By David O. Oyetunji, Ph. D.
Preamble
A scapegoat is someone who carries your blame. No where you ever got anything wrong.
You were so perfect and blameless. In all your dealings, actions and inactions someone else caused your failures, mistakes, misjudgements, etc.
The only things you raised your shoulders high for are the successes and achievements you made even though someone else laboured, orchestrated and acted on your behalf. If this is your concept and philosophy in life and upon which you jubilate up and down as an achiever, I sincerely pity you for being dishonest to yourself and humanity in general.
Let us examine the philosophy of scapegoats at each level of human life circle: children, adulthood and old age.
Since inception of humanity, scapegoats have been in existence. Even children, as little as they are, throw their blames on to someone else.
Everyone does it but at different levels of degrees. Those professionals and experts in scapegoatism end up being failures in their lives.
This is the reason why I want us to examine the subject matter for us to be well informed of the consequences if we indulge in it.
Do you want to succeed in life or fail and blame others for it? But sincerely, you are already a failure. You can escape it. Just take responsibilities of your actions and inactions. See what you did wrong from time to time through honest self appraiser and you will have good testimonies to share.
Let us examine children first. The time when you and I were children.
CHILDREN
Many children blamed their failures in Schools and life generally on their teachers. They would say the teachers did not teach them well or they demand for something else.
They pick on parents for not sending pocket money on time or adequately or not buying books. On their mates, they would accuse them for not teaching or explaining things for them to understand as if they owe them these duties.
Many in this category even refuse to attend classes, read their books but carrying microchips into the exam halls, hiring people to write exams for them. Many are unable to enter higher Institutions despite distinctions they have as results. The consequences are obvious. They become drop outs, miscreants, failures in life, etc. Who is to be blamed? Yourself as a child or someone else?
ACTIONS OF SOME SUCCESSFUL CHILDREN
Some didn’t even know their parents or they grow up to know that they have one parent who cannot do anything for them. So, they have no one to complain to.
They never had enough pocket money yet they make up through any petty, unskillful jobs. They were so determined to excel academically and life generally in spite of all constraints.
They carried their cross, follow rules and regulations, embraced self-discipline, hard work and forthrightness. They took full responsibilities of their actions and inactions rather than blaming everyone for their failures.
These are principles that saw them through. Children who failed took direct opposite of all principles mentioned above.
Are there any scapegoats here? No! So, blame yourself if you are in this category. Make amends before it is too late. Many you describe failures in life today were like this too.
They saw nothing wrong in all their actions and inactions but today they are suffering it. There are consequences of actions and inactions but later.
Before the doomsday will come, foresee it and work against it. Your great future hinges on taking full responsibilities of your actions and inactions today. They are keys to your future successes.
