Nirvana fallacy
Rejects a workable solution because it isn't perfect.
Specimen
The proposed transit system won't eliminate congestion entirely, so there's no point investing in it.
Fabricated passage — teaching example designed for clarity.
nirvana fallacy — partial benefit dismissed for falling short of an impossible standard
Dissection
The proposed transit system won't eliminate congestion entirely, so there's no point investing in it.
- perfect used as enemy of good
- partial improvements disqualified
- realistic alternative ignored
Field notes
- Family
- Logical fallacy
- Habitat
- policy commentary, product reviews, tech journalism
- Frequency
- found in 7% of analyzed articles
- Confused with
- Slippery slope , Moving the goalposts
In the wild
"The scheme won't solve homelessness, so why spend the money?"
Political opinion, regional daily, February 2026
"Renewable energy can't power the grid 24/7, so it's not a real solution."
Energy commentary, business publication, April 2026
Why it works
Imperfection is easy to find in anything. Perfection as the bar feels rigorous — but rules out every realistic option by design.
Counter-move
Ask: compared to what? Is the available alternative actually better?
See it flagged in real articles while you read.
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