Whataboutery Is Not Always Wrong
Yeah, but, what about whataboutism? It’s the same thing, doofus
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Very Unpopular Strong Opinions Blog by Christyl Rivers
Whataboutery Is so fetch right now
Whataboutery, or its ugly twin, whataboutism, are frequently realized to be quick and dirty distractions from the point a person is trying to make.
Examples
SJW: “Black Lives Matter.”
Reply: “What about white lives, don’t they matter?”
SJW: “Women live in rape culture.”
Reply: “What about men, they get raped… (or beaten, or harrassed, or suicide, or…)”
BTW, This is my blog. Therefore, the word whataboutery is more fun to say, so we’re going with the more out and outrageous, “whataboutery.” They are, though, the same thing, just like your doofus to my dweeb.
In many instances, then, when we mention the victimized others with pearl clutching whataboutery, it is disingenuous at best, and meant to derail at worst.
Yet, just like bees at a picnic, there are times when whataboutery is completely justified.
What about PC fake news?
You may have heard that shaming is bad. No slut-shaming, no fat-shaming, no mental health shaming, and no ideology shaming, maybe.
Nevertheless, when someone goes way out of their way to create misinformation and endanger health, I think some shaming is in order. It can come with whataboutery.
Big tobacco got away with selling far too many cigarettes back in the day when smoking was cool, sexy, and recommended by doctors. Today, fossil fuel corporations, subsidized and funded by your tax dollars, will plead in their propaganda: “What about drilling to keep you working and fed?” “What about your gas costs?” But, to what about their BIG “what about” we must respond in kind.
What about having a biosphere to be alive at all?
It is not an exaggeration to say that the costs of our climate crisis are far higher than our investment costs to intervene, adapt, prevent loss, and save lives.
