Whataboutism is a rhetorical deflection of criticism by trying to switch the topic to a different subject...
Or at least, that is how most disingenuous people would describe it. In truth, "Whataboutism" is commonly invoked by an individual wishing to dodge any acknowledgement of hypocrisy when its pointed out by their peers or debate opponet.
Or at least, that is how most disingenuous people would describe it. In truth, "Whataboutism" is commonly invoked by an individual wishing to dodge any acknowledgement of hypocrisy when its pointed out by their peers or debate opponet.
Man 1: January 6th is absolutely the worst event to occur in US history. It dwarfs 9/11, Hiroshima and anyone who disagrees with me is a terrorist.
Man 2: If you feel this strong about January 6th, why weren't you complaining about the Blacklivesmatter riots last summer, which resulted in more death, more damage and the spread of COVID?
Man 1: Whataboutism.
Man 2: No, you're just a bad faith actor.
Man 2: If you feel this strong about January 6th, why weren't you complaining about the Blacklivesmatter riots last summer, which resulted in more death, more damage and the spread of COVID?
Man 1: Whataboutism.
Man 2: No, you're just a bad faith actor.
by Snap blackjack_tap January 29, 2022
Get the Whataboutism mug.Person 1: "Your nation did crimes!"
Person 2: "What about your nation's crimes ?!"
Person 1: "That's a whataboutism!"
Person 2: "What about your nation's crimes ?!"
Person 1: "That's a whataboutism!"
by Washington's Spoon October 4, 2022
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Whataboutism is a deflection tactic mainly employed by liberals and leftists when called out for their double standards, selective outrage, cognitive dissonance and hypocrisy. It is the favorite go to word that these people use to gaslight their critics.
Person 1. How can you call Trump a racist when Biden is on video saying even more racist things and you have never been upset or called him out for that?
Person 2. What about Biden? This is all about Trump and is nothing but Whataboutism!
Person 2. What about Biden? This is all about Trump and is nothing but Whataboutism!
by sbohandley August 19, 2022
Get the Whataboutism mug."WhatAboutIsm" is a form of Gaslighting and Arguing towards the person or party calling you out on something bad that you've done by deflecting blame and responsibility for your actions and consequences - legal, criminal, moral, ethical, etc. - onto the other party. "WhatAboutIsm" is a tactic where a person responds to an argument or attack by changing the subject to focus on someone else’s misconduct, implying that all criticism is invalid because no one is completely blameless. "WhatAboutIsm" is to say "what about you and what you did?" versus what I did.
An example is the ludicrous and crazy Legal and Public Relations strategy of President Trump's Republican lawyers at Trump's 2nd impeachment trial to deflect, to confuse and to distract the American public and Republican Senators from President Trump's crime of inciting insurrection and violence by a mob of his MAGA followers to attack the US Capitol, the police and Congress on January 6, 2021 to block the vote formalizing the Presidential victory of the winner. Joe Biden. This attack left 7 people dead including many police officers who fought the rioters.
An example is the ludicrous and crazy Legal and Public Relations strategy of President Trump's Republican lawyers at Trump's 2nd impeachment trial to deflect, to confuse and to distract the American public and Republican Senators from President Trump's crime of inciting insurrection and violence by a mob of his MAGA followers to attack the US Capitol, the police and Congress on January 6, 2021 to block the vote formalizing the Presidential victory of the winner. Joe Biden. This attack left 7 people dead including many police officers who fought the rioters.
"Excusing your mistakes with WhatAboutIsm is not the same as defending your record." (quoted from Dictionary.com:
"Donald Trump’s second impeachment defense, having few promising options, has focused on the theme of whataboutism: Democrats have frequently used the word “fight” in their speeches...The purpose of these false comparisons is too obscure the main activities that are the heart of Trump’s crimes: First, he spent years cultivating violent extremist supporters. And then he mobilized them behind a campaign designed to overturn the result of an election. Neither of these remotely apply to the Democratic Party. Indeed, neither applied to other Republicans, at least not until Trump came along..." (quoted from New York Magazine " Trump’s Defense: What About Democratic Violence? (Answer: There Wasn’t Any.)" by Jonathan Chait on Feb. 12, 2021
"Donald Trump’s second impeachment defense, having few promising options, has focused on the theme of whataboutism: Democrats have frequently used the word “fight” in their speeches...The purpose of these false comparisons is too obscure the main activities that are the heart of Trump’s crimes: First, he spent years cultivating violent extremist supporters. And then he mobilized them behind a campaign designed to overturn the result of an election. Neither of these remotely apply to the Democratic Party. Indeed, neither applied to other Republicans, at least not until Trump came along..." (quoted from New York Magazine " Trump’s Defense: What About Democratic Violence? (Answer: There Wasn’t Any.)" by Jonathan Chait on Feb. 12, 2021
by EmpressSquad February 13, 2021
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The primary source of nutrition for those native of South Texas, i.e.: Corpus Christi, Texas.
The primary source of nutrition for those native of South Texas, i.e.: Corpus Christi, Texas.
by Joe May 30, 2004
Get the Whataburger mug.Using an unusually stupid example of wrongdoing to try and excuse other wrongdoing. When in reality it just makes both examples wrong.
"It's okay for China to collect our metadata because the US did the same thing and used it to hunt terrorists in Yemen"
"Dude, that is the stupidest whataboutism I have ever heard. If you think it's wrong against terrorists then why the hell do you think it's okay to do the same against anyone else? If one is wrong then they're both wrong, dumbass."
"Dude, that is the stupidest whataboutism I have ever heard. If you think it's wrong against terrorists then why the hell do you think it's okay to do the same against anyone else? If one is wrong then they're both wrong, dumbass."
by Davezilla July 6, 2019
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