Tag: #victims

Posted in Philosophy

Victims Are Not Villains

Posted on by simplebender

Fiction portrays superheroes battling archetypal villains—Superman vs. Lex Luthor and General Zod, Batman vs. The Joker and Two-Face, and Buzz Lightyear vs. Emperor Zurg. But in reality, self-proclaimed “heroes” often manufacture enemies from vulnerable populations to justify their pursuit of personal power.

Throughout history, authoritarians and dictators have vilified specific groups to establish themselves as saviors: Pol Pot (Cambodia) targeted intellectuals and professionals to impose his radical agrarian vision, Saddam Hussein (Iraq) persecuted Kurds as part of a broader political and ethnic conflict, Idi Amin (Uganda) expelled Asians and Indians to consolidate power, Mao Zedong (China) targeted the wealthy and educated in his Cultural Revolution, and Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union) engineered famines and imprisoned political opponents to maintain control. Adolf Hitler (Germany) vilified and massacred Jewish people, while his protege Benito Mussolini (Italy) targeted ethnic minorities to strengthen his nationalist image. Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel) is in a genocidal quest against Palestinians. Vladimir Putin (Russia) has used both Chechen insurgents and Ukrainians as political scapegoats to justify military aggression and solidify power. Meanwhile, his United States counterpart, and admirer, has been scapegoating minorities and immigrants and demanding the persecution of political opponents to consolidate support.

These leaders rely on lies, unchecked narratives, and twisted pseudo-facts to sway the public and position themselves as national saviors. Repeating falsehoods and distorting facts, they endeavor to create the illusion that only THEY can protect society from fabricated threats.

Authentic leadership doesn’t create chaos to demonstrate value—it brings calm to existing turmoil. History ultimately judges these “saviors” as humanity’s supervillains, while vindicating their victims.

We don’t need self-proclaimed heroes dividing us against each other, and we don’t need someone victimizing groups to feel powerful. Today’s “villain” could be YOU tomorrow. When someone claims they alone can “save” society, their motivation is often self-interest, not public welfare. Progress comes through finding common ground and embracing differences, not through polarization and isolation. We are stronger united than divided by those who would name themselves our protectors.

NeverFearTheDream simplebender.com @simplebender.bsky.social Mundus sine ceasaribus

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Posted in Political

In our changing society, some who feel like victims are not victims

Posted on by simplebender

Things you never had are the subject of your dreams. Things you choose to let go of are soon forgotten. But those things taken from you; those are the things you miss the most.

Imagine for a moment how intense the loss must be when you believe everything you and your forefathers had worked for was taken from you. Taken away by the vote and choice of the electorate; your neighbors. Slowly, piece by piece, your rights and opportunities taken and distributed to others. Your world slowly dismantled. You would be frustrated. You would be angry. But know, anger is an exhibit of weakness and lack of self-control not strength and composure.

For these disgruntled neighbors the perceived loss is more complicated and to them very real. Complicated because now ‘their’ rights and privileges are diluted. Those rights are enjoyed by others. Others who never had them before but should have. It is now a conflict. Those who have lost try in vain to recollect and those who now have refusing to return what they now enjoy. It’s women refusing to yield control over their own bodies and health. It’s minorities refusing to yield voting rights, employment, and education opportunities. It’s those who celebrate a different sexual orientation refusing to be demonized, scapegoated, and losing medical rights and acceptance. And why should any of them not defend the rights and privileges they have.

For a moment, consider those who have ‘lost’ are not radical or racially motivated. They are those who feel they are truly victims. Victims of a changing society in which they no longer reign supreme. Their racial, religious, and gender privileges all in the past. A group who passionately wants the country to return to a time when their existence and influence hadn’t been marginalized and brought into balance with others. An America where racial and religious minorities and women could be teased, harassed, and scapegoated with impunity. The sooner these new ‘victims’ recognize they aren’t victims and what they ‘lost’ cannot be reclaimed the sooner they can accept the current state of society. They can recognize and maybe accept they remain valuable assets, just like everyone else. No better and no worse, every step closer to equal. The sooner they do, all of us will start healing.

I understand the difference between the two; I’ve been visually impaired most of my life and don’t know the difference. I’ve been hearing impaired for the last twenty years and I know what I’ve lost. Listening to a flock of singing birds, with my hearing aids, I recognize how much I’ve missed the subtle sounds of nature. Hearing what I can, only because of augmentation, reminds me of all the sounds taken away from me. I mourn my loss but absorbed what I can as best I can. I appreciate the moments I have rather than wallowing in pity over what I’ve lost.

Societies and cultures move forward, they change and evolve. The path isn’t always smooth, and change can be hard. Especially hard to accept if you feel what you’ve lost was taken from you. But you can’t take it away from others just because you want it back.