whataboutism
whataboutism
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling and Syllabification
The IPA phonetic spelling for whataboutism (US pronunciation) is /ˌwɑː.t̬əˈbaʊ.tɪ.zəm/.
Syllable Breakdown
Syllable 1: /ˌwɑː/ (The w in what, the vowel sound in father or lot in some accents)
Syllable 2: /t̬ə/ (A flap t sound, like the tt in butter, followed by the schwa sound in above)
Syllable 3: /ˈbaʊ/ (The stressed ou sound in out or b**ow)
Syllable 4: /tɪ/ (The t sound in town followed by the short i sound in ship)
Syllable 5: /zəm/ (The z sound in zoo followed by the -ism sound)
Word Form Variations
The term whataboutism is primarily used as a noun.
Singular: whataboutism (uncountable in its abstract sense, e.g., "The use of whataboutism is a common rhetorical tactic.")
Countable Noun: whataboutism (A specific instance of the tactic, e.g., "That was a classic whataboutism.")
Plural: whataboutisms (Multiple instances of the tactic, e.g., "His defense was full of whataboutisms.")
Related Noun (chiefly British): whataboutery (Synonymous with whataboutism.)
Related Noun/Adjective: whataboutist (A person who uses the tactic, or describing someone as one, e.g., "He's a blatant whataboutist.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
🗃️ Noun: Whataboutism
Definition 1 (Rhetorical Tactic): The strategic and often fallacious rhetorical device of responding to a criticism, accusation, or difficult question by deflecting attention away from the original issue and redirecting it toward the opponent's alleged wrongdoing, hypocrisy, or an unrelated problem, typically introduced with the phrase "What about..."
Synonyms: tu quoque (logical fallacy), counter-accusation, deflection, red herring, whataboutery.
Antonyms: Accountability, self-reflection, acceptance of criticism, direct answer, acknowledgement.
Definition 2 (Specific Instance): A particular statement or question that employs this tactic of deflection and counter-accusation.
Synonyms: Counter-charge, rejoinder, retort, distraction.
Antonyms: Admission, concession, refutation (of the original charge).
👤 Noun: Whataboutist
Definition: A person who habitually or deliberately employs the tactic of whataboutism as a means of political debate, defense, or avoidance of self-critique.
Synonyms: Deflector, obfuscator, hypocrite (in the context of argument), blame-shifter.
Antonyms: Principled debater, straightforward person, truth-seeker.
🎨 Adjective: Whataboutist
Definition: Characteristic of or relating to the practice of deflection through counter-accusation.
Synonyms: Deflecting, distracting, counter-accusing, tu quoque-based.
Antonyms: Candid, forthright, responsive, germane.
Examples of Use
📰 Newspapers and Online Publications
Political Commentary: "The official’s response to the report on their administration’s ethical lapse was pure whataboutism, immediately pivoting to a critique of the previous administration’s poor track record" (The Guardian, September 2024).
International Relations: "When pressed on human rights abuses, the country’s diplomats consistently resort to whataboutism, citing similar or worse offenses by their Western critics to deflect scrutiny" (The New York Times, May 2023).
Op-Ed/Analysis: "The political debate has been degraded into an exchange of increasingly aggressive whataboutisms, where no one addresses the core issue but instead searches for the opponent's comparable failings" (The Washington Post, January 2025).
📚 Books and Academic Texts
Non-fiction/Rhetoric: "Understanding the tu quoque fallacy is essential, but the modern term, whataboutism, captures the distinct political flavor of this specific kind of deflection, particularly its function as a media strategy" (from The Handbook of Modern Propaganda, 2022).
Current Events Analysis: "The chapter analyzes the Soviet-era origins of whataboutism as a propaganda tool and its subsequent resurgence in the rhetoric of post-Cold War authoritarian regimes" (from Spin and Substance: Global Politics in the Digital Age, 2021).
🎙️ Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Television News Panel: "One panelist accused the other of engaging in whataboutism, arguing, 'We're discussing the budget shortfall now, not the infrastructure bill from five years ago. Stick to the topic.'"
Social Media/Online Discourse: "You criticized my post for being insensitive, and your response was a total whataboutism—you immediately brought up a post I made last year that had nothing to do with this one."
Podcast Discussion: "The host paused to point out the rhetorical shift, noting, 'That’s the definition of a whataboutism; he answered a question about his policy failure by asking, 'Well, what about your approval ratings?'"
👥 General Public Discourse
Everyday Argument: "When I told my son he couldn't play video games until his homework was done, his immediate whataboutism was, 'But what about the time Dad stayed up late watching a game?'"
