Current Events > Why is 'Both sides have issues' no longer a valid political opinion?

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Why is 'Both sides have issues' no longer a valid political opinion?

Because 80% of the time it isn't an argument, it's a distraction.

Part of it is because of concern trolls who pretend to be liberals and only go around criticizing the Democrats. The other part is just fanboys/girls can't take any criticism towards their party.

Because my side is always right and youre a nazi

YourDrunkFather posted...

Because my side is always right and youre a nazi

Which party does that?

Specifically, its a fallacy called false equivalence - both sides do have issues, but those issues are not equally bad and do not deserve equal criticism.

It never was a valid political opinion.

When one side tried an insurrection and have not been punished and have been doing their utmost to destroy democracy, both sides doesnt cut it.

Because typically this is said when one side is blatantly in the wrong to try to minimize what they are doing

Like if you saw a man get stabbed would you phone the police and tell them that a man was just stabbed but the guy who got stabbed got blood on the stabbers knife so both are equally as bad

Because crazies on the left will bend over backwards to pretend things aren't true even if they are blatantly true.

PatrickMahomes posted...

Why is 'Both sides have issues' no longer a valid political opinion?

Because its usually used to shut down discussion while propping up the speaker as the arbiter of wisdom.

See also: some of the most smug South Park episodes.

Ruvan22 posted...

Which party does that?

republicans, but the term they use is 'socialist', not 'national socialist'

It implies that both sides are equally valid options and you're simply negotiating trade-offs like they were vehicles that cost more but went faster or cost less but went slower.

In reality one is a vehicle that costs more and goes slower and the other is a vehicle that is on fire. While both sides "have issues" that is only a technicality. You don't have a real option. Getting into the burning vehicle is suicide.

DrizztLink posted...

Because 80% of the time it isn't an argument, it's a distraction.

More like a deflection, like saying "All Lives Matter"

Well yeah, I suppose that's true, but it's also meaningless and meant to invalidate the struggles of black people

It has been strawmanned to both sides are equally bad

When did it stop being a valid opinion? Plenty of people still have the opinion on numerous subjects.

People online only say it's invalid because they hate when people don't choose a side.

yusiko posted...

Because typically this is said when one side is blatantly in the wrong to try to minimize what they are doing

Yup. It's a technically true thing, but it's never used for the sake of being technically true, and also if it was, it would be a useless statement, because of course any given side is gonna have issues. The sky is blue, in other news.

It's just a non statement.

HylianFox posted...

More like a deflection, like saying "All Lives Matter"

Well yeah, I suppose that's true, but it's also meaningless and meant to invalidate the struggles of black people

I was actually debating between the two words.

Damn_Underscore posted...

It has been strawmanned to both sides are equally bad

Ultimately, it's this.

Both sides DO have issues. I feel like this is one of those things that should be judged within the context of where and why it's said.

You have to pick a side. If youre not with us then youre against us. And dont you dare criticize your own side.

Jabodie posted...

It's just a non statement.

Is it?

It seems to imply that you shouldnt choose a side or be too attached to one side or faction in politics.

iPhone_7 posted...

You have to pick a side. If youre not with us then youre against us. And dont you dare criticize your own side.

Also republicans: "the left is eating itself, why can't they get along??"

Because each side is absolutely convinced that the other side is the real problem, and that their own side objectively has the moral high ground.

This topic has several examples of this phenomenon already, in fact.

because one side stormed the capital building looking to murder the politicians they dont like? and their party now acts like it never happened...

I am pretty liberals, but I have seen far left nuts calling other liberals Far right or Donald Trump supporters.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

I'm not sure how "The Princess Bride is a bad movie" gives me and people who think like me power.

Guide posted...

Also republicans: "the left is eating itself, why can't they get along??"

Unfortunately they are not 100% wrong, I have seen way too many leftists being labeled as far rights for not having a 100% liberal views.

DrizztLink posted...

I'm not sure how "The Princess Bride is a bad movie" gives me and people who think like me power.

Well to explain it more accurately it gives you a mutant super power like the X-Men which is the ability to like things inversely proportional to how good they are.

epik_fail1 posted...

I am pretty liberals

How many pretty liberals are you?

Gobstoppers12 posted...

