Victim blaming ideologies

Let me make it very clear, right from the outset: I do not consider that one can hold a philosophical position of any sort and blame victims for their problems. When one blames victims for their problems, one is adopting an ideological stance. This has nothing to do with philosophy.

There are various "philosophies", nonetheless, that lend themselves to a logic of victim-blaming. One would have to be a crude reader of these philosophies and at the same time lack the capacity for observation of other human beings to derive such a reading from these texts. Such perspectives may nonetheless be produced and developed because of the very, very low level of education that many have received.

In Nietzsche's philosophy, it would be logical to conclude that social oppression is the clear enemy, since it produces an inward psychological poisoning -- "ressentiment" (hidden, but active resentment). The common assumption that because one belongs to an oppressed group -- blacks or women -- that one must suffer from ressentiment is clearly wrong. The common assumption that if one complains of oppression that one is suffering from ressentiment is also wrong. The common assumption that more oppression is the only "Nietzschean" solution to those who suffer from oppression is also wrong. None of this takes into account individual psychology -- even less does it take into account that the origin of the downward form of oppression may be ressentiment. Just because somebody is powerful in material terms does not mean that they cannot be weak of character and suffer from delusions. There is nothing in Nietzsche's philosophy to suggest that material success is associated with a strong character. Nonetheless, it is the most common ideological perspective to assume that women and blacks (especially if poor) are actually oppressing the oppressors. It is assumed that they are demoralising white males as a collective identity just by existing. So speaks ideology -- But not, I hasten to add, philosophy.

Then there is the Freudian strain of victim blaming. This is related to the incest taboo, which infants are considered to show little capacity to observe. Similarly, in parts of Africa, it is thought that adult AIDS victims can cure themselves by raping a child. It should be clear who is the guilty party and who isn't. The innocent party is the child. This doesn't mean that the adult hasn't had a heavy burden, or that life isn't desperately unfair for the adult AIDS sufferer. It's all that way and more, especially when a sense of moral guilt is added to the physical decline associated with the AIDS virus. Nothing could be worse. But sharing the guilt around isn't really a solution. Just because one has caught the AIDS virus doesn't mean that an innocent child should carry the responsibility.