“Another person will not hurt you without your cooperation. You are hurt the moment you believe yourself to be.”
Epictetus
It wasn’t my fault – “they” made me do it.
I would go for it… if only “they” would stop standing in my way.
When “they” start treating me with respect, I will do the same back.
Painting somebody else as the puppet-master of your fate – whether an individual or a group – is a brilliant way to hide. In one fell swoop, you have avoided taking any responsibility for your lot in life, as well as receiving the delicious ego-gratification that comes from self-imposed victimhood.
The problem is that like crack, it’s awfully more-ish. What starts off innocuously gets out of control very quickly.
You know the Spiderman quote: “With great power comes great responsibility…” I couldn’t agree more, but have you ever considered its reverse? That without taking great responsibility in the first place, you will never have great power? I believe it.
Most of all, it takes two to tango. You are a victim to the exact extent that you see yourself as a victim. This has nothing to do with external appearances, and everything to do with the story in your head.