Over the past few years I've been watching a growing trend with alarm and growing bemusement.

What's this growing trend you ask? Glad you did...

Scapegoating is that bemusing and alarming trend. Blame someone, anyone, else for the problems of the world, while you are the innocent dupe of the "BADGUY", trouble is...no one can seem to agree on who that bad guy is...

Strange that.

North Korea, Iran, Israel/Jews, the Palestinians, Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, Bankers, George Bush, Barack Obama, the New World Order, the Illuminati, aliens from "elsewhere", terrorist organizations...the list is virtually endless. Strange that few if any of you, and myself, can clue into who the real culprit is...

...and who, seagull, is the "true enemy" of humanity? The one upon whom we can blame everything with a clear conscience? Surely it's the Jews/Zionists...no, wait, it's those damned bankers...how about those pesky democrats/republicans, surely they're the ones to blame...Right?

No, grasshopper. It's neither the bankers, nor even the democrats and republicans, middle eastern nations, Asian nations, or even an evil cabal of all the above...

Well, who is this sinister figure? Glad you asked...

Why, it's us... It's you, it's me, it's our next door neighbor, it's his second cousin's best friends sister in law. In short it's all of us. All of us who lack the will to hold each other accountable for our actions. All of us who look the other way, all the while saying something to the effect of "It's not my problem" or "It isn't affecting me today, I'll worry about it tomorrow" or words to that effect.

I'm not talking about political involvement, or rather not JUST about political involvement... I'm talking about involvement in the affairs of humanity in general. We see something wrong, instead of trying to figure out a way to solve that particular problem, we instinctively try to blame someone...aaaah, the scapegoat.

My pet bugaboo is racist or religious bigotry (as many longtime members know). I loathe and despise them. Yet in some ways I have become in some small way just like them...I have a blind-spot where my own country's behaviour is concerned. I have a real habit of looking for someone else, anyone else, to blame when my country does something seemingly out of bounds... I admit it, I'm less than thrilled about it, and I do try to make an effort to curb that instinctive behaviour...but it's there nevertheless...

What I'm asking, and I make no claims that this'll change the world. Though it won't hurt things any. Take a moment and examine your views on most any topic that has more than one side...do you automatically want to assign blame to some nebulous other who seemingly operated/operates in a vacuum? I think you and I all do.

I am not my brothers keeper. That's what Cain said. Are we all too much like Cain? Sometimes I think so.



[edit on 5/21/2009 by seagull]

'Twas not me..

It was He.

but what you are saying is essentially a deeper form of scapegoating

what if no one is to blame and we are all just hopelessly insane?

Thats a swinging door that works both ways... When "good" things happen, often the wrong people take credit for it.

It only makes sense that when "bad" things happen, no one owns up.

This thread finally prompted me to make an account and respond.(ignore username, horrible choice for this topic)

The OP's statement is spot on with my own beliefs. But in a different context.

We view oursleves as "individuals" (if you get my drift) and this defines the choices we make everyday, this is destroying humanity and the earth.

This mentality is taught from birth to most people. Others are conditioned from society " everyone for themselves, noone is going to help me but myself".

Where would we be right now if we were taught to think of everyone when we made decisions and choices. (A massivly over populated earth perhaps because of no wars :S)

We spend our lives trying to survive. In doing this people often make the choice which most benefiets themselves. It may be pre programmed into our heads by nature, or it may be just be developed Human nature.

Humanity is doomed until we think of ourselves as a whole. Until then we will fight, kill, exploit and hurt each other. I don't know if this will ever be possible though without losing our vast cultures and until we discover our origins and purpose in life religion/scienece believers will forever divide us.

We reap what we sow.

Just my opinion. Please Enlighten me if you can.(not a taunt lol)

Is this not the essence of the Enlightenment?

We are separate yet together.

We allow freedom to others as well as allowing freedom toward ourselves doing no harm being the under pinning.

Is not the idea the basis of Adams, Smith and Jefferson?

Capitalism at its roots is built on this.

I agree with the OP.

No single raindrop believes it is responsible for the flood.

Still,

Though I am but a drop in the ocean, I am still the ocean. So are you.

I like blaming everyone else for all the misfortune. I don't have to accept responsibility for my own life when I do. If I can blame it on them, I'm not only an innocent, I'm actually a victim.

It's a tragic way of thinking, but perhaps the easiest one to accept.

After all, water follows the path of least resistance.

As do most people in life.

