There's something I've noticed. I'm pretty sure it's always existed, but it wasn't until I started following the threads of topics around on Progressive U that I really realized what was happening. And I don't fully understand why it happens, just that it does. And I'd love to hear your commentary.
What I've noticed is this: everyone's a victim. Or rather, everyone plays the part of the victim. And there's no way to tell who is actually being marginalized.
Take the issue of theism versus atheism. I am a follower of Christ, and I've been raised with a Christian background, and just about every one I know is religious in some way or form. As such, I have almost been taught that the world is against us, been raised on an "us versus them" mentality, that Christians are being marginalized. And yet, as I get to know people who think differently than I do, and especially as I browse these bogs, I hear atheists saying the same thing: the world is against them, they are marginalized for thinking differently. Whatever you call yourself: Quaker, deist, Buddhist, agnostic, whatever, you fall on either side of the spectrum. You are theistic or you're not. And if there are basically two sides, how can both be equally persecuted? Is that even possible?
Or, let's look at racism. There is no doubt that people are discriminated against because of the color of their skin. You don't need to be a social genius to see that one. But who's really being discriminated against? I'm white, but I have black cousins on both sides of my family, and they tell me awful stories of the things that have happened to them or the things people have said because they're black. But I also have a white friend who lives in an "ethnic" neighborhood, who tells me how she's daily persecuted simply because she's white. In an effort to eradicate racism, it seems balance has been forsaken and there's more racism than ever. Now it's not just minorities who are being discriminated against, but majorities, too?
We see this in politics, too. "Oh, conservatives are under attack," they say. "The evil left is determined to destroy what little foothold we have in government!" But then it's not long before you hear this from the liberals, too. "The stuck up right is determined to maintain their stronghold in politics, and the liberals must strive to gain an equal say in government." Well, they can't both be right, right? [Heh, it's so tempting to make a lame pun 'right' there.]
How does this political anomaly continue to exist? Certainly not both the Republicans and the Democrats are being victimized, marginalized. So why are they both acting like they are? And which one is really the true victim?
This must be some political science theory I haven't learned yet. Leave a comment.
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That is a great one. Maybe take a political science class or personailty class todetermen why people insist on their victimizations. I think what your saying is true. People pick on people they don't agree with or like. I go to a small alternative high school, where my beleifs were attacked. As a christian who didn't do drugs, alcahol or sleep around. I was indeed marginalized by my peers in high school. You could say I had a stigma around me as the one who didn't agree with everyone else. While alot of people were accepting there peers as homosexual and bisexual, I was standing up for my beliefs and saying what they were doing was wrong. You can imagine the flack I got for it.
They thought they were the victim, since I was saying I didn't agree with them or accept what they were doing as right. I believed I was the victim because I would have an average of five people yelling at me telling me I was wrong, every day. It's like when someone just overhears or sees someone who doesn't coincide with their beleifs they are automatically offended. Even if they didn't say anything directly offensive.
I think here that the definition of victim is misunderstood. I beleive the definition of victim is the act of one person rudely physically of verbally attacking the other. Take it or leave it. Saying that your a victim just because people don't agree with you or your lifestyle is bogus. Now if those opposing you decide to take action to hurt you, than yes you are victim.
I hope that we can overcome that though and that people can learn to respect eachother despite their differences.
There's my two cents,
luv, Monica
Hm, yes, that's something else for me to think about - what exactly is the definition of "victim"?
You said, "Saying that your a victim just because people don't agree with you or your lifestyle is bogus." I completely agree. But for people who are legitimately attacked (like you have been, and like each of my friends from opposing beliefs have) . . . I suppose this means that while each "side" has bigots, each side will have victims. Which makes both sides look bad.
i think you did a much better job of examining this phenomena than i did in my blog. I look forward to reading the comments you get. I wonder if anyone has an explanation? It baffles me too.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman