I mentioned a huge spike of using "it is whataboutism!" as an "argument" when somebody began to ask uncomfortable questions.
What really happens when somebody asking "but what about ...?". It is a search for the pattern, attempt to find some logic in that clown world and determine the real rules of clowns actions and a measure of cognitive abilities of opponent.
When you study some system, you always looking for similarities and drawing a parallels. Analogies is one of the ways we study how things works. "So, if I rotate this thing clockwise, that parameter become larger - it is like a volume knob", "In that country, people take off hats entering building, should I do the same to be polite?" and so on. It is a basic thing of understanding, just like observation, building models and other things.
So, if you asking "OK, you stand for "your body, your choice", but what about forcing vaccines on others?" and get a "It is whataboutism!!!" - you meet with propagandist who don't want you to study out who he really is and what he is about really.
"whataboutism" is just like "antisemitism", "racism", "conspiracy theorism" and other keywords our enemy use to prevent finding out truth.
Interesting, that blaming with "whataboutism" appeared relatively recently, it could mean that older markers used for same purpose loosing it's efficiency, so they have to think out something new.
Whatever, don't fall to that shit, compare everything, search for similarities and fuck those who don't want you to know how things really works.
PS: In Russia "whataboutism!" sounds like "you don't understand, it is completely another thing!" and was heavily used by liberals and NWO shills. Now it is just a source of lulz, there even a lot of "standard" memes making fun on those who use that kind of "argument". Interesting, that in Western social media this thing appeared much later than in Russia.
I think whataboutism is being used wrong. For example if I bring up poor, and hungry people in America, and the answer is What about the poor and hungry people in Africa? Usually with a fix the poor and hungry in Africa before you worry about the poor and hungry in America.
People not liking that there are valid comparisons because they agree with one, and not the other is hypocrisy.
Really even this example is definitely not a reason for "whataboutism!" cry. Just think a little - why Africa is so poor? Is it a colonialism consequences or just Africans are not smart enough to feed themselves living on a very rich continent? Or may be there is another reason? Why there are hungry people in America at all? Is is a system or it's their own fault? What is the similarities between hungry in America and Africa? How they are differ?
Example is really a rabbit hole. :) Definitely "what about ..." is perfecly legal question.
As I understand, all that "feeding some people far far away" is mostly some fraud and money laundering or even worse.
But that does not make the question itself void.
Exactly.
It's the most classic example I could think of. Can you think of a more classic example of whataboutism?