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Whataboutism is when you are trying to show a double standard because person A did a thing that you were upset about and person B did the same thing and you don
by wang_li 1y ago
Whataboutism is when you are trying to show a double standard because person A did a thing that you were upset about and person B did the same thing and you don't care. Asking why you care about a person doing a thing and didn't care when a different person did something different is not whataboutism.
- PaulDavisThe1st 1y agoI agree with the GP on the definition of whataboutism, and think that you have described something with a much older term: "pointing out the hypocrisy". They both share in common that rather than continuing to talk about just one thing, you are now talking about (at least) two. But whataboutism is a diversion tactic that tries to shift the attention from behavior/event A to behavior/event B; pointing out the hypocrisy notes the similarities between behaviors/events A and B and contrasts the response. Both can be deployed in similar situations, but the motivations for choosing one over the other are substantially different.
- Chyzwar 1y agoOP did not state his motivation, leaving it for open interpretation.
- TaurenHunter 1y agoYou are responsible for your own interpretation/distortion.
- CGMthrowaway 1y agoIs a double standard good or bad?