scapegoating
Targeting the innocent
Scapegoating is the practice of blaming one person or group for problems caused by others or by circumstances beyond anyone's control.
The term comes from an ancient ritual in which a goat was symbolically loaded with the community's sins and driven into the wilderness.
Modern scapegoating typically targets vulnerable or marginalized groups: Immigrants are often scapegoated during economic downturns.
The scapegoat receives punishment or hostility that should be directed elsewhere—or nowhere at all.
Assign responsibility for wrongdoing
- faultImperfection or blame
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- finger-pointingAssigning blame openly
- culpabilityDeserving blame for wrongdoing
deflection · responsibility · guilt · condemnation · allegation · criticism · denunciation · reproach
Being made to suffer
- stigmatizationMarking as disgraceful
- ostracismBanishment from a group
- targetingSelecting as objective
- marginalizationRelegation to powerless periphery
discrimination · vilification · demonization · witch-hunt · othering · exclusion · singling out · bullying
Annual Jewish atonement observance
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- expiationRedress for offense
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
absolution · cleansing · rite · ceremony · redemption · penance · offering · taboo
Collective irrationality in groups
- groupthinkConformity-driven poor decisions
- crowd psychologyStudy of group influence
- collective blameFaulting all for some
- hysteriaUncontrollable emotional excess
bandwagon · conformity · tribalism · nationalism · outgroup · ingroup · polarization · demagogue
blame
Assign responsibility for wrongdoing
- faultImperfection or blame
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- finger-pointingAssigning blame openly
culpability · deflection · responsibility · guilt · condemnation · allegation · criticism · denunciation · reproach · recrimination
victimization
Being made to suffer
- stigmatizationMarking as disgraceful
- ostracismBanishment from a group
- targetingSelecting as objective
marginalization · discrimination · vilification · demonization · witch-hunt · othering · exclusion · singling out · bullying · harassment
Yom Kippur
Annual Jewish atonement observance
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- expiationRedress for offense
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
purification · absolution · cleansing · rite · ceremony · redemption · penance · offering · taboo
mob mentality
Collective irrationality in groups
- groupthinkConformity-driven poor decisions
- crowd psychologyStudy of group influence
- collective blameFaulting all for some
hysteria · bandwagon · conformity · tribalism · nationalism · outgroup · ingroup · polarization · demagogue · propaganda
- family dynamicsfamily dynamics, family roles, family therapy, sibling rivalry, parenting
- Blameblame, fault, culprit, accusation, guilt-tripping
- dirty trickscheating, lying, deceit, trickery, deception
- hostile behaviorsattacking, bullying, fighting, harassing, hitting
- ineffective responsesexcuses, deflection, denial, avoidance, stonewalling
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
scapegoatingaccountability
Obligation for one's actions
taking responsibility · holding accountable · owning up · self-blame · personal responsibility
scapegoatingexoneration
Official clearing of blame
vindication · defending · rehabilitation · presumption of innocence · protecting
escape, landscape, escaped, escapes, escaping, escapee, scapegoat, landscaping, escapade