Why We Shouldn't Blame Our Ancestors

René Girard argues that we should try to understand why people acted as they did in the past, rather than blaming them. He says this is not to excuse evil acts, but to point up a prevalent form of scapegoating. Blaming our ancestors always implies the claim that we would have done better in their shoes,. It's a way of protesting our eternal innocence and brightening our self-esteem.