History AnalogyBackfire / RealLife

* At his trial for multiple murders, John Wayne Gacy's defense team argued that he suffered from split personality disorder, explicitly comparing Gacy to [[Literature/TheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]. Gacy's lawyers apparently made this argument based on the popular assumption that Jekyll has neither awareness nor control over Hyde's crimes in the book. The prosecutor then read the book and, as he pointed out in his closing arguments, realized that not only is Jekyll aware of Hyde's evil acts, but [[ForTheEvulz he keeps taking the potion because he enjoys said acts]]. The jury ultimately sentenced Gacy to death.

* At his trial for multiple murders, John Wayne Gacy's defense team argued that he suffered from split personality disorder, explicitly comparing to [[Literature/TheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]. Gacy's lawyers apparently made this argument based on the popular assumption that Jekyll has neither awareness nor control over Hyde's crimes in the book. The prosecutor then read the book and, as he pointed out in his closing arguments, realized that not only is Jekyll aware of Hyde's evil acts, but [[ForTheEvulz he keeps taking the potion because he enjoys said acts]]. The jury ultimately sentenced Gacy to death.

* In April 2023, Rep. Webster Barnaby of Florida defended a law prohibiting transgender people from using their preferred bathroom by comparing transgenders to [[https://www.wonkette.com/florida-bigot-unclear-on-concept-are-trans-people-x-men-because-those-guys-are-awesome the mutants from the]] ''Film/XMen'' - movies. He was apparently not aware that the mutants in the films are either superheroes or, at worst, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well Intentioned Extremists]], while the real villains are the anti-mutant bigots.

* In UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar, Robert E. Lee had copies of Literature/LesMiserables given to all the officers of the Confederacy, because he thought it symbolized their cause. Now, if you've ever read the book/seen the musical/watched one of the many film adaptations/read a synopsis online so you could look smart by knowing the plot and understanding allusions to it without having [[{{Doorstopper}} to read it]], you know that the June Uprising was an absolute failure. All but one of the rebels die, the barricades fall after one day, the failed revolt didn't lead to any changes in government, and Les Amis d'ABC didn't even take anyone down with them. Fittingly, the Confederacy lost the war. The same applies to protesters who use "Do You Hear the People Sing?", Les Amis' AngryMobSong, as their ProtestSong.

* In early 2020, as UsefulNotes/BernieSanders was the frontrunner in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, there were pundits arguing against Sanders's popularity, with MSNBC's Chris Matthews [[GodwinsLaw comparing Sanders' victory in the Nevada primaries to Adolf Hitler's invasion of France]]. [[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/23/msnbc-chris-matthews-sanders-nevada-win-nazi-invasion Sanders supporters and many others immediately pointed]] out that not only was Sanders Jewish, but ''some of his relatives were killed during UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust]]'', [[RoleEndingMisdemeanor which led to Matthews resigning from MSNBC]].

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IFdWBPRrxo A segment]] from ''Series/EntertainmentTonight'' describes the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Concordia_disaster Costa Concordia disaster]] as a "real-life ''Film/{{Titanic|1997}}''", apparently [[AluminumChristmasTrees not realizing]] that the ''[[UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic Titanic]] itself was ''also'' a real ship.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IFdWBPRrxo A segment]] from ''Series/EntertainmentTonight'' describes the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Concordia_disaster Costa Concordia disaster]] as a "real-life ''Film/{{Titanic|1997}}''", apparently not realizing that the ''[[UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic Titanic]] itself was ''also'' a real ship.

* A common pro-choice argument is to compare a human fetus to a [[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2012/4/15/1082439/-The-fetus-is-a-parasite parasite.]] Anti-abortion activists regularly point out that parasite is defined as "an organism that lives and feeds on or in an organism of a different species and causes harm to its host," and that the [[https://gizmodo.com/fetuses-can-donate-their-stem-cells-to-help-heal-their-5861990 fetus can send their stem cells to help their mother]]

* A common pro-choice argument is to compare a human fetus to a [[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2012/4/15/1082439/-The-fetus-is-a-parasite parasite.]] Anti-abortion activists regularly point out that parasite is defined as "an organism that lives and feeds on or in an organism of a different species and causes harm to its host," and that the

* Many times when restrictions were put on unvaccinated people (one example is that in 2017, New York banned unvaccinated children from attending school because of a nasty Measles outbreak), Anti-Vaxxers [[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/majorie-taylor-greene-mlk-day-anti-vax-b1995039.html would]] [[https://nypost.com/2019/09/18/anti-vaccine-protesters-are-comparing-themselves-to-civil-rights-activists/ compare]] them to [[UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement the Jim Crow Laws and segregation]]. Many people pointed out that non-white people were segregated because of something beyond their control. Meanwhile, the Anti-Vaxxers are being 'segregated' ''because of their choices.''

* Former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said he was inspired by King David when he ran for office. Unfortunately he didn't read the entirety of 2 Samuel which led to infidelity, murder, rebellion, and Israel on the brink to ruin. Guess what happens to the city of Detroit after Kilpatrick's sex scandal and other crimes was exposed? Thankfully no rebellion was carried out.

* The phrase "like taking candy from a baby" is virtually a [[DeadHorseTrope Dead Horse Analogy]] now, as it's only likely to be seen if it's followed by the obligatory "Have you ever actually ''tried'' taking candy from a baby?" retort. And looks overused and trite, even with that corollary.
** Hilariously, the Series/{{Mythbusters}} actually tested this. They found out that taking candy from a baby was actually incredibly difficult; the babies had a strong grip that made simply pulling the candy away hard to do, and the older ones knew how to use evasive strategies to hide the candy from the arm trying to take it from them. Then there's the guilt that is quickly felt when the baby begins crying.

