People always say there are "tribes in Africa" to support whatever position they're taking, or whatever point they're trying to make. Especially teachers and instructors. Or they say "parts of Asia" or "places in the Middle East".

"What do you do?"
"I work in a nursing home."
"That's sad. You know, in Asia they revere the elderly and don't have Nursing Homes."

Once my wife and I were at a class for breastfeeding and someone asked does it matter which side you breastfeed on. The instructor said no, but there is a tribe in Africa where the women only breastfeed their babies on one side because they row their canoes on the other side. This story has the benefit of sounding believable because of course people in Africa all row canoes, right? Plus, it's unproveable because the tribe isn't named, and who goes to Africa anyway? And it makes the instructor sound literate and well-traveled.

But, but, but....don't the women in that tribe just row around in circles?

People always say "Americans are such prudes about sex. In France they see naked women all the time and they don't think anything about it."

Well, first of all, they may see naked women more than we do, but I guarantee they're thinking the same thing we are. Except the gay ones. And there are probably lots of gay French people.

All of society's problems could be solved, one would think, by following the examples set by these nameless "tribes in Africa" and vague "parts of Asia". And the great thing about it is that you can use these examples to reinforce any point you're trying to make. It works especially well when you say that it's an ancient culture.

You can argue for or against homosexuality, abortion, the death penalty, whatever you want. And you don't have to know anything about the subject. You just sound smarter.

Another approach that works is to make it personal. If you're against the death penalty, say you had a family member who was proved innocent by DNA evidence after he was executed, and be sure to add that he was the gentlest soul you ever knew. If you're for the death penalty, say you had a family member who was murdered and the killer got away on a technicality, and be sure to add how close the two of you were....and also that he was the gentlest soul you ever knew. It also helps if you can scream or cry or something. When you do this, the argument is no longer about facts; its about how we all feel.

Let's say you're talking about welfare and someone says its a drain on society. And whether you agree or not, let's say you don't feel like talking about it. Just say "My mom was on welfare and would have starved to death without it." End of discussion.

Politicians do it all the time. That's why they are always bringing people up to speak with them, to show how certain government programs work (or don't work), or how a political opponent doesn't care or is just a dumb ass. It makes everything personal. And now you can do it too!