What are some characteristics of someone with a victim complex?

socialjusticefail:

I don’t want specific persons. I want what makes it clear to you that a person you are talking to has a victim complex.

Longer than the answer box allows:

1. Constant denial of any responsibility for their actions. If they punch someone in the face for no apparent reason, it’s because of some nebulous non-apparent factor that’s only known to the person making the claim.

2. Recontextualization of everything, no exceptions. It doesn’t matter what it is, they will change it to make themselves look weaker and thus the true victim.

3. Startling lack of empathy, usually in the face of tragedy on a large scale to other people. The complex haver will scoff at the notion that someone else can have it as bad as they do.

4. In that same vein, downplaying the suffering of other people, especially if they fall into a certain category. That of course depends wildly from vic-com to vic-com, but the general baseline is being callous towards a certain type of people.

5. Endless ranting at a specific subset of people. This varies, but the crux of the victim complex is identifying the one who is “oppressing” them. It doesn’t matter how many people who have done absolutely nothing to this person are caught in their screed.

6. Justification of hatred and abuse. Often times, this can also be identified as blaming the bully, as if they WEREN’T such a nasty bully they wouldn’t be getting abused for being such a disgusting bully.

7. Shielding from criticism, in that they will hide behind a certain movement or group to protect themselves from people coming back at them. Even if they aren’t actually part of said movement. Because the vic-com doesn’t like sharing their status with other people, but understand the need for appearances so that they can have other people fight their battles for them.

8. Constant one-upping ie Oppression Olympics. It doesn’t matter what, the vic-com will burrow under anything and anyone to keep their status. No matter how offensive their logic or how nutty it may seem. They are the REAL victim no matter what.

9. Vast array of logic fallacies, generally dealing in Ad Hominem, Well Poisoning, Begging the Question, Goal Post Moving and Quote Mining. It is, to say the last, not entirely on them, but it’s used as a defensive measure. Also will employ gish gallow (WALL OF TEXT) or Non Sequitors (Bringing in things not pertinent to the discussion) liberally in an attempt to stop the argument.

These are general signs, but the first step to identifying a vic-com is to look for how they deal with someone challenging them. Do they react with Emotional Appeals and Ad Hominem? Do they word twist and reframe the opposing argument to suddenly seem like it agrees with them? Will they, when confronted with the idea of their chose “oppressor” suffering, scoff at the notion and employ sassy gifs?

It’s the little things to pay attention to, requiring a longer period of observation before you can label them as such. They might just be young and immature. They might just be stupid enough to “troll” people by making themselves look stupid. Observe, approach, find their logic and spin it back.