The Pariah Ploy

9/2/2015 0803 MT// (c) Deacon Gray

There are millions of people who are treated poorly in this world. People are persecuted because of their religion, their race, even their gender, and there is no country that doesn’t have some level of these things happening. It’s a damn shame that in the twilight of the 21 century we are still struggling with it so desperately, but we are.

In the so called “Vampire Community” like any sub culture, you will find some of that same victimization. I have seen situations where people are physically attacked, and somewhere the issue is nothing more than a troll dropping into a “Vampire Community” room for a few LuLz. Like it or not, there will always be people like that, and taking them too much to heart is an exercise in frustration and wasted energy.

Neither of these types of victims are what I really want to address, though both needed mentioning. You see over the past few years I have been seeing more and more playing the Pariah Ploy. “What in the hell is that?” You might be asking, well let’s take a look at it.

First what is a Pariah? The word most likely came from the Indian caste system, literally meaning the lowest caste, a non-person, if you will. In other words a pariah is an outcast.

How does one become a Pariah in a community of self-described outcasts from normal society? Well it is not as hard as one might think. Being a trouble maker will certainly earn you ill repute, but doing it so often that people want you removed takes more doing than one might think.

Being an outspoken skeptic. I know some people will balk at this thought, but think about this for a second. You walk into someone’s church and decry their faith, how long do you expect people to want you causing the disruption? Is it even fair to think you have the right to be that big of a jerk without consequence?

“I have a right to my opinion!” or “This is censorship!” has been heard more than once, but think about it. How is intentionally ticking people off productive in any way to the community? Yet I’m getting off topic. The question is, what is the Pariah Play?

“If you can’t be famous, be infamous!”- Chicago

Recently inside and outside of the “Vampire Community” there have been those who love to act out, then when ousted, they pretend that they were the victim of other peoples: Stupidity, Bullying, or egotism.

The Pariah Play is literally self-victimization for the sake of attention, and defense of bad behavior. People will antagonize and call other people names, act condescending or supremely intelligent, but when summarily responded to they immediately pretend to be the victim of others. They suspend intellectual honesty, push false indignation, and lobby others for support, sometimes will push their own agenda, product, or event.

“I got treated really badly by the mean old VC, but I’m not going to let that stop me from my desire to see the community benefit from my new…” Name your promotion.

I think I need to be clear once more. I am not talking about those who are treated badly for no real reason. Being honest is no excuse for being rude. Disagreeing with someone doesn’t make it OK to call them names, and making threats is simply unacceptable. If you cannot tell the difference between hyperbole and a real threat, perhaps you should lock yourself in a bunker somewhere and pull the covers over your head.

The biggest thing I want people to understand is this: You don’t have to get pulled into the “Pariah Play”. Instead, learn to see it for what it is. “If I can’t be famous, I’ll be infamous!”

There are a lot of people out there who will use anything they can to promote their agenda. A juicy little piece of self-portrayed victimization can go a long way toward getting attention. Instead of jumping in and taking sides, look at it with as much intellectual honesty as the circumstance and current information allows. You and your friends might be being manipulated. Sometimes the fight itself is the goal, and instead of standing up for a belief, you find you were just being baited for other reasons.

In the end the safest bet is to remove toxic people from your sphere of interaction. Sure they might scream censorship, or bullying, or some other highly dramatic thing intended to draw you back in. On the internet you always have the power to unplug, in real time you can walk away, and if you can’t escape them, don’t be afraid to seek help from your friends, but do so in a constructive way.

 

“Beyond this place of wrath and tears

      Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

      Finds and shall find me unafraid.

 

It matters not how strait the gate,

      How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

      I am the captain of my soul.”- Invictus  W.E. Henley