>

If it was taught in schools then people won't use them.
Otherwise we end up becoming dumber and dumber.
Could have made this just "People are generally gullible and illogical, and smart people know that." >

You said it better than I was gonna >

Yes they do and it is really really bad that folks are swayed by them.
Education... fallacies should be introduced in grade school and by high school the ability to identify them should be automatic. >

Fallacies are just that because they don't make sense. I don't think public policy should be based on things that don't make sense.  
Yes, appealing to emotion is powerful, but it's not necessarily good. >

Yeah I never said it was good, but that it's very persuasive. If you know how to exploit human emotions, you can persuade anybody. >

This has less to do with the fallacy itself, and more to do with the fact that most people will believe what they want to believe, and will take any excuse to do so. With no other means to defend their standpoint, people will resort to flat-out denying the truth without a shred of evidence to back it up. No fallacy needed; just complete, willfull ignorance of reality.
Logical fallacies aren't "powerful"; people are just idiots. >

This only works because people are stupid and think with their emotions instead of their logic. 
Also, TIL I learned that some redditors think politicians are smarter than average people. >

I mean the fact that they are successful proves that there are enough stupid people to make it work. >

True.
As much as I hate to admit it, I see this all the time in my own country. >

Critical thinking isn't taught enough in schools.
Because you are right, and the fact that you are is a massive problem. >

Oh,  it is taught, but people just ignore it and bury it away. 
Reminds me when I wrote a persuasive speech on why logical fallacies are powerful persuasion tools. I failed that one but my friends thought it was brilliant lmao.