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    Logical fallacies - Whataboutism

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    • B
      bearbearbear last edited by

      A logical fallacy is a flaw in the structure of an argument that renders it invalid.  Logical fallacies are easy to point out, but sometimes they are so obvious that it's not worth the trouble to respond to such distractions at all.

      Whataboutism is a logical fallacy that has been discussed in the media recently.  The term arose to describe propaganda tactics used by the Soviet Union but currently are most frequently used by right-wing, regressive authoritarians.

      Whataboutism, also known as whataboutery, is a variant of the tu quoque logical fallacy that attempts to discredit an opponent's position by charging them with hypocrisy without directly refuting or disproving their argument.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

      For instance, a racist might respond to a discussion about a specific example of racism by white people directed against black people by pointing out an example of racism by black people directed against white people.

      Another way to think of whataboutism is as an attempt to avoid the actual discussion by creating a distraction.

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      • E
        eobox91103 last edited by

        This is similar to what magicians have done for years–get people to "look over there."  The film Wag the Dog (1997) shows a good example of this–a US president fabricates a war to cover up a sex scandal.

        And slightly off-topic, I love the Lenin poster.  I'm no communist, but I worked in Russia for a while in the 1990's and developed an appreciation for Socialist-Realist art.

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        • B
          bearbearbear last edited by

          @eobox91103:

          This is similar to what magicians have done for years–get people to "look over there."  The film Wag the Dog (1997) shows a good example of this–a US president fabricates a war to cover up a sex scandal.

          And slightly off-topic, I love the Lenin poster.  I'm no communist, but I worked in Russia for a while in the 1990's and developed an appreciation for Socialist-Realist art.

          I do appreciate the earnest kitschiness of Socialist Realism but prefer earlier Soviet styles such as Constructivism.

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          • raphjd
            raphjd Forum Administrator last edited by

            The "whataboutism logical fallacy" crowd uses it to shut down people who show the hypocrisy of the other side.

            Once a Dem becomes President, the WLF crowd will turn into the people they claim to hate.  They will become the "what about Trump" people to justify what their guy is doing.

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            • T
              thc74 last edited by

              @raphjd:

              The "whataboutism logical fallacy" crowd uses it to shut down people who show the hypocrisy of the other side.

              Once a Dem becomes Presdent, the WLF crowd will tuurn into the people they claim to hate.  The will become the "what abouut Trump" people to justify what their guy is doing.

              Nobody can justify what Trump has done since taking office, except Trump himself.

              Just when you think he cannot get any dumber, more self-serving, more racist or more vile, he all-too-easily proves he can.

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              • ManHandler
                ManHandler last edited by

                Are you fucking kidding? You're talking about "right wing" and using a picture of Lenin? LOL Ever heard of Bernie Sanders?

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                • B
                  bearbearbear last edited by

                  @ManHandler:

                  Are you fucking kidding? You're talking about "right wing" and using a picture of Lenin?

                  Why bother to comment on a post if you aren't going to bother to actually read what you're responding to?  😕

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                  • ManHandler
                    ManHandler last edited by

                    @bearbearbear:

                    @ManHandler:

                    Are you fucking kidding? You're talking about "right wing" and using a picture of Lenin?

                    Why bother to comment on a post if you aren't going to bother to actually read what you're responding to?  😕

                    I read what you said… Sounds like you're saying that anyone who makes an analogy that points out hypocrisy is racist. Which is ridiculous. You're like the Borg. The collective sheep herd mentality. It sounds... like you're a communist. Cuz commies love collective mentality. They like everyone in neat orderly little groups with labels.

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                    • raphjd
                      raphjd Forum Administrator last edited by

                      Lets not forget that the current anti "whataboutism" crowd are the same people that were guilty of being hypocrites when Obama was President.

                      They will be the same hypocrites when the next Dem becomes President.

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                      • E
                        eobox91103 last edited by

                        Whataboutism occurs across the political spectrum.  As a famous rabbi once said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

                        The original post did not take a political position one way or another about this phenomenon.  It is interesting, though, how it got such a strong response from one end of the spectrum.  To quote an old Polish (I think) proverb, "If you throw a stone at a pack of dogs, the one that yelps is the one that you hit."

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                        • B
                          bearbearbear last edited by

                          @ManHandler:

                          I read what you said… Sounds like you're saying that anyone who makes an analogy that points out hypocrisy is racist. Which is ridiculous. You're like the Borg. The collective sheep herd mentality. It sounds... like you're a communist. Cuz commies love collective mentality. They like everyone in neat orderly little groups with labels.

