favorite"" YouTube. YouTube, 1 Oct. 2006. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
 Nordquist, Richard. Bandwagon- Definition and Examples of the Logical Fallacy. About Education
(About.com), 2015. Web. 15 March 2015.