Some time ago, I began using the term "the cult of victimhood". I use it to describe a disturbing trend I see in American society where, in place of personal accountability and responsibility, we have insisted on blaming someone else for our failings. I did so without an explanation. In this article, I'd like to explain the "cult of victimhood" so that I can use it for future reference (I'm also going to try a first for me...linking to is as a "sticky" on the sidebar so I can point newer readers to it).
The cult of victimhood is not new; in fact it is as old as mankind himself. Look at the biblical story of Adam and Eve, for instance. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent. It is, rather, a mindset of rationalizing one's actions through passing responsibility onto others. I am proud to live in a nation that was founded by individuals who attempted to leave the cult, by throwing off the shackles of European colonialism and establishing a constitution that empowered the individual. I am saddened, however, that we've chosen to abandon those principles and return to the cult.
The cult has powerful appeal. You can, literally, get away with murder if you adhere closely enough to its teachings. By blaming insanity, medications, drugs, alcohol, or a number of other perpetrators, you can cast yourself of a victim and absolve yourself of personal responsibility.
The cult of victimhood is one of the most dangerous, destructive, and deceptive movements in the world. You can build your house in a floodplain and collect big bucks when the water comes and destroys it because of any number of reasons. You can spill hot coffee in your lap and sue the fast food company for the resulting burns. You can refuse to educate yourself or your family, become a murderous thug and try to sue the government for a wrong perpetrated on your ancestors, which, though very real and not part of the cult of victimhood at all, has precisely NO bearing on your current status.
The cult of victimhood invades the world of politics, of religion and philosophy, of industry, of government, of virtually every segment of society. If we are not versed enough in its teachings, we can often find a lawyer, priest, or politician who is. This is not to say that any of these professions consist entirely of cult adherents, but that those adherents are very easy to find in these professions.
We saw the cult of victimhood put on a pedestal in the wake of Hurricane Katrina this last year. Though a very small number of New Orleans citizens may have truly been victims of the disaster, the vast majority had ample warning and ability to either leave the city of New Orleans or relocate to specified shelters. As a result, much time was spent rescuing cult members stranded on the rooftops of their houses that should have been spent bringing fod to these shelters.
But there is good news: while many of us are members of the cult of victmhood, there is a very simple way out. It is a one step solution. That one step is realizing that YOU control the direction of your life and of the world in your immediate domain. All you have to do is refuse to be a victim.
It took me many, many years to realize this simple truth. But when I finally DID realize it, it opened a lot of doors for me.