Scapegoating is a hidden phenomenon because we only recognize it when
we see it in others, but never in ourselves. Other people’s scapegoats
appear to be innocent victims, falsely accused of wrongdoing, and that
is indeed what they are. But our own scapegoats appear to us as our
anxious child, unemployed overweight sibling or as guilty evildoers who
deserve our hatred and the punishment we righteously mete out against
them. We always see the innocence of other people’s scapegoats but never
our own. That is why we are all always at risk of harming an innocent
person or group without ever realizing it.
So……….. what’s the advice instead?
Scapegoating is a hidden phenomenon because we only recognize it when we see it in others, but never in ourselves. Other people’s scapegoats appear to be innocent victims, falsely accused of wrongdoing, and that is indeed what they are. But our own scapegoats appear to us as our anxious child, unemployed overweight sibling or as guilty evildoers who deserve our hatred and the punishment we righteously mete out against them. We always see the innocence of other people’s scapegoats but never our own. That is why we are all always at risk of harming an innocent person or group without ever realizing it.