* "Sweating like a pig" would confuse those who know that pigs don't have any sweat glands, which is one of the reasons they roll in the mud.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries,_2008 During the 2008 Democratic primaries]], UsefulNotes/HillaryRodhamClinton tried to compare herself to Creator/SylvesterStallone's Franchise/{{Rocky}}. A lot of people commented that he lost in the [[Film/{{Rocky}} first movie]]. Presumably the desired implication was that she'd stick it out 'til the end. Even worse, Rocky loses to a charismatic black man. Hillary should have seen it coming.

* Many times when restrictions were put on unvaccinated people(one example is that in 2017, New York banned unvaccinated children from attending school because of a nasty Measles outbreak), Anti-Vaxxers would compare them to [[UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement the Jim Crow Laws and segregation]]. Many people pointed out that non-white people were segregated because of something beyond their control. Meanwhile, the Anti-Vaxxers are being 'segregated' ''because of their choices.''

* During the earlier stages of Obamacare, UsefulNotes/SarahPalin tried to speak out against it by doing a parody of ''Literature/GreenEggsAndHam''. Critics of Palin were quick to point out that moral of the original story was [[IDoNotLikeGreenEggsAndHam to not claim that you hate something without even trying it first,]] and that the protagonist ''really liked them'' when he tried them.

* Simon Hoggart pointed out that that any speech from John Major included a fair few of these. For example, Major once said that Labour and taxes go together like peaches and cream, causing Hoggart to remark that people actually like peaches and cream?

* One Anti-vaccine meme featured a picture of toddlers crying as a vaccine is being prepared. This was countered by showing a picture of a toddler crying because he was forced to wear a lifejacket near water, proving the point that little kids will cry over anything they find discomforting, even if it's for their own good.

* The name of the OedipusComplex comes from a [[Theatre/OedipusTheKing Greek myth]] featuring a man who killed his father then married his mother. The mythological Oedipus actually ''didn't'' suffer from Oedipus complex: he was abandoned at birth (because of a prophecy saying he would commit both those heinous acts) and adopted. Once adult, he killed a man he encountered while travelling, then married the queen of a city he helped to saved, and learned those two strangers were his biological parents ''years later''. When Oedipus and his mother learned the truth, the mother is DrivenToSuicide, and Oedipus ''[[EyeScream gouged out his own eyes]].'' The name for the DistaffCounterpart, Electra complex, isn’t any better. Electra did kill her mother (or at least help her brother to) but there’s no (stated) element of ParentalIncest in the story and in fact Electra’s father was dead before she killed her mother...because the whole motive for Orestes and Electra to kill Clytemnestra was that she killed Agamemnon.

* In April 2023, Rep. Webster Barnaby of Florida defended a law prohibiting transgender people from using their preferred bathroom by comparing transgenders to [[https://www.wonkette.com/florida-bigot-unclear-on-concept-are-trans-people-x-men-because-those-guys-are-awesome the mutants from the]] ''Franchise/XMen'' - franchise. He was apparently not aware that the mutants from ''Franchise/XMen'' are either superheroes or, at worst, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well Intentioned Extremists]], while the real villains of the franchise are the anti-mutant bigots.

* In April 2023, Rep. Webster Barnaby of Florida defended a law prohibiting transgender people from use their preferred bathroom by comparing transgenders to [[https://www.wonkette.com/florida-bigot-unclear-on-concept-are-trans-people-x-men-because-those-guys-are-awesome the mutants from the]] ''Franchise/XMen'' - franchise. He was apparently not aware that the mutants from ''Franchise/XMen'' are either superheroes or, at worst, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well Intentioned Extremists]], while the real villains of the franchise are the anti-mutant bigots.

* In April 2023, Rep. Webster Barnaby of Florida defended a law prohibiting transgender people from use their preferred bathroom by comparing transgenders to [[https://www.wonkette.com/florida-bigot-unclear-on-concept-are-trans-people-x-men-because-those-guys-are-awesome the mutants from the]] ''Franchise/XMen'' - franchise. He was apparently not aware that the mutants from ''Franchise/XMen''are either superheroes or, at worst, [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well Intentioned Extremists]], while the real villains of the franchise are the anti-mutant bigots.

* Rep. Webster Barnaby of Florida defended a law prohibiting transgender people to use their preferred bathroom by comparing them to [[https://www.wonkette.com/florida-bigot-unclear-on-concept-are-trans-people-x-men-because-those-guys-are-awesome the mutants from the]] ''Franchise/XMen'' - franchise. Apparently he is not aware that they are either superheroes or [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well Intentioned Extremists]] while the real villains of the franchise are the anti-mutant bigots.

* Radio/GlennBeck [[http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/Story?id=7795824&page=4 compared]] himself to [[Film/{{Network}} Howard Beale]], apparently missing the fact that Beale went insane... [[spoiler:and eventually was murdered by his own network]]. To be fair, how do we know ''[[FridgeHorror he didn't know that already?]]''

* In 208, Marco Rubio appeared at a gun control debate, where he tried to argue that background checks wouldn't be effective, because 'Once you start looking at how easy it is to get around it, you would literally have to ban every semi-automatic rifle that's sold in America.' The crowd immediately broke out into applause.

* "Sweating like a pig" would sound confusing to those who know that pigs don't have any sweat glands, which is one of the reasons they roll in the mud.

** Another take simply reads: "Neville" [[note]] The character in question also could have been the subject of the prophecy ''Harry Potter'' centered around, if Voldemort decided to target the Longbottoms instead of the Potters [[/note]].

** Another take simply reads: "Neville".