The Curious Power of Blame and the Oxymoron Behavior It Unleashes
Let's talk about the world's favorite pastime.
No, not scrolling through social media for hours on end or trying to decipher the latest TikTok dance craze. I'm talking about the grand old sport of blame. Ah, blame – it’s like the glitter of emotions; once you open it up, good luck getting it out of... well, anything. But here's the kicker: blame, in its essence, is a fascinating display of oxymoron behavior. It's the yoga class of the psyche, bending us into emotional pretzels as we navigate the hilarious irony it often presents. First off, have you ever noticed how blame is the only game where everyone's playing, but somehow, nobody wins? It's like a perpetual game of hot potato, but instead of a potato, it's a flaming ball of "Not It!" The rules are simple: pass the blame as quickly as possible, and whatever you do, don’t get caught holding it when the music stops.
Why? Because accountability, my friends, is apparently lava.
The “It’s Not Me, It’s You” Phenomenon
Blame is the ultimate relationship tester, bringing out the oxymoron behavior in all of us. Picture this: two people arguing, each convinced of their righteousness, in a dazzling display of "It's not me, it's you." It’s the adult version of pointing fingers, but with more sophisticated vocabulary and, sometimes, passive aggression so thick you could cut it with a knife. And let's not forget the irony. Oh, the irony of shouting, “I’m not yelling!” at the top of your lungs, or the classic, “I’m calm! Can’t you see how calm I am?!” while resembling a teakettle about to whistle. It's the emotional equivalent of saying you're on a diet as you inhale the third slice of cake – delightful in its contradiction.
The Superpower of selective amnesia
Blame has this miraculous ability to grant us selective amnesia, particularly when it comes to our own faults. It’s a bit like those diet ads that promise you can eat anything you want and still lose weight. In the heat of a blame battle, our memories become as selective as a toddler choosing vegetables. “I never said that!” we proclaim, with the confidence of someone who has forgotten the existence of screenshots. It’s a superpower, really, the ability to edit our memories in real time to suit our narrative. Take note, Superhero flicks.
The big deep Moral of the Story
But here's the beauty of it all: in the absurdity of blame and the oxymoron behavior it inspires, there's a lesson to be learned. It's about taking a step back, laughing at ourselves, and realizing that maybe, just maybe, we're not always the hero of our own story. Sometimes, we're the comic relief, and that's perfectly okay. So, next time you find yourself in the blame game energy loop, take a moment. Laugh at the absurdity of it all. Because at the end of the day, life's too short to spend it in a game where the only prize is a bitter taste of self-righteousness. Let's choose joy, accountability, and a bit of self-deprecation instead. After all, a good laugh at our own expense is the best way to keep our egos in check and our hearts light. In the grand comedy of life, blame is just another scene. Play it well, play it with humor, and when in doubt, remember the wise words of the age-old saying: "If you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a hilarious warning."
Helena and Brian Collins
Life in Synergy®