Scapegoating
Blaming one group for a problem with many causes.
In our replies we call it: Blames one group
What it means
Scapegoating pins a complex problem (unemployment, crime, prices, a disaster) on one group, often one that has little power to answer back: migrants, a religious minority, "the opposition", "the media".
How to spot it in a Reel
- One group blamed for a big national problem
- No numbers or causes other than that group
- Anger directed at people unrelated to the event
Examples
- A Reel blames a city's traffic and crime entirely on migrants from another state.
- A Reel blames a train accident on a political party with no role in running the railways.
Why it doesn't hold up
Big problems have many causes. Blaming one group feels satisfying but leaves the real causes unaddressed.
What to say back
"What do the actual causes and data say? Is this group really responsible?"
Questions
Why do people believe scapegoating?
It turns a complicated, frustrating problem into a simple enemy.
Check a Reel for this trick
Send any Reel to @checkthis.chat on Instagram. If it uses this trick, the reply names it and shows where it happens.
Send a Reel