The Impetus Behind Victim Politics

Victim politics is not a recent phenomenon, and the work of philosopher René Girard sheds light on its origins. Girard believed that human societies were built on collective violence and scapegoating, which he called the surrogate victim-age mechanism. This process can be traced back to ancient religious rituals of sacrifice. Girard's concept of mimetic desire also plays a role, as humans imitate each other's desires, leading to conflict and the scapegoating of a common enemy. In modern times, victimhood has become a badge of honor, conferring moral authority. Both the political left and right engage in victim politics, with the left often splintering into fractal tribes and the right asserting victim status through conspiracy theories and claims of being silenced.