Whenever something goes wrong most people like to complain and blame others. Everyone makes mistakes except them. Consequently, they find no reason to criticize their own actions and assume the responsibility at hand. No, that is out of the question. For them, only others need to change and, if necessary, by force. Once they achieve this, they believe that the world will suddenly become a more beautiful place, with less conflict and suffering.
Of course, they have their own reasons for thinking this way. This messy world has been giving us gifts so that each one of us is a small part of it, without much power to influence it. Individually, we are just victims of the world and we will remain so until we are no longer a part of it. Most people think that way, but that kind of thinking has super negative consequences, both for ourselves and for the world.
Why blame others?
First, in most cases, we don't realize that we are part of the problem. For example, we can blame the media for manipulating people's minds, but at the same time we forget that we are the ones who give the audience power to them. We can blame politicians for lying, but who is the real culprit? We, the people who support them with our vows. Or we can blame greedy bankers for driving people into an endless web of debt, but again, we are the ones who indirectly allow that to happen by supporting our unfair economic model which inevitably results in deceitful and exploitative acts. Each of us is a part of the world, and whether we like it or not, we are part of the problems.Second, we don't strive to find a solution. Yes, there are people out there who are wasting their lives and causing all sorts of trouble, but putting all the responsibility on their shoulders and accusing them for what they're doing wrong doesn't change anything for the betterment of our society. So, rather than passively blaming others, wouldn't it be wiser if we took responsibility and took action to help create positive change in our lives and in the world?
Escaping the Guilt Trap
It's easy to blame others and put all the responsibility on your shoulders. However, stopping acting this way and starting to take responsibility at hand is one of the most difficult things, and only a few people are willing to bear the burden of responsibility.
This is exactly why most people like to play the game.
responsibility for your actions upwards and blaming others for your own mistakes: escaping responsibility and not taking the risk of making mistakes and possibly having to deal with failure. So you see a lot of people in good faith allowing others to have power and control their lives, like politicians, priests, and “gurus” of all kinds. Or they place the burden of responsibility on a savior: someone who will come to relieve them of their suffering. That way, they won't have to act — someone else will do the dirty work for them. That way, when anything goes wrong, they'll always have someone to blame. But the price they have to pay for letting go of their own responsibility is higher than they realize. When we get rid of that burden, we also get rid of our freedom. Being irresponsible for our life makes us feel like victims of the various forces that are out of our control. And the only way to regain our freedom is to make ourselves responsible. Once we get it back, we will become more aware of our actions and see ourselves as the creators of our destiny. So let's stop blaming others and focus on what really matters: how to change.
Written by Amanda Magliaro Prieto of the Eu Sem Fronteiras team
