[freehunter]

>whataboutism

I have a real problem with this term, especially as it's now being used by the alt-right to shut down any conversation. It's completely fine to say "this side does this, that side does that". It's completely fine to point out that other people have flaws as well. Not every mention of the opposing viewpoint is whataboutism. Whataboutism is a diversionary tactic designed to deflect the conversation away from your flaws and onto someone else's flaws.

It's super easy to shut down whataboutism. I say "you're a bad person", they come back and say "what about these other bad people" and I say "yes, they're bad too but let's keep talking about you right now". If they say "no no that's not fair, these other guys are bad", that's whataboutism. If the conversation continues like normal, then it's just a normal conversation.

[Akujin]

You're wrong. The conversation doesn't just "move on". Derailing it from the get go with bullshit points that have nothing to do with the original discussion is detrimental in in of itself.

It's an old soviet tactic now being used by internet trolls. Those of us that know history see right through it and roll our eyes.

[freehunter]

The problem is "whataboutism" is the new Godwin's Law. It's used to stop any conversation that the other person doesn't like. It had a good run until the alt-right realized they could use it too, and use it anywhere and everywhere. And when they use it, the other person has to stop talking, for exactly the reasons you mentioned. It's a get-out-of-jail-free card for neo-nazis and internet trolls.

I was having a conversation about the lack of response from the president on the Minnesota mosque bombing the other day and mentioned that they had time to talk about the Bowling Green Massacre story that was made up out of whole cloth by the administration, and the guy I was talking to said "oh so whataboutism is your only response?" His argument was basically "if you mention anything other than the exact topic we're talking about right now, it's whataboutism and your argument is invalid". But that's not true, and it's not even a valid use of the word "whataboutism". It's been co-opted and corrupted by these fascists who realized that if we use it, the conversation stops. So they can use it to stop the conversation too.

You have to understand that with a lot of these people, the conversation will never move on. You try to shift the conversation back, and if they don't let it then you move on. But crying "whataboutism!" and expecting something magical to happen... it doesn't. It won't. It never will again. They've learned that tactic and incorporated it into their strategy and it has lost all of its power. Now whenever I see someone using the word "whataboutism" to shut down a conversation, I can't help but wonder if they themselves aren't an alt-right fascist troll.

Remember when Godwin's Law could control a conversation on the Internet? But now if you say it everyone just laughs at you. That's where "whataboutism" is very quickly heading.