Wikipedia:Two wrongs don't make a right

This is an essay on the conduct policy. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints.

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This page in a nutshell: Arguing that your accuser has done something wrong does not get you off the hook.

The proverb "two wrongs don't make a right" highlights the illogic of claiming innocence because of someone else's bad behavior. Such excuses are a form of whataboutism and a discrediting tactic. Left unchallenged they can lead to a morass of alternative facts in which the basic principles of right and wrong are obscured – this is often the intended result.

We would all like to believe that it's an obvious lesson we learned during childhood, and that we are unlikely to be fooled by it as adults. Nonetheless, Wikipedia editors will sometimes resort to it as a tactic to evade accountability in dispute resolution, by deflecting attention away from their own conduct to the conduct of their accusers. Whenever such a tactic is used, it's important to recognize it for what it is, and nip it in the bud.