whataboutery

whataboutery

A style of rhetoric that attempts to deflect criticism or a line of questioning (rather than responding directly or addressing the issue itself) by shifting the focus to alleged inconsistences in the position of one's opponent, or alleged wrongs committed by one's opponent or other entities. It was initially associated with propaganda used by the Soviet Union. The term gets its name from the common execution of such a strategy, when one facing criticism asks, "What about (something else)?" More commonly called "whataboutism." The whataboutery on display is blatant, but somehow effective. When he brings up unrelated atrocities, people seem to lose focus immediately. A: "Oh yeah? Well, what about the fact that you left the door unlocked last night?" B: "Don't give me that whataboutery—that has nothing to do with you forgetting to take the trash out."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • whataboutism
  • at (one's) doorstep
  • at doorstep
  • at expense
  • at somebody's expense
  • at someone's expense
  • at (one's) expense
  • (one's) bearings
  • be remembered as (something)
  • be remembered as/for something
References in periodicals archive
When it comes to the Welsh Government's stated aim to follow Sweden, and become a proudly feminist Government, there are some more serious examples of "whataboutery" to overcome.
No more whataboutery - it's time to make Wales a truly feminist nation; To get people interested in Wales, we need a story of ourselves that we are proud to tell others - - and that starts with being proud to call ourselves a feminist nation, argues Matt Greenough Ta o
Fans who are accused of being close to the knuckle - and it happens - will respond with indignant "whataboutery" and say that Boro fans chanted this about Jimmy Savile, or Boro chanted that about Adam Johnson.
Banter yes, but there's no place in sport for the vile abusive chants we still hear
The fact closing were When he did eventually get the book out, for a late one by Morelos on Dedryck Boyata, he was met with the inevitable deluge of whataboutery for everything he had ignored previously.
UNTOUCHABLES; RANGERS 0 CELTIC 2 Rogic 50 Griffiths 65; Pedro left helpless as Rodgers' men swat away Gers challenge with ease to open gap to eight
He said last week: "I do not accept this whataboutery tat the moment, 'don't bother investigating one crime until you have pursued a worse crime'.
Welfare cheats ads slammed as 'hate campaign' Anger over Varadkar's benefits crackdown plan
This is far from a cynical exercise in pro-Israeli whataboutery. There are very good reasons that Israel attracts such widespread criticism and condemnation in the west.
Not All Palestinian Deaths Are Equal
This can lead, as it does in a local TV program, "Talkback," to what Cairns calls "whataboutery" -- each side countering the other's charges with "but what about ...?"
Forgiveness as peace process
Yes, the Gers fans who jumped on the disabled section roof acted like idiots but there's no need for whataboutery because there are rockets in every support.
WHO WINS cares; CROWD CHAOS GROUNDS FOR CONCERN CHAOS 11 people died at a Daltrey and Townshend rock gig in the US but you didn't hear Rolling Stones fans blaming The Who... so let's cut out the whataboutery and make sure our punters are safe at games... that's the only thing that matters
The said whataboutery also shrinks our world (and worldviews) even further, denying us our basic right to empathy.
#NotreDame moved us to act, let's also save other structures
Regardless of whether terrorist attacks are perpetrated by white or Islamist extremists, their narratives must not be enabled through whataboutery.
NZ mosque attacks
It's virtually the only thing keeping tin-foil hat makers and our finest purveyors of whataboutery i n business.
NUTS AND JOLTS; KILMARNOCK 0 RANGERS 0; All this stuff about 'never change' and 'if you take away Alfredo'saggression, you lose a part of him as a player' is total garbage. You're not asking him to cut off his right leg. You're asking him to learn control
And what a joy to be alive as Corbynistas reached hitherto undiscovered levels of whataboutery and ignored the evidence of their eyes to hold onto the greater truth that Saint Jeremy could never say or do anything wrong ever.
Read my lips - a Christmas break is just what MPs need!
Sharif's opponents are quick to argue that whataboutery of this kind, saying that no one can be held accountable until everyone is, is a poor argument to make in the former Prime Minister's defence since it hardly absolves him of his guilt, suggesting instead that investigation and judgment be deferred until such time that the institutions tasked with discharging these functions are able to do so in a more comprehensive, wide-ranging, and perhaps even unrealistic manner.
On Nawaz Sharif's conviction
When he did eventually get the fact closing were the book out, for a late one by Morelos on Dedryck Boyata, he was met with the inevitable deluge of whataboutery for everything he had ignored previously.
UNTOUCHABLES
Mention sectarianism and you open yourself up to another of the game's long-standing blights, whataboutery.
scottish football myths debunked; 'There isn't anything like Scottish football'
"She deserved it" becomes easier than to have a hard look within and on societal attitudes in which trivialisation of violence on women is an everyday occurrence, and whataboutery after every violent crime by a man is manifested in all its ugly cringe-worthy blatancy.
When will the violence against Hajra, Sonia, Azma stop in Pakistan?