Alice- So you seem to agree and disagree at the same time. Welcome to my world. I admit that in an historic sense, there have been many peoples wronged and victimized, and as a result, these groups may indeed have a social detriment working against them. But if one does not allow themselves to buy into that mindset, which surely is less and less frequent in todays world, then one can rise above and find a better, more happier life ahead of them.
And yes, there is a difference between being a victim and being a victim of choice.

As you might say…”Curiouser and curiouser.”

CoolAqua- Thanks for reading the
w h o l e thing, even if it seemed long.
I don’t feel that spending five minutes to read some thought provoking ideas to be too much to ask, despite the tendencies of our mass media to treat us all as if we were 5 year olds, incapable of comprehending more than three or four sentences at a time.

Not everything worthwhile can be had in the blink of an eye. Common Sense is one of those things that just takes a teeny, tiny bit more attention and time, but is well worth the effort, I think.

Hope to see you again.

CoolAqua

JollyRoger- Good point. When our national leaders embrace this kind of thinking, it’s harder to show where the peril lies. But even though people can see through the excuses of others, they are still making them for themselves.
This is what needs to stop. Thanks for coming by again.

GTL- And a big high five right back to you! Good to hear from you again.

Chandira- Nice to have people reading what I write. Yes, this seems to be a rather obvious idea, but as I mentioned to JollyRoger, even when we see this in others, it’s often harder to turn the mirrow towards ourselves.
Yes, shit does happen. Does it make us unable to go on? That is the real question, and often it’s answered wrongly. Ciao!

OTTMAN- See, we can agree on some things! Thanks for continuing to drop in and leave some thoughts.

ShaeNC- Your examples are among those who can truly be called unfortunate victims. Their lives were physically (even the mental trouble of the girl were mainfestations of a physical attack) altered by anothers irresponsibility. But even true victims can make a conscious choice not to wallow in their misfortune. These are the folks to admire, for it is they who triumph in the midst of true adversity.

But for the multitudes of others who claim victimhood status over trivial things, we need to turn them around.

BTW- I have native American blood mingling with my own Irish, English, and Dutch. So I can relate to your quandry there. I suppose we’ll both have to settle for paying ourselves reparations with one hand while signing the apology note with the other.

(Subliminal message here- Victimhood too often is a STATE OF MIND!)]

Good to hear from you again.

Nothing make one feel less like a victim than seeing those who are less fortunate. I know someone who is permanently disabled because an uninsured motorist ran a red light and smashed into her. She actually is a lifelong victim – the symptoms of her disability will remind her of that forever. On the other hand, she is well aware that it could have been much worse. No head or spinal chord injuries, for example.

I’ve worked with developmentally disabled folks whose conditions were non-organic, like a girl who was horribly messed up, mentally and physically, after her brothers gave her something poisonous in a coke bottle when she was little.

So, things can change depending on one’s perspective.

Also, there’s the old self-fulfilling prophecy aspect. The victimization mindset can actualize the condition. Labeling theory, I guess, turned inward.

By the way – my ancestry is Irish, but they got there riding in with William the Conqueror from Normandy. Do I seek reparations from the Vikings, or pay reparations to the Celts? I’m so confused.

There are too many people who feel that government is their nanny and that they “deserve” to get whatever they can from it, for free.

Victimhood comes in many forms, such as “tax cuts are for the rich” or “All Corporations are evil” etc., et al.

I agree that people have to take responsibility for their actions and lives in general, and stop blaming others for whatever problems they may have.

Perseverance is the key to success, not whining!

Those who get stuck in victimhood get trapped into a life of deception where they feel nothing is fair and the odds are stacked against them. They can usually scrape by, but never really get anywhere in life because they’re too busy blaming everyone and everything, thereby setting up their own road blocks and missing opportunities.

I’ve seen this so strongly in myself, to lay blame at other people’s feet, regardless of what the thing was that ‘happened to me’.
‘Shit happens’, it’s all in how we respond, and in our not choosing to think that ‘it happened to me’. There’s a huge difference. We have to transcend that victim consciousness.