Blaming the victim? #Habits

4 Sept 2020 · 1 min

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TJ Walker addresses the critique that personal development blames victims, acknowledging that experts often ignore systemic racism and sexism. He argues some people perpetuate a victim mindset, citing Viktor Frankl, a Nazi survivor who built a significant life despite extreme suffering.

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The personal development community is often criticized for having a blame the victim mentality. There is some truth to this. A lot of personal development experts don't really take into consideration the fact that there is racism, sexism, institutional inequities. But I also think a lot of people who are genuinely victims make things worse by continuing to look at every everything in the world through the lens of victimhood. There is a person who's quoted in almost every personal development guru's book, Viktor Frankl, the Nazi survivor. He was tortured, beaten, starved, had his wife, other family members killed. And yet he went on to lead a life of tremendous significance, fame, fortune and renown. He overcame his adversities. Others can too.