                          You're supposed to put the sanitizing gel on your hands, not drink it.  :blownose:

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                          • E
                            eobox91103 last edited by

                            @bearbearbear:

                            You're supposed to put the sanitizing gel on your hands, not drink it.   :blownose:

                            Damn!  That must be what I'm doing wrong.  Should I also pull the flashlight out of my ass?

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                            • B
                              bearbearbear last edited by

                              @eobox91103:

                              Should I also pull the flashlight out of my ass?

                              No, better leave it in there.  You might need it to escape from the FEMA camp after they take your guns and force you to wear a mask by supergluing it to your face while you pray to Obama.

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                              • raphjd
                                raphjd Forum Administrator last edited by

                                @eobox91103:

                                Whataboutism occurs across the political spectrum.  As a famous rabbi once said, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

                                The original post did not take a political position one way or another about this phenomenon.  It is interesting, though, how it got such a strong response from one end of the spectrum.  To quote an old Polish (I think) proverb, "If you throw a stone at a pack of dogs, the one that yelps is the one that you hit."

                                Clearly you haven't seen the rest of his clearly biased posts in this thread, as well as other threads.

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                                • E
                                  eobox91103 last edited by

                                  @raphjd:

                                  Clearly you haven't seen the rest of his clearly biased posts in this thread, as well as other threads.

                                  That's absolutely correct.  I prefer to address each topic/thread individually.  I wonder if pointing to his other posts is a look-over-there whataboutist suggestion?  🙂

                                  And as for bias, everybody has one…especially people who insist that they don't.

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                                  • B
                                    bearbearbear last edited by

                                    A blind cat chases its tail.

                                    Does the cat chase its tail because it is blind?

                                    Is the cat blind because it chases its tail?

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                                    • E
                                      eobox91103 last edited by

                                      @bearbearbear:

                                      A blind cat chases its tail.

                                      Does the cat chase its tail because it is blind?

                                      Is the cat blind because it chases its tail?

                                      I think these questions are beyond me, but one notes that the cat is chasing something else, rather than that something else chasing the cat.  The latter could be interpreted as "chasing pussy," which does not find much favour on this site.

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                                      • raphjd
                                        raphjd Forum Administrator last edited by

                                        @eobox91103:

                                        @raphjd:

                                        Clearly you haven't seen the rest of his clearly biased posts in this thread, as well as other threads.

                                        That's absolutely correct.  I prefer to address each topic/thread individually.  I wonder if pointing to his other posts is a look-over-there whataboutist suggestion?  🙂

                                        And as for bias, everybody has one…especially people who insist that they don't.

                                        Of course, everyone has a bias.

                                        Let me guess, when your hetero friend says he is getting married, you ask if he is marrying a dude or chick.

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                                        • B
                                          bearbearbear last edited by

                                          @bearbearbear:

                                          A logical fallacy is a flaw in the structure of an argument that renders it invalid.  Logical fallacies are easy to point out, but sometimes they are so obvious that it's not worth the trouble to respond to such distractions at all.

                                          Whataboutism is a logical fallacy that has been discussed in the media recently.  The term arose to describe propaganda tactics used by the Soviet Union but currently are most frequently used by right-wing, regressive authoritarians.

                                          Whataboutism, also known as whataboutery, is a variant of the tu quoque logical fallacy that attempts to discredit an opponent's position by charging them with hypocrisy without directly refuting or disproving their argument.

                                          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

                                          For instance, a racist might respond to a discussion about a specific example of racism by white people directed against black people by pointing out an example of racism by black people directed against white people.

                                          Another way to think of whataboutism is as an attempt to avoid the actual discussion by creating a distraction.

                                          It's important to be aware of the constant refusal of right-wingers whose tiny brains are pickled in the hate and illogic thinking oozing from Alex Jones, Rush Limbaugh, Donald Trump, and others to focus on issues being discussed in favor of introducing irrelevant distractions.

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                                          • raphjd
                                            raphjd Forum Administrator last edited by

                                            Ah so when you want to cry about something no one is allowed to mention that it happens to others as well.

                                            Joy Reid cries about racism so we can't point out her homophobia and her lies surrounding her being a hate filled person.  In other words we can't point out the hypocrisy of a bigoted lying cunt.

                                            When people whine about George Floyd, who died of a drug overdose, had a knee on his neck, we can't talk about the others, including whites who actually died from having a knee on their necks by the police.

                                            I guess this is how you people kept anyone from hearing about Emanuel Samson.   You kept screeching about Dylan Roof and claiming we can't talk about anyone else who did a murderous racist attack on a church.  They both did the exact same thing, except the races were reversed but boo fucking hoo, Dylan Roof is an evil white supremacist.  Oh, and they both survived, but we won't see that on a liberal meme.

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