Being a victim and embodying a victim archetype are two different things. Yet, many people failed to distinguish them. It seems to me that there is a certain standard that needs to be fulfilled to ‘claim’ yourself as somebody’s victim. The shortest way to claim that victimhood is by victimizing yourself. But not every victim views themselves as a ‘victim’ and embodies a victim archetype.

There is a type of victim who refuses to be victimized both by the situation or by themselves. Here, even exposing their abuser crimes does not seem to be qualified enough for them to be seen as a victim. Hence, this kind of victim will be deemed as not a victim ‘enough’.

Being a victim and victimizing yourself

The ability of one’s mind to differentiate one concept from another similar concept will contribute to a better understanding of those concepts. What seems similar doesn’t always be similar at its core. Thus, when we accept different concepts and intermingle them into one box of comprehension, we will have a black and white thinking pattern. Our mind is in its limited view and ‘decolonized’ by our own ‘understanding’. When this happens, one will have difficulty in seeing a nuance.

Being a victim differs from victimizing yourself. From a general standpoint, the subject is indeed different. This essay will revolve first from I as an object to I as a subject and focus on intrapersonal stand point to an interpersonal dynamic.

Before we begin, I would like to make a clear statement that I’m viewing this from philosophical understanding hence I will take you first in the physical realm and then to the archetypal realm. Because of this transition, there might be a vague concept. First, I’ll start with a ‘being a victim’ understanding.

Being a Victim

Being a victim is viewed from I as an object. That fact that we are someone’s victim will or will not have correlation and contribution to our intrapersonal understanding about ourselves. It will contribute only if we also use that I as an object perspective and it will not when we use an I as a subject perspective. The first one will not cause a contradiction as the latter will cause. In the latter situation, these two different standpoints between reality and I as a subject perspective will cause a prolonged abuse. Until at one point, the reality will burst out from unconscious and confront the reality like a thunderbolt.

This sudden realization will shift one’s perspective about reality and one will strike back to their abuser or those who viewed one as an object from the beginning. This striking back will cause the abuser to heighten their abusive tactic and escalate its intensity. This is the general cycle of abusive pattern. The abuser just can’t comprehend the fact that ‘their object’ finally realizes and has a different point of view.

It’s important to take a note that a healthy interpersonal dynamic only happens when two people are subjects to their own self and life. When there is a point of view, idealization, hierarchy, rank, rule which eliminates these equalities, oppression will take place to exploit and control the dynamic. Hence, there will be no equality in viewing a situation from I as an object stand point.

Victimizing Yourself

A different situation occurs when we have ‘I as an object” standpoint for our intrapersonal understanding while involves in any kind of interpersonal dynamic. This passivity will make people emerge into their ‘fate’. They will accept a condition to become a tool for someone else’s project. This is the definition of victimizing yourself. You victimize yourself as someone’s object because of your intrapersonal perspective that you are an object.

When this happens and plays out in reality, most people are at ease with this situation and will have a clear understanding about the reality. There is no contradiction which cause a complexity and needs a nuanced understanding. Many will just get along and get used to this dynamic, which, at its core, is unhealthy.

The reason people conform with any inequality and hierarchy within interpersonal dynamic is because of their incapability of equality itself. Their corrupt view by seeing human as an object. This stand point will transgress one to unconsciously put themselves as a subject and put themselves on pedestal. This becomes the source problem of their incapability of equality. As a result, humanity, as the accepted value of equality in human right fell back into the unconscious realm. Many people then ‘forget’ humanity and accept imperialism as an exchange of humanity.

Started from this point, I will ask you to enter an archetypal realm.

Victim Archetype

When we are in survival mode, we will activate an archetype of survival. This is when we are in our reptilian brain. And our reptilian brain keeps our raw information about how we should survive and defend ourselves based on experience, either ours or our ancestral suffering experiences.

According to Caroline Myss, there are four kinds of universal survival archetypes. One of them is the victim archetype.

Victim archetype’s pattern will drag people to become a princess in the damsel type. A person who views themselves as an object to be saved. Thus, this kind of type are those who get along with imperialism since they always have this I as an object standpoint. Unconsciously, this I as an object standpoint will lead someone to blindly believe that they are an object to be…. (saved, adored, loved, given, and any passive form that they believe in).

A victim who doesn’t embody the victim archetype

Being a victim and having an I as a subject standpoint is in fact exist in any interpersonal dynamic. This victim is the one who doesn’t embody victim archetype and will breed a ‘complex’ situation, especially when their abuser doesn’t want to change the oppressor-oppressed dynamic into a healthy dynamic. The victim struggles and (will) come(s) out as their own hero.

Since archetype’s power rules our behavior on level collective,  this victim with I as a subject standpoint will probably be dragged by hero/heroine archetype. And this causes the complexity in grasping a nuanced idea of this kind of victim. An idea and reality that there is a victim who embodies a hero/heroine archetype. Polar opposite concepts within one axis. A victim who is also a hero/heroine. And to grasp this transition, one needs the ability to hold these two in equal power. Another reason why equality makes the dance birthe synthesis understanding.

When this happens in reality, this victim will come out as hero/heroine in the eyes of those who also view this from an I as subject standpoint. But, will be viewed as ‘not victim enough’ by those who have an I as object standpoint.

In conclusion

Those who have an I as a subject standpoint are those who also think that they can empower and help the hero/heroine journey to have their liberations. Hence, these people will become allies in fighting for liberation. Not only because of the faith in equality of human right but also an I as subject stand point will lead to a liberation realm.

On the other side, those who have an I as object stand point are those who will question the victim and be on the side of oppressor since they also view themselves as “an object to be”. Therefore, liberation seems too absurd for them. They prefer to be colonized by their own limited view of being an object.

In this case, every victim’s resistance and strikes back will be viewed as crossing a line. In fact, it is just them who can’t comprehend that being someone’s victim and victimizing yourself as someone’s victim are two different things. Hence, the idea and reality that there are victims who refuse to be someone else’s victim due to the embodiment of hero/heroine archetype are too sophisticated for their simple colonized mindset.

For further reading on survival archetype: Caroline Myss, Sacred Contract