People have accepted the lies foisted on them by politicians and power mongers who have agendas of their own. Their Cowardice in the face of retaliation from those they have wronged is disgusting. I was at work on 9/11/01, i continued my work that day, and the next and the next. The President of the USA jumped in air force one, had the FAA ground all flights nationwide, then flew off to some air force base in Louisana. He was hiding out during the period the nation needed him most. He proved to the world his lack of moral fiber. People, He was the coward, not us. We stood, ready to face whatever came. This politician and his cronies did every dishonest and illegal thing they could do to cause the problems we are facing now. There were people responsible for all these systems that failed. We as citizens of this country are justified in demanding an accounting on what went wrong and on whose authority. Action needs to be taken so that these wounds can heal and we can proceed with cleaning up this mess and reinstating the rules and regulations that kept everything honest and aboveboard.

You are correct OP,

Why, it's us... It's you, it's me, it's our next door neighbor, it's his second cousin's best friends sister in law. In short it's all of us. All of us who lack the will to hold each other accountable for our actions. All of us who look the other way, all the while saying something to the effect of "It's not my problem" or "It isn't affecting me today, I'll worry about it tomorrow" or words to that effect.

And it does not have to be political. If you think of how things were done 50 or 100 years ago, you will see some common courtesy and concern for the fellow man.

Last week, I stopped to help a guy on a motorcycle that was broken down. I ride a motorcycle, so I was empathetic. We were able to charge his battery and get him into town. It took 30 minutes out of my day, 2 other people stopped during the 30 minutes and the guy was amazed. He was from out of town, and he could not believe the concern he was shown. He really gushed and was not sure how to respond to us. Why should we be surprised when someone does something kind for us.

A few years ago I was new in a military town, my brother and several friends drove me down and helped my wife and I move in. We didn't know anybody and it was sure nice having that help. After about a month a young Air Force couple moved in next door to us. It was Saturday, so I was home, and I walked out to the moving truck and began to help. They were amazed, they did not know what to say or do. My wife made tea (and beer) and brought it out to us; we became very good friends and neighbors.

Of course we are all to blame for the good and bad in our lives.

I would like to carry this a step further and say that me and my extended family have no need for police or court systems. If any of them are ever harmed by kidnappers, rapists, bullies, or thieves, the parties will be dealt with in the appropriate Wild West manner. I cannot believe how people get away with abusing their wives or kids, or girlfriends. If I abused my children, my loving family would coach me in the right direction and if that did not work, they would either take the kids from me, or physically take away my ability to hurt anyone. If I abused my wife, her father would talk to me and try to understand the situation, if it turned out that I was just a mean bully, he would probably kill me, and I believe he is willing and capable.

We can all take ownership of our responsibilities in the roles we play. Citizens, husbands, children, brothers, fathers, uncles, and neighbors all play an important role in our society, and that role used to be fairly obvious, but now we tend to look for outside help when our responsibilities come calling.

[edit on 22-5-2009 by getreadyalready]

I think you and I all do.

Of course we do, I think this is part of human behavior. It's like the ultimate habit that is nearly impossible to break.

However, on some issues the response is warranted. Sometimes it truly is someone's fault and we need to take that into account.

But as a whole if that one person is guilty, I agree, then so are all of us. We are all guilty of something, to make someone else the ultimate evil doer while we are the innocents is just silly.

I see people doing this with the issue of gay marriage all the time and it really upsets me. Yes, religious groups have donated a lot of money to affect the outcome of things like Prop 8, but accusing them of being the big bad bigots and protesting at their churches does nothing for our cause (for those who support gay marriage). Think of what could have been done if all the people protesting at churches decided to band together and march in Washington? If they had decided to band to together and reach out to all the politicians in their state? Yes, there were some protest in front of city halls and I attended those, but the church protest were useless. The church may give money to those efforts but the church DOES NOT get to decide when gay marriage becomes legal. That decision will be left to people in the government, so our focus should always be on them instead of blaming the "evil" "bigoted" churches.

[edit on 22-5-2009 by rapinbatsisaltherage]

"I shouted out,
Who killed the Kennedys?
When after all
It was you and me"

~The Rolling Stones "Sympathy For The Devil"

Amazing how many of our little conspiracy theories this applies to well done OP!

Originally posted by ProjectJimmy
"I shouted out,
Who killed the Kennedys?
When after all
It was you and me"

~The Rolling Stones "Sympathy For The Devil"

Amazing how many of our little conspiracy theories this applies to well done OP!

Oddly enough I always think of that song and "Russians" by Sting whenever I'm having a discussion like this.

[edit on 22-5-2009 by rapinbatsisaltherage]