One of the most common of the logic errors in the modern era is the bandwagon technique.  I am not sure if the word ‘technique’ is part of the logic error’s proper name, but that is how I have always heard it said.  Stand up philosophers cannot be expected to do that much research given that stand up philosophy does not pay that well.  Using Internet time for playing games is far more profitable…
You can spot a bandwagon argument by listening for words like consensus.  If a billion people agree that the Earth is a huge cube, the Earth will remain an oblique spheroid.  There are times when the minority opinion, even when it violates the evidence of our senses, is more accurate than the consensus of the majority.  This is because truth is objectively true.  Was it Ben Franklin who wrote something like,” even if you call his tail a leg, a dog will still have only four legs.”
The secret working of the bandwagon error is that Man is social by design.  We need the connection to the people around us.  It is difficult for us to stand up to the crowd.  If a recognized authority leads the crowd in chants of a fallacy, then we often begin to doubt the truth in our own minds.  Only a strong mind can long withstand an assault using the bandwagon technique.
A bandwagon error is created to make you feel left out if you do not fall in line with the central theme of the argument.  Instead of defending the validity of an argument, you rely on a number of people, preferably influential people, who accept the premise.  Not accepting the argument is associated with being isolated and alone.  These are two feelings that we do not deal well with.  It is a similar conditioning system to smacking your hand every time that you say something specific.  Eventually, you become averse to the statement even if you are away from the conditioning and will not be punished for making the statement.  Your mind will then punish the wrong thinking.
This effect can be enhanced by rewarding repetition of the preferred fallacy.  The conditioned mind comes to associate acceptance of the fallacy with being accepted into fellowship with the crowd.  Any questioning of the fallacy will induce a discomfort response in the conditioned mind and that is how you can spot a bandwagon logic error that has taken root around you.  A bandwagon logic error is emotional.  It can only be defended by citing the belief of adherents and then belittling anybody who questions the central premise.

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