Whatsboutism isn’t a thing. If you have glaring double standards, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be accountable.

Refusing to let others channel your thoughts on an issue to what they want without testing it is should be encouraged, not vilified.

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BlueVeins · 22-25

"The Soviets were developing biological weapons during the Cold War! The Soviet Union was terrible!"

Whataboutism: "What about the biological weapons the US was developing?"

Pointing out double standards: "I agree, it was bad that the USSR developed bio-weapons. It's also worth noting that the US was developing bio-weapons too though. Do you also acknowledge that the US's bio-weapons program was terrible?"

Sometimes they can seem similar, but there is a legitimate difference.

BohemianBabe · M

@BlueVeins Exactly. Whataboutism is not about pointing out hypocrisy. It's about bringing up something else as a form of deflection. It's about defending one thing by saying, well this other thing is bad.

Castenmas · M

SWers really don’t like it when you have your own opinion.

Ceinwyn · 26-30, F

@Castenmas Apparently so

DunningKruger · 61-69, M

Whataboutism isn't about double standards. Its purpose is to deflect attention away from something the speaker doesn't want to discuss or be discussed.

Ceinwyn · 26-30, F

@DunningKruger It that case I’ve been accused of it by someone who doesn’t know what it means.

DunningKruger · 61-69, M

@Ceinwyn Whataboutism is pretty much always disingenuous, as well — the people who use it rarely if ever are making good-faith arguments.

HeidiA · 41-45, F

Agreed. People shouldn’t expect their bullshit to go unchallenged

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