The error of condemning an individual or group solely based on their association with or support for another entity deemed objectionable, without examining the nature, degree, or reason for that support. It assumes perfect ideological alignment and ignores the possibility of partial agreement, strategic alliance, nuanced critique, or simply being misinformed. It's a shortcut to moral judgment that prevents dialogue.
Example: "Person A donated to a charity that also, unknowingly, funded a controversial speaker one time. Therefore, Person A is a bad person who supports that speaker's worst ideas." This Fallacy of Guilt by Support bypasses Person A's actual intentions and the complexity of the charity's work to impose a blanket condemnation based on a distant, indirect link.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 3, 2026
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