How is this not whataboutism? Like, we're on a left-wing site, we all agree the US is worse—a lot worse—than China. I can totally understand defending China on reddit or elsewhere, but it seems like this is the exact sort of place we should be criticizing our own, not preaching to the choir about how bad the US is.
Thanks for actually responding to me, I appreciate it. I love Citations Needed, but I haven't listened to this episode. I'll give it a listen tomorrow.
Not sure if you've listened to that pod or not, but there's a good quote (from either that one or another one on imperial propaganda):
"Successful propaganda does not rely on outright fabrications, but emphasis"
The whole whataboutism deflection is meant to maintain the skewed emphasis presented by the western media. To shut down any actual material analysis that might include a look behind Oz's media curtain.
I do not bring this up with the intention of committing the unforgivable sin of “whataboutism”, but to point out that the governments, politicians, pundits and reporters who are rending their garments about human rights violations in Xinjiang do not actually care about human rights. If they did they would be putting more effort into attacking the depravity of their own government’s escalating “war on terror” than they are into unsubstantiated and far less egregious allegations against a nation that their government has targeted for balkanization.
Sure, but "putting more effort into attacking the depravity of their own government’s escalating “war on terror” than they are into unsubstantiated and far less egregious allegations against a nation that their government has targeted for balkanization" is precisely what we do around here. This article is fantastic, it just doesn't seem like a very useful critique to be presenting to the Chapo audience, except to argue for something we all already agree with.
How is this not whataboutism? Like, we're on a left-wing site, we all agree the US is worse—a lot worse—than China. I can totally understand defending China on reddit or elsewhere, but it seems like this is the exact sort of place we should be criticizing our own, not preaching to the choir about how bad the US is.
deleted by creator
Thanks for actually responding to me, I appreciate it. I love Citations Needed, but I haven't listened to this episode. I'll give it a listen tomorrow.
deleted by creator
Not sure if you've listened to that pod or not, but there's a good quote (from either that one or another one on imperial propaganda):
"Successful propaganda does not rely on outright fabrications, but emphasis"
The whole whataboutism deflection is meant to maintain the skewed emphasis presented by the western media. To shut down any actual material analysis that might include a look behind Oz's media curtain.
She even addresses that in the article:
Sure, but "putting more effort into attacking the depravity of their own government’s escalating “war on terror” than they are into unsubstantiated and far less egregious allegations against a nation that their government has targeted for balkanization" is precisely what we do around here. This article is fantastic, it just doesn't seem like a very useful critique to be presenting to the Chapo audience, except to argue for something we all already agree with.
Sometimes it’s nice to read something that reminds you that you aren’t insane, or wrong, or a complete outcast.
Also, maybe there’ll be someone here who does need to read it. Or maybe they can share it with someone else.
Reading any effort to diminish ethnic cleansing makes me feel like an outcast, sorry.