Civic Meeting: "A frustrated citizen at the town hall meeting lamented, 'We came here to discuss fixing the potholes, but the conversation devolved into nothing but angry whataboutisms about past projects and unrelated budget issues.'"
10 Famous Quotes Using Whataboutism
"Perhaps I ought to explain that whataboutism is a condition of the progressive mind which does not tolerate any criticism of Communist autocracy unless those who criticise wear sackcloth and put ashes on their heads for the sins of all non-Communist dictatorships." (Lionel Bloch, The Guardian, May 1978)
"Soviet propagandists during the cold war were trained in a tactic that their western interlocutors nicknamed ‘whataboutism’." (Edward Lucas, The Economist, January 2008)
"The best response to whataboutism has historically been to say that while, yes, other countries have their faults, injustice should not be tolerated anywhere." (Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, August 2013)
"Whataboutism appears to broaden context, to offer a counterpoint, when really it's diverting blame, muddying the waters and confusing rational listeners." (Dan Zak, The Washington Post, August 2017)
"Whataboutism flattens moral nuances into a black-and-white worldview." (Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR, 2017)
"Whataboutism is the Kremlin's useful idiots seeking to match every Soviet crime with a real or imagined western one." (The Economist, October 2007)
"You know, that question is actually weirdly enough a variety of whataboutism." (Masha Gessen, WNYC Studios, December 2018)
"That right there is whataboutism." (Ty Pinkins, Online Article, July 2025)
"These whataboutisms can go on and on without changing anyone's mind." (Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, February 2025)
"But the temptation to point fingers at Republicans and play whataboutism — instead of acknowledging what millions of voters perceive as the acquiescence of Democrats to institutional corruption — will be fatal." (Alexander Heffner, Chicago Tribune, May 2025)
Etymology
The word whataboutism is a modern term that acts as a linguistic shortcut for a very old rhetorical tactic.
In simple terms, its origin is a combination of a common English phrase and a standard suffix:
"What about..." (The opening phrase of the counter-accusation)
-ism (A suffix meaning "a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy")
🕰️ Details on First Known Use and Meaning
The concept of deflecting criticism by pointing to the critic's own faults (**"you too," or tu quoque) has been around forever, but the specific word whataboutism emerged in two distinct historical contexts:
Northern Ireland (1970s) - The Roots: The term's direct linguistic ancestor, "whataboutery," first appeared in Irish newspapers around 1974. It was used in reference to people—dubbed "The Whatabouts"—who, when asked to condemn the violence of the Provisional IRA, would respond by bringing up historical or recent atrocities committed by the "other side," such as the British Army. The response effectively was: "Yes, but what about their terrible actions?"
Soviet Union/Cold War (1978) - The Formal Term: The specific variation whataboutism was formally introduced into political commentary in 1978, often credited to a letter published in The Guardian by Lionel Bloch. Western observers and journalists used the term to describe the standard Soviet propaganda tactic: whenever the West criticized the USSR on human rights or lack of democracy, Soviet officials would immediately pivot and respond, "But what about the American civil rights abuses/unemployment/historical crimes?"
The first known meaning of "whataboutism" was:
A rhetorical practice, particularly associated with Communist autocracies, of responding to criticism by changing the subject to focus on the alleged misconduct or failings of the accuser, thereby deflecting the original charge and implying a moral equivalence.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Whataboutism
Direct Phrases Using "Whataboutism"
These phrases describe the action or the nature of the argument:
Engage in whataboutism: To use the tactic during a discussion.
Resort to whataboutism: To fall back on this tactic, suggesting it is a last, defensive effort.
A classic case of whataboutism: A textbook example of the rhetorical move.
The politics of whataboutism: Describing a widespread political culture dependent on this defense.
A spiral of whataboutism: An unending cycle of counter-accusations where no issue is resolved.
Climate whataboutism: (A specialized phrase) Deflecting responsibility for climate change by pointing to the emissions of other countries.
Idioms and Phrases Using Synonyms (Similar Effect)
These traditional phrases capture the essence of the tu quoque fallacy or the act of rhetorical deflection:
Call the kettle black: (The pot calling the kettle black) To criticize someone for a fault that you yourself have—often the essence of a whataboutism charge.
Fight fire with fire: To use an opponent's tactics against them (which can result in whataboutism).
Throw a red herring: A diversionary tactic used to distract from the central, real issue (which is the function of whataboutism).
Turn the tables: To reverse a situation so that the accuser suddenly becomes the accused.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of whataboutism from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
