Appeal To Futility or Nirvana Fallacy - Explanation

[NonZeroSum]

There may be a trend of people using the term 'appeal to futility fallacy' such that it overtakes the original term 'nirvana fallacy.'

Both refer to the informal fallacy of comparing actual things with unrealistic, idealized alternatives. So the tendency to assume that there is a perfect solution to a particular problem, thereby creating a false dichotomy.

Example:

Fallacious claim: These anti-drunk driving ad campaigns are not going to work. People are still going to drink and drive no matter what.

Rebuttal: Complete eradication of drunk driving is not the expected outcome. The goal is reduction.

---

Now I think there's also 3 seperate ways nihilists, consequentialists and deontologists could be claimed to be using the fallacy or be attributing it to others, which is worth evaluating:

Nihilist claim: I'm skeptical this action will serve in my own plus everyone's interests longterm, so there are more probable real world actions those of us with this goal should commit to.

Evaluation: Not a fallacy.

Consequentialist claim: You should disregard your own interests in favor of the global calculus and if you have a different ethical foundation you're simply appealing to futility.

Evaluation: Misuse of the fallacy.

Deontological claim: You should disregard the consequences of the action and do it simply because it's right otherwise you're appealing to futility.

Evaluation: Misuse of the fallacy.

-

(When I private browser searched appeal to futility fallacy on google no pages came up with clear explanation and even a few of this forum made the list with people talking about it mid-thread, so just thought to make one thread dedicated to it.)

[brimstoneSalad]

Interesting, I think I've heard of it before but haven't really given any thought to the "Nirvana fallacy" and it's relation to appeal to futility.