Whataboutism leads to the setting up of false dichotomies and arguments with false premises. We may start arguing, for instance, whether the Soviet gulag system or the American prison system is worse– but even in entertaining the idea we justify one over the other.
The truth is that Soviets and Americans have imprisoned people for the same economic benefits and social controls– that the gulags and prisons have been part of one continuous shared logic of State power.
So then, let’s meet “what about?” with “that too!” There is no excuse for authoritarian abuse– especially not the idea that other people are doing it too.
Leading abuser rehabilitation therapist, Lundy Bancroft, notes that his patients never consider what they do to be abuse.
When pressed on it they may point out that so-and-so in the group is much worse or they “may yell but they’d never hit” or they “may hit but only with an open palm” or they “may hit but would never kill”.
They always define abuse as anything worse than what they do and so by definition they aren’t “one of the actually bad ones”.
There is a parallel between the two processes I have described in this post which is… concerning to say the least. But that understanding that connection was my point of departure from politics of control.
Your ideas and actions need to be able to stand on their own feet, not just lean on being better than some others.
This is why I’m an anarchist.
Published
bluntfiend's backup blog 