Camera person: Abhishek Ranjan
Video editor: Rahul Sanpui
What is “whataboutery”?
A practise that you and I indulge in when we run out of arguments to make, and a practise that you and I have been indulging in a lot off late.
Sample this:
Person 1: “I feel bad about the way Rohingya Muslims are forced to seek refuge in other countries and often looked at with so much suspicion.”
Person 2: “Excuse me, you anti-national! Why are you not talking about Kashmiri Pandits, as well? What about them, huh!”
Still don’t get it?
Okay, here’s another example:
Person 1: “I wish PM Modi spoke sooner against the Kathua and Unnao rapes, and in stronger, clearer and more impactful words.”
Person 2: “How dare you? What about the fact that Dr Manmohan Singh spoke so less generally in life?”
If the concept is still not clear enough for you, watch The Quint’s video on whataboutery for dummies. And the next time you have a problem with someone criticising the prevalent state of affairs, maybe check your desire to say 'what about.’
If someone is sympathising with the Rohingya Muslims, don't yell at them for not saying something about the Kashmiri Pandits in the same breath. If somebody has a problem with journalists being lynched across the country, maybe check your desire to admonish them for not talking about RSS karyakartas being attacked as well.
If somebody wants the present prime minister of the country to speak up sooner and take a more assertive, more clear, more impactful stance against the Kathua and Unnao rapes, do not remind them how quiet the previous PM generally was. There is a reason you voted this guy into power, right?
By indulging in whataboutery, you're not expanding the other person's scope for sympathy, you're only showing how limited your own is.
Actors:
Deeksha Sharma
Srishti Tyagi
Eeshwar Gole
Nidhi Mahajan
James
Mekhala Saran
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)