this post was submitted on 21 Jan 2025
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[–] Lightor@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago (4 children)

To clarify, what you're doing is "what-aboutism". Asking China to be more humane is not a comment on anything but China being more humane.

[–] Schmoo@slrpnk.net 5 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

They weren't just asking China to be more humane, though. They were suggesting that China doesn't deserve our cooperation because they are inhumane, which implies we have the moral high ground and is explicitly hypocritical. It isn't whataboutism to point out hypocrisy.

[–] Lightor@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

There's a lot of assuming, implying, and suggesting in that take. The original just said if they were more humane we would work with them.

[–] Schmoo@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 hours ago

You don't at all see how that implies moral superiority? Or are you just giving them the benefit of the doubt?

The problem is holding China to a higher standard than we hold ourselves to.

Honestly China might start looking moderate compared to what I expect our new Dear Leader to do in the coming years.

[–] drosophila@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 10 hours ago

China could stand to be more humane, but it wouldn't make the US cooperate with them.

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 0 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Try to read up and understand what whataboutism means. Because you clearly didn't get the point of my comment.

[–] Lightor@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

You brought up other societies as compared them to us. It's the definition of what-aboutism, just read up on it again to make sure.