This logic fallacy is a type of Ad Hominem Fallacy in which the other person avoids the question by shifting the blame onto you. Have you ever tried to help someone, only for them to turn it back on you? Usually, it stems from a guilty mind attempting to rationalise actions for which they lack a strong defence. This fallacy also occurs when someone claims that two wrongs make a right. Revenge is not logically justified. If someone hurts you, you do not have the logical right to hurt them back. What that first person did was wrong, but so is what you are planning to do back to them.
The Bluedorns (p. 53) use the example of one friend telling another that smoking cigarettes is bad for you and will cause you serious illnesses. The other person replies that they have no right to judge because they also smoke! The second friend fails to provide any counterarguments to the assertion that smoking poses health risks. They just throw blame back onto the first person. The first friend may be suffering from lung cancer or similar problems, and they just want to warn their friend. The fact that they smoke as well does not necessarily negate the assertion that cigarettes are harmful.
Common names for this type of fallacy are: "Appeal to Hypocrisy", "You Too", "Tu Quoque", "Two Wrongs Make a Right".
Examples:
Secular Example:
A teacher stops a lunchtime fight and asks one student why it was right for him to be punching the other student in the face. The student replies, "But he spilt paint all over his painting first". The justification does not address whether the first incident was an accident or not. Nor does it address whether it was right to assault someone.
Me: If you keep on taking drugs and drinking to excess you will kill yourself. My Son: You can talk, old man. Keep eating like that and sitting in that chair, and you will have a heart attack before anything happens to me!
Kingdom Example:
I've heard this argument several times from people who can actually speak knowledgeably and speak for their people:
Palestinian: "We have every right to attack Israel. They took our land first. They make us feel unwelcome in our own land. We had to retaliate by taking what we were owed, killing the offenders, and taking hostages to protect ourselves. We must reclaim our land and receive compensation for the wrongs committed against us. Now they dare to attack us! We've got to go to war with them. The Jews are too harsh; an eye for an eye. You Christians are too soft; you must forgive your enemies! We Muslims are correct; we are in the middle. Allah must forgive someone who asks for his forgiveness, but only after the wronged person forgives that person first. If the wronged person does not forgive first, then Allah cannot forgive the transgressor! When we face justifiable wrongs and seek retribution, Allah is with us. We will not forgive an unrighteous wrong, and Allah will not forgive them either, which is exactly what they deserve!" Sadly, they don't seem to see the logical fallacy; often, emotions appear to rule them as a people group, and their teachings reflect this.
Fallacy Comments