False dichotomy
Binary choices
Black-and-white thinking
Polarization
The either/or fallacy
Reducing Our Choices
The false dichotomy fallacy can go by a number of different labels. The gist of it is easy to understand, but utterly insidious in our thinking. Reducing a range of choices to only two can be tempting. It makes things simple. It can force quick decision-making. If you’re in a high-pressure, time-sensitive position, then perhaps narrowing your choices down is a good call.
In any situation where you have time to think, you will benefit from recognizing a wider range of choices.
It does not have to be overwhelming. Research bears out the intuition that having too many choices can be confusing and unhelpful. However, we do not have to make a choice (this is called irony) between only two, or too many. If you catch yourself considering a false dichotomy, try setting a goal of at least three. Start there: with practice, we will learn to catch this fallacy before it can do damage.
The Mental Health Aspect
Extreme forms of thinking are the cause of the most prevalent mental health disorders today. The problem is that we tend to believe our thoughts, with or without evidence or reasoning. Our thoughts have direct, immediate impact on our emotions. Current “talk therapies” (CBT, ACT, DBT) are successful for most people who commit to them, and their focus is on changing what and how we think.
While there are those who struggle with “mechanical” issues (brain chemistry – requiring pharmaceutical intervention), they are the minority. Consider a common example: Pamjam [made-up name] makes an awkward faux pas in a conversation with a new co-worker. Pamjam has a habit of either/or thinking. In this case, she’s either (1) a smooth-talking charismatic intellectual; or she is (2) a waste of space who makes everyone around her uncomfortable, and she should never go out in public again. The conversation haunts her, and she embraces option 2.
This is unrealistic and it is going to make her feel terrible. An objective observer would see that. It is hard to break free, though, when we are in the grip of a situation.
A more factual version of events is that Pamjam is a totally normal conversationalist whose slip-up wasn’t even noticed. If it was noticed, her co-worker probably doesn’t hold it against her. If they do, they are spiteful and mean-spirited, which is not Pamjam’s fault.
When we practice noticing our extreme thoughts and correcting them to be more accurate, our mood swings are moderated. Our perception of the world is a better reflection of reality. We are more consistent and more compassionate.
