Logical fallacies and other childhood games...

MOM!
Everyone else gets to have dessert!
You always let him go first!
She always gets to go!
We are a household of hasty generalizations. This might have something to do with the fact that I am the only one in our household that is above the age of eight. I believe my children learned the art of speaking in absolutes from their father. He always does this and always does that and I never do this and never do that. Might be one of the many reasons why he lives somewhere else these days.
As children we are quick to say everybody, always, never and forever. I wonder if this comes from the limited life experience or if we really believe everybody, always, never and forever. I think I thought in everybody, always, never and forever when I was younger. When you are young it's easier to think that way. Less challenging and less scary. As we grow up, we learn to question what is fed to us. We learn to filter the information and hopefully weed through the generalizations.
I wonder what would happen if someone invented a collar that shocked the wearer whenever a hasty generalization or an absolute was uttered. This would be quite a site. People walking around convulsing almost constantly. Men are pigs. zap (or not.)
(Sorry I'm a bit snarky today.)
What if politicians had to wear these collars? Their nervous systems would be fried. Sweeping generalization? Hasty generalization? I think not.  I've been trying to decide which attack ad was my favorite of the election season. I think it was the one where one goobernatorial (yes goober) candidate told us all the things Tim Pawlenty did wrong. Never mind telling us why he was a better candidate than the other guy or what he was going to do right. He decides to highlight what the guy NOT RUNNING AGAIN did wrong. hmmm. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." "What would you do with a brain if you had one?" Run for office?
That being said, my best friend in the entire world ran for and was elected to the office of mayor in a southern Minnesota smallish-medium size town. So I know the mayor. You want to hang out with me now don't you? She has a brain, and a heart and the nerve. So there is at least one example of truth and integrity in politics in the state of Minnesota.
Now I'll run along before a house falls on me too.