Hunting Scapegoats

“I didn’t say it was your fault. I said I was going to blame you!”

We’ve all felt this way before, as if someone was out to get us even when things were not our fault. But sometimes, much to our chagrin, things that are not our fault still carry a penalty on us.

While sometimes this can be attributed to a lack of fortune, bad timing or happenstance – more often than not there we have played a part in things but don’t like the outcome because what happened isn’t our fault. However, there is a difference between fault and responsibility.

Centuries ago, Plato wrote of the impetuous youngsters who no longer paid respect to their elders. So I suppose it is nothing new to look around and wonder when manners and “life lessons” quit being taught. However, it seems that people have lost the recognition of responsibility – but then again, perhaps this has been part of the human condition since the beginning of time.

That said, I have tried to put into practice within myself the recognition of things that fall within my responsibility. That means if something goes wrong, fault being mine or not, I am still the one to be stuck with the problem. Approaching problems with this type of ownership has helped me be less annoyed when it comes my turn to clean up the mess.

I’m far from perfecting this better attitude, but I have improved it – and some issues just seem less critical when I stop looking for someone else to blame.

For whatever that is worth, thanks for listening…