[Peace-discuss] Word of the Day: Whataboutism

[Szoke, Ron]

Word of the Day:  Whataboutism
Definition of whataboutism in English:
whataboutism
NOUN  mass noun
British
The technique or practice of responding to an accusation or difficult question by making a counter-accusation or raising a different issue.
‘the parliamentary hearing appeared to be an exercise in whataboutism’
Also called whataboutery<https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/whataboutery>
Origin
1990s: from the way in which counter-accusations may take the form of questions introduced by ‘What about —?’.
Pronunciation   whataboutism/ˌwɒtəˈbaʊtɪz(ə)m/
— Oxford Living Dictonary

Polemical tactic prominent in Soviet propaganda.  Also heavily used by Bibi Netanyahu in response to criticisms of Israeli brutality & killing.

<< This is what they call “whataboutism<http://www.npr.org/2017/03/17/520435073/trump-embraces-one-of-russias-favorite-propaganda-tactics-whataboutism>,” a logical fallacy and a method of propaganda ironically developed by Soviet Russia to undercut an opponent by alluding to a hypocrisy without actually addressing the crux of the initial argument. >>
— Jason Nawara, Uproxx  11/11/17







Trump Embraces One Of Russia's Favorite Propaganda Tactics — Whataboutism<http://click.et.npr.org/?qs=9e736b9c26d03fce27485dc5072b278249fa7b9c4c5783a93eade28709b6af9bd9c7510054ad48596ba81cb2679af812fcfa654177740e632a0ce64bbcdd657b>
What's the easiest way to swing back at critics? For Trump (as well as Putin), it's to cry "hypocrite."
Read this story<http://click.et.npr.org/?qs=9e736b9c26d03fce27485dc5072b278249fa7b9c4c5783a93eade28709b6af9bd9c7510054ad48596ba81cb2679af812fcfa654177740e632a0ce64bbcdd657b>


Note: another fallacy is to hold or assume that a form of argument is tainted by its previous use by unsavory characters (such as Soviet propagandists).  It is fallacious or sophistical — or not — independently of your opinion of those who have most frequently  advanced it.

~~ Ron








-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/attachments/20171111/573a1c1a/attachment.html>