Systems, Masters and Victims

We set up the systems, the beliefs, and the doctrines that shape the very identities of others. These frameworks, which we painstakingly enforce, craft personalities that we despise. They produce the victims we later castigate. Our hands are stained with the designs of these systems, as we shape, mold, and confine others into roles we later deem undesirable. We are the architects of their transformation—either as active participants, fueling the flames that keep the fires of our system burning, or as passive bystanders, watching in silence as the system festers and deepens. In our apathy, we become complicit. Then, when the inevitable damage is done, we turn on the very individuals we have molded, blaming them for the very traits we’ve instilled. The cruel irony lies in the fact that the systems we glorify are the very tools we use to tear others apart. That’s the sad reality of who we are—we are shameless victim blamers.

And now, as it all unravels, we are all blaming somebody. The opportunists are condemning their victims for not turning the other cheek enough, for not offering them the chance to climb. It’s a game of power, and the weak are always made to look like the ones who’ve failed. The bullies are blaming their victims for not staying down long enough, for not remaining on their knees, forever subjugated. The hypocrites are blaming their victims for not providing them with enough space to showcase their craft—what a fine craft, indeed. It’s the craft of manipulation, the art of blame. And the gossips! They blame the innocent, those caught in the crossfire of fate, for not offering up enough to satiate their hunger for scandal. The victims become the entertainment, the spectacle for those too blind to see their own faults. Yes, this is who we are—freaking hypocrites.

So, next time you find yourself perched on your high horse, ready to lecture others about their flaws, ask yourself: what role have you played in shaping the very traits you now despise in others? What part did you play in turning them into the “undesirables” in your eyes? What have you done to perpetuate the cycles that led to their suffering?

Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle, a battle you may never fully understand. So, before you judge, remember that the victims of your scorn may have never had a choice in the matter. The systems, the power structures, the beliefs—they’ve all played their part, and so have you. What if the battle they fight is one you helped create? What if you, in your pursuit of control, have had a hand in the very suffering you so easily overlook?

It’s easy to point fingers, to assign blame, but it’s harder to look inward and recognize our own contribution to the problem. Before you decide who deserves what, remember that those who suffer the most often had no hand in choosing their fate. They are not simply the sum of their actions—they are the consequence of a system we all support.