This is spot on-my first thought was every contestant on “America’s Got talent” or “American Idol” who uses their victimhood (real or imagined, actual or exaggerated) to gain sympathy and a positive response from judges and the public. It becomes a competition of sorts to tell the greater story, each one more touching. Though many stories may be true, I believe they are sensationalized in order to gain popularity. Which is just sad. The true victim is marginalized and the grandiose victim is glorified.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.” We find rest and healing in Christ alone.
I appreciate your willingness to confront error with truth.
Also this line is gold: “And don’t hear what I’m not saying, I’m not team jackass - and not a proponent for jackassery.” There needs to be a t shirt STAT.
This deserves nuance for sure. I believe people can be "true victims" (whatever you choose that to mean) but find their way out of victimhood, with a lucky combination of external help and internal desire. Breaking those chains can be very difficult, though. I also believe those "true victims" who don't get the luck of the draw with the help and drive they need can also cross into victim signalling and stay in victimhood because they know no other way. Again, as you pointed out, it's baked into the culture and has its own reward.
I don't believe it's possible for someone on the outside to suss out who is a "true victim" and who is not. Is the only antidote to victim signaling, victim shaming, then?
I hope my question makes sense. Genuinely curious about your answer.
I've heard it described as the Karpman Drama Triangle: Perpetrator ▶️ Victim ▶️ Rescuer ▶️ ♾️. All three benefit in keeping the loop going, one way or another. The white knight aka Rescuer gets to feel virtuous and righteous by helping/enabling the victim instead of either 1) ACTUALLY standing up to the Perpetrator and stopping it at the root, or 2) allowing the victim to find their own strength to stop the Perpetrator.
To be honest, I have played each of those roles in numerous different situations. Many people do. It's when we get stuck in the loop is where there's real trouble.
Cultural commentators have been on the case of a victim culture for awhile now. How we have to justify ourselves as victims to get a hearing or to accrue greater cultural clout/power.
Such commentary actually goes a long way all the way to at least Fredrick Nietszche. He blamed it on Christianity of course since Jesus is a victim subverting the Greco-Roman way of extolling the dominator over the victim.
I think the key difference is that Jesus is hpnoured for His courage, obedience, His refusal to participate in the dark logics of violence and coercion, and can only be trully appreciated if you understand His mission to rescue us from sin and death, and to usher in the New Creation.
Thank you so much Josh, this really helps me articulate what I'm seeing in my (tertiary education, scientific) context. Our higher education institutions seem to be part of the forefront of this cultural movement - people can identify as being part of groups that universities define as 'victimised', resulting in mutual benefit. Institutions virtue-signal to gain approval, people victim-signal and gain some benefit. I see no small number of people claiming victimisation in order to benefit especially academically, or just to ascend the social hierarchy - regardless of the truth or otherwise of the claims. It's a hard cultural current to swim against! And it requires nuance (as you said) in knowing how to deal with 'true' victims in an honorable and helpful way.
and - as someone who ironically falls into an institution-defined 'victim' catagory myself, it's hard to navigate accepting the right help without selling my soul by falling into the trap of playing the victim-signal game!
Yes, this is where it gets so tricky. I also classify as a victim in a few different ways, and i oscillate between genuinely needing help, victim-blaming myself, self-compassion, and "playing the victim card" so to speak to gain some other benefit. I don't always recognize what stage I'm in, and sometimes that "victim card" looks like the only reward I get for the mental anguish I've been put through. But even though I've been victimized and traumatized... i cannot stay in victimhood forever. It's the messy road to healing, and I just have to tell myself I'm doing the best I can with what I have.
This is spot on-my first thought was every contestant on “America’s Got talent” or “American Idol” who uses their victimhood (real or imagined, actual or exaggerated) to gain sympathy and a positive response from judges and the public. It becomes a competition of sorts to tell the greater story, each one more touching. Though many stories may be true, I believe they are sensationalized in order to gain popularity. Which is just sad. The true victim is marginalized and the grandiose victim is glorified.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.” We find rest and healing in Christ alone.
I appreciate your willingness to confront error with truth.
So good!
Also this line is gold: “And don’t hear what I’m not saying, I’m not team jackass - and not a proponent for jackassery.” There needs to be a t shirt STAT.
This deserves nuance for sure. I believe people can be "true victims" (whatever you choose that to mean) but find their way out of victimhood, with a lucky combination of external help and internal desire. Breaking those chains can be very difficult, though. I also believe those "true victims" who don't get the luck of the draw with the help and drive they need can also cross into victim signalling and stay in victimhood because they know no other way. Again, as you pointed out, it's baked into the culture and has its own reward.
I don't believe it's possible for someone on the outside to suss out who is a "true victim" and who is not. Is the only antidote to victim signaling, victim shaming, then?
I hope my question makes sense. Genuinely curious about your answer.
An interesting outgrowth of the victimhood virtue is its natural draw of victim white knights/dames ("yes men") that defend them.
I've heard it described as the Karpman Drama Triangle: Perpetrator ▶️ Victim ▶️ Rescuer ▶️ ♾️. All three benefit in keeping the loop going, one way or another. The white knight aka Rescuer gets to feel virtuous and righteous by helping/enabling the victim instead of either 1) ACTUALLY standing up to the Perpetrator and stopping it at the root, or 2) allowing the victim to find their own strength to stop the Perpetrator.
To be honest, I have played each of those roles in numerous different situations. Many people do. It's when we get stuck in the loop is where there's real trouble.
Cultural commentators have been on the case of a victim culture for awhile now. How we have to justify ourselves as victims to get a hearing or to accrue greater cultural clout/power.
Such commentary actually goes a long way all the way to at least Fredrick Nietszche. He blamed it on Christianity of course since Jesus is a victim subverting the Greco-Roman way of extolling the dominator over the victim.
I think the key difference is that Jesus is hpnoured for His courage, obedience, His refusal to participate in the dark logics of violence and coercion, and can only be trully appreciated if you understand His mission to rescue us from sin and death, and to usher in the New Creation.
Thank you so much Josh, this really helps me articulate what I'm seeing in my (tertiary education, scientific) context. Our higher education institutions seem to be part of the forefront of this cultural movement - people can identify as being part of groups that universities define as 'victimised', resulting in mutual benefit. Institutions virtue-signal to gain approval, people victim-signal and gain some benefit. I see no small number of people claiming victimisation in order to benefit especially academically, or just to ascend the social hierarchy - regardless of the truth or otherwise of the claims. It's a hard cultural current to swim against! And it requires nuance (as you said) in knowing how to deal with 'true' victims in an honorable and helpful way.
and - as someone who ironically falls into an institution-defined 'victim' catagory myself, it's hard to navigate accepting the right help without selling my soul by falling into the trap of playing the victim-signal game!
Yes, this is where it gets so tricky. I also classify as a victim in a few different ways, and i oscillate between genuinely needing help, victim-blaming myself, self-compassion, and "playing the victim card" so to speak to gain some other benefit. I don't always recognize what stage I'm in, and sometimes that "victim card" looks like the only reward I get for the mental anguish I've been put through. But even though I've been victimized and traumatized... i cannot stay in victimhood forever. It's the messy road to healing, and I just have to tell myself I'm doing the best I can with what I have.