Plain folks explained

"Plain folks" is a form of propaganda and a logical fallacy.[1] A plain folks argument is one in which the speaker presents themselves as an average Joe — a common person who can understand and empathize with a listener's concerns.[2] [3]

The most important part of this appeal is the speaker's portrayal of themselves as someone who has had a similar experience to the listener and knows why they may be skeptical or cautious about accepting the speaker's point of view. In this way, the speaker gives the audience a sense of trust and comfort, believing that the speaker and the audience share common goals and that they thus should agree with the speaker.

Notes and References

  1. http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~jklumpp/comm401/lectures/fallacy.html Fallacies
  2. Book: Jowett. Garth. Propaganda and Persuasion. O'Donnell. Victoria. 2006. SAGE. 978-1-4129-0897-9. en.
  3. Book: ESOMBA, STEVE Dr. ADVERTISING AND THE SPREAD OF BUSINESS, DEMOCRACY AND KNOWLEDGE. Lulu.com. 978-1-4717-3443-4. en.