Want to know about willful blindness and how it protects bullies? Here is everything you need to know.
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Willful blindness has protected abusers and harmed victims since the beginning of time. Therefore, in this post, you will learn what it is and how it protects bullies so that you can recognize it and protect yourself from it.
Once you learn all this crucial information, you will recognize willful blindness when it happens and takes steps to call out and defend yourself from bullying.
This post is all about willful blindness, so that you’ll know what it looks like and how to call out all the tactics.
Willful Blindness
So, what is willful blindness?
Bullies with “Victim Derangement Syndrome” hold extremely biased opinions about their targets. If you’re a victim of bullying, they don’t base these views on evidence or facts.
Instead, their beliefs come from intense emotions. And no amount of data or substantial evidence will change their minds.
Reason and rational thought won’t help either. Understand that abusers and their supporters will never change their minds about you.
They don’t care how “good” you are. In fact, deep down, they may know that you’re a good person with integrity. However, these people hate you.
So, they would rather see you as inherently evil and inferior. Why? Because it’s most familiar to them. In fact, it’s the status quo.
Confirmation Bias
Therefore, it’s a given that they will search only for information that matches their beliefs. And they will dismiss any evidence that contradicts it. It doesn’t matter if it’s true or how solid it is.
This is called confirmation bias.
And it often takes someone on the outside to see the stuff those on the inside are blind to. Why do you think bullies go out of their way to destroy your reputation with strangers who haven’t even met you?
These people are virtually unpersuadable.
11 Ways Willful Blindness Protects Bullies
Willful blindness only protects bullies and places victims in more danger. Here’s how.
1. It makes you safe to bully.
It allows bullies to get away with bad behavior. If there are no consequences, bullies will likely escalate the abuse. Why? Because they have no incentive to stop.
This sends the unspoken message that you’re a safe target. And when you’re safe to bully, you become fair game to any and every bully who comes down the pike.
2. It rewards abuse.
When bystanders and authorities look the other way, bullies have free rein. Why? Because it sends the message that bullying is not only acceptable, it’s celebrated.
People either condemn abuse or reward it. There’s no in-between. So, if they don’t speak against it, they approve of it. This only emboldens bullies to continue harming you.
And why not? Being rewarded feels good. And when a certain behavior brings rewards, humans will naturally increase it to get more of the benefits.
Moreover, if others think that you’re evil, abuse isn’t only justified, it’s celebrated. Remember, you’ve been made public enemy number one.
Therefore, it’s open season on you.
Willful Blindness:
3. It Silences Victims.
By overlooking bullying, the people who see it only subtly force you to stay quiet about it. You see? People who push false narratives refuse to engage in any thoughtful or intelligent discussions.
And if you try to hold those kinds of discussions, you’re only wasting your time and energy. Why? Because their opinions come strictly from their negative emotions.
Therefore, you won’t change their minds. And it’s not your job to do so! And once you realize that speaking out won’t do any good, you’ll clam up eventually.
Why waste your breath when no one is listening? Why talk if it only makes things worse? When you have no support, you eventually withdraw, while the bully is free to keep tormenting you.
4. It protects bullies with plausibility.
Most seasoned bullies don’t bully directly. They do it subtly. Covert tactics, such as exclusion, gossip, and backhanded compliments, aren’t as easy to point out.
It also protects bystanders and those in power. Why? Because it allows them to claim they “didn’t see anything suspicious.” Or they may say that they “didn’t know anything was going on.”
Therefore, bullies get away scot-free while your complaints look exaggerated.
5. Allows Bystanders to keep their mouths shut.
It takes courage to report bullying. Why? Because complaining comes with risks. What if the bullies retaliate? What if they suddenly begin targeting the bystander who snitched?
Most bystanders don’t help victims; they either ignore victims or join bullies in humiliating them. And they do it to keep their own butts safe.
Therefore, it’s easier to ignore it to avoid conflict and social backlash.
Willful blindness:
6. It demonizes the victim.
When people ignore bullying, they’re more likely to blame the victim. Why? Because it’s much easier. It’s not about who’s right or wrong. It’s about who has the most power.
Therefore, schools and workplaces automatically side with those who have more power and blame those with the least.