Because each side is absolutely convinced that the other side is the real problem, and that their own side objectively has the moral high ground.

This topic has several examples of this phenomenon already, in fact.

I mean yeah, for all the technical problems, I will always argue that the side that doesn't elect open racists, or push conspiracy for votes, or try to overturn Roe vs Wade, is morally superior.

CyricZ posted...

How many pretty liberals are you?

69

Guide posted...

I mean yeah, for all the technical problems, I will always argue that the side that doesn't elect open racists, or push conspiracy for votes, or try to overturn Roe vs Wade, is morally superior.

Liberals openly support racism against white people and men hating. The only thing I agree with liberals is that genitalia preference is transphobic.

Another side effect of this invalid political opinion is that for every horrible thing that "a side" does, operating under the "both sides" philosophy leads to a person presuming non-existant horrible things that "the other side" must have likely done.

Bad actors (absolutely none of which are in this topic) will use that against you.

Guide posted...

I mean yeah, for all the technical problems, I will always argue that the side that doesn't elect open racists, or push conspiracy for votes, or try to overturn Roe vs Wade, is morally superior.

Yet, as you say this with such resolve...the other side would say with equal conviction that their opponents are in favor of terminating the lives of unborn children, stealing money via excessive taxation, encouraging racism against white people, and letting criminals out onto the streets under the pretense of 'bail reform'

You might disagree with those statements, as is your right, but they would disagree with yours, too.

House cleaning should be the responsibility of every ethical person. We should distance ourselves from shitbags instead of protecting people for "the greater good."

That's the main problem with the Republican party. I'd say 40% of them are truly racist. (Don't get me wrong, that's far from an acceptable percentage. I'm just saying it's not 100%.) But the other 60% is willing to side with the scum of the Earth to achieve victory. Meanwhile, many on the left have a "Shh, shh. Don't mention when our side does wrong" approach.

Politics are essentially an extension of tribalism.

Yes, if there is a "good side" and a "bad side," the Republicans are the villains. We don't live in a vacuum and we don't live in Star Wars. Biden's a shitty president. He's just better than Trump. Your average Republican is less educated than your average Democrat. I don't know that I would say that Democrats have as much of a moral high ground as many of them would like to believe. Giving credit where it's due, the left have collectively distanced themselves from the likes of Cuomo and other dirtballs. And that's a lot more than can be said for the majority of people on the right.

Because whenever someone says that, they can never explain what they are the same thing about and how how they are the same.

I know assuming makes an ass of you and me but whenever I hear something to similar to that I assume the person has the political knowledge of a grapefruit and can't actually list the issues they have with "both sides" I at least have a semi respect for the dumbs dumbs who don't even pretend they know anything about politics.

Because the both sides shit is usually used by disingenuous right wing c**** as a means of attacking democrats, never republicans

It's the go-to bad faith argument

It's not an opinion, though. It's absolutely meaningless. Of course both parties have issues, saying that doesn't advance any sort of point or idea. People only say it to try to stifle discussion.

Guide posted...

I mean yeah, for all the technical problems, I will always argue that the side that doesn't elect open racists, or push conspiracy for votes, or try to overturn Roe vs Wade, is morally superior.

Gobstoppers12 posted...

Yet, as you say this with such resolve...the other side would say with equal conviction that their opponents are in favor of terminating the lives of unborn children, stealing money via excessive taxation, encouraging racism against white people, and letting criminals out onto the streets under the pretense of 'bail reform'

You might disagree with those statements, as is your right, but they would disagree with yours, too.

Generally speaking, if the right has to pass off blatant lies, then that's probably not a good thing.

Heineken14 posted...

blatant lies

At worst, it's an exaggeration of the truth, but none of those things are lies.

Believe me, people in the middle are aware they're hated by both sides. They just refuse to be forced into agreement.

Heineken14 posted...

Generally speaking, if the right has to pass off blatant lies, then that's probably not a good thing.

Yeah, the main difference between those two opinions is that what Guide posted is actually true lol
I guess the unborn children thing is an accurate description of moral differences between the sides but the rest is just bullshit.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

This is the best oxymoron I've seen in ages.

Gobstoppers12 posted...

At worst, it's an exaggeration of the truth, but none of those things are lies.

Oh c'mon. You know you want to use "alternate facts".