
whataboutism
/ˌwɒtəˈbaʊtɪzəm/
responding to criticism by pointing to others' faults
whataboutism in a sentence
“What about their mistakes? is classic whataboutism.”
Origin of whataboutism
English what about + -ism, popularized during the Cold War to describe Soviet propaganda technique
Related Words
appeal to tradition
arguing that something is valid because it has always been done that way
appeal to ignorance
arguing that a conclusion must be true because it has not been proven false
ad hominem
attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself
appeal to authority
using an authority figure's opinion as evidence when they lack relevant expertise
appeal to emotion
using emotional manipulation instead of logical arguments
appeal to nature
arguing something is good because it's 'natural'