Others may give the victim bad advice about bullying. They may suggest that they “ignore it.” Or they may tell them to “toughen up.”
They might even tell them to “suck it up.” The problem with this kind of advice is that it yields no results. Moreover, it’s more harmful to the victim. Why?
Because it only re-victimizes them.
7. It makes bullies bolder.
Bullies have overinflated egos. Willful blindness gives bullies four things:
- a sense of power
- dominance
- social acceptance.
- Protection
And any evidence that exonerates you only threatens those four benefits.
Willful Blindness:
8. It doesn’t consider context.
Here’s a scenario. Someone physically attacks you, but you defend yourself. Bullies will use your fighting back to make it look like you attacked them first.
They may have seen the assault. However, they still won’t believe their eyes. Therefore, you will get punished.
This is why willful blindness doesn’t consider context. It only sees what it wants.
You may be a great person who would be a great friend to them if they allowed you. But bullies will block out that reality because it’s uncomfortable. In fact, it would only contradict the narrative.
They deliberately eschew any evidence that favors you. Therefore, they’ll only twist the truth. Why? Because, again, anything that disproves the labels only makes them look bad.
And they will move heaven and earth to keep that from happening. Why? Because they don’t want to risk being proven wrong. Moreover, they fear looking like the fools they are.
If the truth about you were to come out, it would bruise their fragile egos. Therefore, they will only continue to ignore it. Or they may explain it away. They might even destroy it.
Context is the death of false narratives.
Willful Blindness:
9. It suppresses the truth.
Bullies go to great lengths to avoid being informed because they don’t want to be informed. In other words, if you’re such a great person, they don’t want to know.
It’s more convenient (and less painful) to hold onto their opinions, even if those opinions are false. Therefore, they must keep you looking evil in the minds of others as well.
And if they hear differently, they’ll start hunting for information that supports their opinions.
10. It keeps the Rumors alive.
Deep down inside, your bullies know your potential and your worth. They already know how intelligent and creative you are. They’ve seen that you’re a team player, and you get along with a few others.
They’ve seen how loving and caring you are. They know that you’re a great person; only they refuse to acknowledge it.
Everything about you may speak for itself. But willful blindness will keep it hidden and revive the false labels.
If you’re a target of bullying, it’s tempting to defend yourself. Why? Because it’s hard to believe that anyone could be this deaf and blind. And you may ask yourself, “Can anyone be this clueless?”
I hate to tell you. But, yes, they can. And they are!
Willful Blindness:
11. It places victims in danger.
Willful blindness can put you in danger. For instance, there’s “a weirdo” living in the neighborhood. He may not necessarily be dangerous. He may be a good person with a heart of gold.
However, he’s different. A little too different. He’s an oddball. Therefore, others in the neighborhood get uncomfortable.
Rumors soon fly around about the guy. Rumors that he’s dangerous. Parents in the community warn their kids to stay away from him. The rumors grew more vicious and outlandish.
However, five years later, the strange man saves a neighborhood child from drowning in a nearby lake. But most people refuse to believe it because they can’t see past their hatred.
Eventually, someone sets his house on fire with him inside. The house burns to the ground, but he manages to escape. Soon, he wakes up, cuts ties with the neighbors, and quietly leaves. Why? Because he knows that staying would only put his life in danger.
In Conclusion
Never let bullying get out of hand.
If you find yourself in a situation like this, the best thing you can do is to give these people the old heave-ho! Don’t even engage with them. Why? Because they’re unteachable.
They aren’t worth it! They’re only a waste of space. So, listen to your gut and trust it.
Cutting ties with those who try to destroy your life will save you so much trouble. Moreover, you’ll finally reclaim your power and live in peace.
Willful blindness is brutal. Why? Because it shields the bully while leaving you vulnerable.
This post is all about willful blindness so that you can know what it LOOKS like and figure out the best way to handle it.
Related posts you’ll enjoy:
1. When Bullying Gets Out of Control: 5 Signs You’re in Danger
2. Safe Targets: 17 Signs You’re “Safe” to Bully and What You Can Do
3. How to Defend Yourself from Bullies: 5 Powerful Strategies
4. Your Gut Feeling: Reasons It Can Save You from Bullying
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