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suggest people should visit this site

What is 'whataboutery'?

Just see any of the more lengthy threads on this site, for a case study.

I was always told it was a sign of ignorance to answer a question with a question. Doesn't seem to bother too many folk on here though.

Thing is, nothing happens in a vacuum, so whataboutery is usually justified, if boring.

Whataboutry, as practiced in these environs, is making a historical metaphor bear the weight of an argument which is absurd when stated in it's own terms.

Slugger threads get long enough to give your Pentium a hernia when these tortured metaphors are broken on the racks of tenuous argument.

It is also boring as hell.

Is whataboutery not necessary to expose hypocrisy ?

I see no harm, and possibly much good, in each side of an argument reminding the other of past transgressions. A good discussion should, however, contain much more, or it becomes tedious.

"Is whataboutery not necessary to expose hypocrisy ?"

I'll buy the hypocrite a drink, wash his car, send his kid to college and praise his wife's petrified pork roast to the high heavens if only you guys would GET TO THE POINT of the argument.

Whataboutrty is why the North "bores people rigid". There should be a Betty Ford center for it.

Note the North American spelling of whataboutry.

I would give you a suitable example but you would accuse me of whataboutery ;)

Is whataboutery not necessary to expose hypocrisy ?

Yes hypocrites use it often.

You sound ever so bitter there shay - been caught a few times, huh ? :)

cheers

Lately I think a lot of commentators have been suffering from a severe bout of whataboutery, and its great that Mick has raised the issue because its becoming to be daily occurance if not an hourly one.

Its all very predictable. All it takes is for a unionist sluggerite to point to some atrocity from the provisional IRA and invite the nationalist sluggerite to condemn it. Rather than condemn the nationalist throws about some atrocity committed by unionist death squads or the British Army. This then leads the unionist to locate some other unfortunate killing to throw into the escalating written poker game of whatabout this and whatabout that.

If theres one thing I've learned from these whataboutery Sluggerites, its that for every atrocity there always has to be an equal and opposite co-atrocity.