The victim card

The Nazi soldiers played it.

“I was just following orders”

“I was forced to”

“I would have been in trouble if I disobeyed”

You could forgive a child or an adult whose family is being held hostage by serious deadly criminals.

But in everyday life it’s a feeble excuse for poor behavior.

There was a humane option and you chose to ignore it in favour of the path of least resistance.

When confessing it’s almost like the victim wants you to forget about the concept of free will, choice and autonomy.

In this moment, seeking your sympathy, they don’t want to be seen as humans but as an automaton, a puppet and a pawn without the ability to determine right from wrong.

For me an adult playing the victim card evokes disappointment rather than rage.

You knew better, you chose fear and now you’re pretending that you didn’t have a choice to cause me pain.