On saying "you do the same"

    I have, on countless occasions, seen the use of (and used) the argument "you did <something similar> yourself" when one is confronted on a questionable doing. The main problem I have with this argument is that it works both ways. If A does something bad, and B does something similar, then we can have B pointing out A's poor judgment, whereupon A points out that B has done the same, or we can have it the other way round. Then the winner of the argument is merely a matter of who was stupid enough to make the first move. I suppose it is a type of ad hominem argument, whereupon you go after the accuser instead of justifying your deed / admitting your mistake. I don't think you should feel smug about winning the argument after doing that - the simple fact is that you both lost.