“Relative Privation”
Could Be Worse
What is Relative Privation?
Justifying something bad because worse things exist by comparison.
Business Application
Accepting the existence of a greater harm as justification to accept a lesser harm is an obstacle for personal satisfaction.
This fallacy is used as a means to create a perception ‘tunnel vision’ by setting a frame of reference to focus on. By focusing in on a specific range, you disregard the wider spectrum of value.
Example 1
“I know this fee might seem very high but you should see what other people are charging! This is actually a steal!“
Why This is a Fallacy
If a fee seems high, it may very well be too high.
Example 2
“Most companies won’t even offer you health benefits. You should be happy with this program.”
Why This is a Fallacy
If a health insurance plan seems poor, it may in fact be unacceptable.
Tom Waters
Owner at Everyday Sales
Everyday Sales is an online resource for sales and business education. We expose the psychological exploits used in sales and marketing to empower our clients to become better professionals. Our feature content includes Sales in Cinema, Cognitive Biases in Business, Logical Fallacies in Business, and Quotes Deconstructed.
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