Ad hominems are so powerful

[Wootah]

I feel like Americans (I'm Aussie) are about to vote based on ad hominems. I also want to note how inescapable ad hominems appear to be (and I'm not excluded). They're there on the tip of my tongue. I edit and reedit a post before posting to try to catch as many as I can.

Almost none of us have the time or ability to understand the issues and no answer is definitely right. And we are so uneducated. We try of course but if you have a family or are working where is the time? And how do we get educational material when uneducated material is thrust upon us and even then do I have a mind that can understand? And when I had the time I was sure I was right and didn't try to learn.

Do you vote for the evil one or the boastful one? Both are ad hominems and yet I think you know which is which.

This applies to religion, sport, everything. The fastest way to win an argument is an ad hominem. That's because we are social (relational) animals, so winning is simply about appealing to the group.

My opponent is <crazy, racist, ...> are invalid because they are indirectly appeals to the group that try to make the opponent an outcast. The purpose is to silence the opponent through social exclusion. And if the outcast silences themselves then everyone knows that those ideas are not wise to voice. But appealing to the group may well be the purpose of all debate in the end.

Truth where is thine power?

It's why this site moderates on civility.if you can't voice your argument civilly then perhaps you it's one of the powers of civility forcing us to go beyond ad hominems to win debates.