THE FALLACY OF BOTH SIDES

 

The catastrophe in Novaya Kakhovka revealed the new aspects of the world community and its dealing with the crisis. Western media vocalized doubts on which side could have blown the dam – Russia or Ukraine. Russian propaganda has immediately put the blame on Ukraine, while Russian liberal movement has been triumphing over new occasion for blaming both sides. The biggest humanitarian organizations remained silent ignoring the disaster. Ukraine was left alone to rescue drowning humans and animals in the environmental apocalypse. 

Indifference or “deep concern” from the international community is no longer news for Ukrainians. Shifting responsibility by different means has also been commonplace since the war in Ukraine started. Two techniques regularly used in the West on the war in Ukraine are bothsidesing and victim blaming. 

Bothsidesing refers to media giving credence to the other side of a cause, action, or idea to seem fair or only for the sake of argument when the credibility of that side may be unmerited. 

Victim blaming is a devaluing act that occurs when the victim of a crime is held responsible for the crimes that have been committed against them.

While Russian propaganda is using all the persuasive techniques available, we can’t help but wonder why Western media is using the false balance narratives. 

Are we still witnessing fear of taking a side? Is it unwillingness to accept the world order where Russia has no longer a place as a civilized state? Are westerners still fascinated by “great Russian culture”? Are their business interests involved therefore Russia is still treated as an adequate partner? What does make those continue doubting when we know the names of the perpetrator and the victim?

There is a theory that holding victims responsible for their hardship can be partially a way to avoid admitting that something just as unthinkable could happen to oneself —even if one does everything “right.” People blame victims to continue feeling safe themselves.

Those who have sympathy or fear of Russia are inclined to denying or diminishing their crimes which can be an ideological choice. When the ideology rules, the rational thinking can be compromised. 

Victim blaming can also be a defense mechanism to avoid dealing with the difficult cognitive process of accepting Russian atrocities. Transforming one’s perception of the world can be an uncomfortable process.

 

To avoid tendencies of shifting responsibility and falling into a trap of bothsidesing, it’s important to train ability to see the world from perspectives other than one’s own. No matter how much we want to believe in a better world, Russians will not become less responsible for the genocide in Ukraine for that. Honesty with oneself and environment is essential: it requires courage, empathy and cognitive work to accept that people of “great Russian culture” can deliberately commit monstrous crimes.