The Victim Mentality

Today, I thought about the fable ,“The Boy Who Cried Wolf“. While the most apparent moral of being truthful is in the story, I believe that there are other themes in the story which are important to draw out. Yes, it is great to teach children about not lying, or even a good analogy for how our government is ran, but lets look at the motives of the boy.

The story says that he was bored and for entertainment wanted to frighten the towns people. Was he not the shepherd boy? Was it not his duty and responsibility to watch over the sheep and keep them safe? Why then did he need to call the townspeople when a wolf came?

I believe a bigger theme of victimization is at the root of the story. The little boy for entertainment thought it would be nice to play the role of the victim, helpless, child who needed rescuing or help. When in actuality he was given responsibility and took part in deceiving those whom trusted him and in return created a tension between him and the townspeople that otherwise didn’t need to exist.

As adults, we too often like to play victim, but how disgusting of a concept is that? We have all had life experiences and gained knowledge of how to handle situations. When in life did someone teach us that playing as though we have been harmed or hurt by someone or a situation was okay to get what we want? Even in the face of the actual victim, we find it okay to also become one? 
Most people who cry victim are not the victim! 

Such an absurd concept for me to grasp, yet we see this playing out in our lives daily. America says that we will never forget 9/11...In Chicago, there are buildings throughout the city that say “we will never forget”, but how pressing is slavery in the minds of Americans. Now that injustice, one from within, that should be forgotten. If 9/11 was so important and an event we all should remember, then why is it that 99% of white people I know have no idea what Juneteenth is? Is not the struggle of Blacks important, apparently not if whites can’t play victim. In 2012 we are still debating about equal rights and immigration? Americans are the ones who are at jeopardy, safety is breached by immigrants????? Everyone here is an immigrant except black people who had no choice in coming  here! Yet, somehow new immigrants, non- European immigrants pose a threat.

For America to rid itself of the cancer of racism and the victim mentality, it must begin to take responsibility for its actions!