Attempt to deflect from valid criticism by claiming that your critic are themselves deflecting from criticism.
US Liberal: Conservatives want children to die because they won't ban all guns!
US Conservative: The vast majority of guns are never used to kill children, and are routinely used for self-defense to actually save lives, including those of children. Besides, you're pro-abortion, which literally murders millions of children every year.
US Liberal: Shutup! That's whataboutism!
US Conservative: The vast majority of guns are never used to kill children, and are routinely used for self-defense to actually save lives, including those of children. Besides, you're pro-abortion, which literally murders millions of children every year.
US Liberal: Shutup! That's whataboutism!
by The Bugle Abridged June 27, 2022
Get the whataboutism mug.What americans scream when you point out their obvious hypocrisy because apparently they have some special privilege to do horrible things but other don't
American: China must free Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Manchuria!! They stole the land from the native people!!
Chinese: Aren't you literally living in the land your ancestors stole from native Americans?
American: WTF!! HOW DARE YOU POINT OUT MY HYPOCRISY!! THIS IS WHATABOUTISM!!!!!!!
Chinese: Aren't you literally living in the land your ancestors stole from native Americans?
American: WTF!! HOW DARE YOU POINT OUT MY HYPOCRISY!! THIS IS WHATABOUTISM!!!!!!!
by anonymous October 12, 2022
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A term used by neoliberals that discourages people using critical thinking skills and/or dismissing them when they stay on point but bring up a valid objective and measureble fact that should be considered in debate. The neoliberal drops the term 'whataboutism" and declares victory in the debate while dismissing all the data necessary to come to a valid conclusion that examines all the evidence.
Person 1: "Put your gun down and surrender!"
Person 2: "What about that gun in your hand? We both have guns. How about if we both put our guns down?"
Person 1: "Stop your whataboutism and surrender"
Person 2: Bang, Bang, shoots person 1 dead
Person 2: "What about that gun in your hand? We both have guns. How about if we both put our guns down?"
Person 1: "Stop your whataboutism and surrender"
Person 2: Bang, Bang, shoots person 1 dead
by Mojorayjones March 2, 2023
Get the whataboutism mug.'Hold on this situation is similar to the one you behaved in a different manner about last week.'
'I'm sorry that's whataboutism'
'I'm sorry that's whataboutism'
by WafflingWatermelon November 8, 2023
Get the Whataboutism mug.A term used to dismiss valid criticism of the user's own hypocrisy.
Not to be confused with saying literally "what about-", which is a similar act of comparing someone's behavior with their own past actions.
Not to be confused with saying literally "what about-", which is a similar act of comparing someone's behavior with their own past actions.
"You're a terrible parent because you won't let your kids watch tv!"
"Didn't one of your kids die because of neglect?"
"That's whataboutism!"
"Didn't one of your kids die because of neglect?"
"That's whataboutism!"
by ColonelCluster February 14, 2024
Get the whataboutism mug.The mistake of dismissing a valid accusation of hypocrisy or inconsistency as mere Whataboutism. While true Whataboutism deflects from a topic by raising an irrelevant counter-accusation, this fallacy fallacy occurs when the counter-accusation is directly relevant to exposing double standards or bad faith in the original argument. Crying "Whataboutism!" in such cases is a cheap way to avoid addressing the substantive point about equitable principle.
Whataboutism Fallacy Fallacy Example: Nation A condemns Nation B for electoral interference. Nation B replies, "You have funded coups in ten countries this decade." If Nation A's media declares this "classic Whataboutism," they commit the Whataboutism Fallacy Fallacy. The reply is not a deflection; it's a crucial challenge to Nation A's moral authority and the consistency of the applied principle.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 4, 2026
Get the Whataboutism Fallacy Fallacy mug.It's like whataboutism, except used to disprove someone else's point by referring to the time Obama did something similar, because they are under the false impression that everyone thinks Obama is the pinnacle of justice and moral righteousness.
Retard: "You keep talking about disliking the molestation of children, but what about the time Obama molested kids, huh?!"
Lesser retard: "When did I ever show support for Obama's actions? Sounds like whataboutobamaism to me. Damn that really doesn't roll off the tongue well."
Lesser retard: "When did I ever show support for Obama's actions? Sounds like whataboutobamaism to me. Damn that really doesn't roll off the tongue well."
by ZUCC IN BOLD October 18, 2019
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