The just-world hypothesis (also called the just-world theory, just-world fallacy, just-world effect, or just-world phenomenon) refers to the tendency for people to want to believe that the world is fundamentally just. As a result, when they witness an otherwise inexplicable injustice, they will rationalize it by searching for things that the victim might have done to deserve it. This deflects their anxiety, and lets them continue to believe the world is a just place, but often at the expense of blaming victims for things that were not, objectively, their fault.
Another theory entails the need to protect one's own sense of invulnerability. This inspires people to believe that rape, for example, only happens to those who deserve or provoke the assault. This is a way of feeling safer. If the potential victim avoids the behaviors of the past victims then they themselves will remain safe and feel less vulnerable.
Another theory entails the need to protect one's own sense of invulnerability. This inspires people to believe that rape, for example, only happens to those who deserve or provoke the assault. This is a way of feeling safer. If the potential victim avoids the behaviors of the past victims then they themselves will remain safe and feel less vulnerable.
On the contrary to this theory or hypothesis there are many cruel, selfish are dare I say wicked people who end up with enjoyable lives, being rich and lavished in all the luxuries a person could want. While on the other hand innocent people suffer all of their lives and die a miserable death.
Kids born in Africa starving who are orphaned and waste away slowly from malnutrition. Often times of treatable if not curable diseases. Such as malaria or HIV.
Rwandan murderers living happily in the UK. Janjaweed getting away with blue murder. These people aren't suffering at all yet they have committed atrocities. How about some of the German top ranking officers responsible for the horrific genocide. They would just say I was following orders, very few got any jail time and if they did it wasn't long at all.
What did these victims do to attract that into their life? One could argue karma from another life but if you don't believe in reincarnation then their is no logic behind that.
There are many example that in fact this world is not just. James L. Bulger, Joe Luis Saenz. The former a mob boss who was responsible for many deaths and was the #2 most wanted guy(now #1) next to Osama bin laden. The latter murdered two gang members. Then he told his girlfriend and in order to keep that quiet he kidnapped, raped and murdered her. In 2008 he went to this guy's house and murdered him and it was caught on the guys surveillance video.
This man is living free while their are four victims dead where's the just world? He was even in a stretch limo when he showed up at the fourth victim's house with many other people. He must be fairly well liked, and dare I say respected and living a fairly lavish life despite being a conscienceless murderer.
How about Casey Anthony that little girl who got murdered and her mother is on trial for being neglectful and responsible for the homicide. What did the little girl to deserve that... nothing at all. It's merely a horrible injustice.
This is my rant for the day. Victim blaming is wrong on so many levels, especially if you're doing it in order to reduce anxiety. Using rationalization to justify that the victim deserves a horrible fate, is only a selfish attempt and coming to grips with the fact that the real world is very cruel and in many cases it doesn't really matter what kind of person you are. Fate can be evil.