Washington State U student paper: Playing the victim is overplayed

Essay here. Excerpt:

'This victim mentality is self-limiting. Far too many women attribute their personal failures to societal bias. While sexism does fuel some people’s actions, discrimination alone does not account for all outcome inequalities. Blaming others for our situation is often much easier than self-reflection, but avoiding responsibility is not a successful life strategy. Instead, focusing on self-improvement is a proactive way to handle setbacks. Character development can only happen when we take responsibility for our actions.

Victims see themselves at the mercy of some kind of construct such as “the system” or “the Man” and may resign themselves to a lower position than they otherwise could achieve. Many women’s advocacy groups overemphasize sexism in American society and portray women as helpless victims. This mindset does not empower women to take control of their lives. Rather, it places women at the mercy of ambiguous societal pressures.'