I learned about a crime gang that was mutilating people – chopping off their arms, burning their faces, knocking away their kneecaps – to sit them on the street as homeless and disabled people to collect money.
I didn’t believe it until police showed up and gang members gathered their group into a van to evade examination.
In another city, I heard of the same scheme happening, but less violently. Rather than mutilating people, the gang instructed their victims to merely act as if they had been injured, giving them crutches, bandages, etc. to play the part. Still evil but a lesser evil.
I’ve seen a homeless person do it, apparently acting on their own. She was known to walk around on a crutch, not being able to walk on one leg. But when the workday ended and nobody was watching, she walked normally.
In a recent seminar, I brought a stack of books and instructed students to compete against each other in explaining why they deserved to get one. It was an exercise about selling oneself in a competitive field. Many, in trying to convince the group, played the victim card. “I was going to donate Fred Dodson’s books to impoverished people who need it the most”. And it usually worked.
The victim ploy makes money. It attracts sympathy, attention, jobs and donations. In my country there are political parties that run almost entirely on victim consciousness. Democrats play the minorities-card to milk donations and votes from their followers. “I am oppressed because I’m a minority. Let’s make laws that give me an advantage. Donate now”. Republicans play the conspiracy-card. “They are encroaching on our freedoms and our spiritual beliefs. Donate now and vote for us to stop the plot!”
Why does victim-posturing work? Because human beings are, by nature, compassionate. The fact that it works so well, proves that most human beings are actually GOOD. And that’s very good news.
How can we avoid our never-drying well of compassion being used by psychopaths?
One example: Have you ever heard someone say “Don’t give him money, give him food to eat”? If he eats the food you can be sure it won’t be taken by a gang or wasted on beer.
Another example: Instead of lazily giving charity to a large NGO where you have no idea where the money ends up, discreetly give it to someone you personally know who is in need.
And know: Real victims usually don’t act out and showcase their victim-hood, they suffer quietly.
There is great danger to acting like a victim. If you act like it long enough, you become it for real. You then attract negative events that really hurt you. I recommend you avoid playing the victim card to gain followers, donations or attention. Avoid the drama.
