The Future Model of Human Consciousness

Some Thoughts on The Recovering Scapegoat

Note to Reader: PRC Writings is a fluid journal and so is undergoing continuous editing and revision - and that includes this essay. Indeed, given the essay's content, it seemed appropriate to start things off with this Friendly Reminder to long time readers, and an equally friendly heads up and Welcome! to new readers as well.

Opening Remarks

Though this essay certainly has its share of irony, irony being one of the themes of PRC itself, there is no irony regarding the its title. Nor is it the result of some unhappy brain contortion, and certainly no delusion of grandeur. Not at all. The title of this essay is sincerely meant. An explanation is possible.

PRC Writings started in 2018. It grew out of my notes going back to the 1980's on a number of my favorite writers, the most important of course being the great cultural historian and behavioral theorist Morse Peckham (1914 - 1993).

Over time Writings came to enjoy a small but steady readership. But for the past two years that readership has grown. Inspired by this, I wanted to write something with a title that would restate the principle theme not just of PRC, but of my life, Cultural Transcendence, and in a way that would make it unmistakably clear, to both reader and writer, what I was really after.

So, having spent the last two years going over all of PRC Writings, even more than I already had been, as well as adding new entries along the way, I realized that what cultural transcendence really amounts to is nothing less than a new model of human consciousness. In fact, the model, since, as Peckham pointed out, and as I've mentioned in many entries, nothing else like it has ever appeared in human history for which we have a record. The irony in this case is the use of the word new, since what Peckham was referring to was Romanticism, from its beginning in the late 18th century, to its culmination, but not completion, with Modern Art in the early 20th century. However, the use of the word new here is still appropriate. In fact, for most people today, the model is not just new - it's unheard of.

At any rate, the realization, or rediscovery, of this new model was aided in large part by my commitment to three things, cultural transcendence, sobriety, and recovery from scapegoat abuse (especially in going No Contact with my scapegoaters).

Though these three are independent categories, and in no way mutually exclusive, they have become, for me, interdependent.

To these three it's worth adding two others; first, living in another culture far from home, where the individual quite literally has to learn how to walk and talk again, by learning a new language, and by trying to make their way around this new culture that has most definitely not rolled out the red carpet for them*; and second, entering middle age and the changes involved, best described by the popular phrase mid-life crisis, or even better, middle age crazy. Any one of these five is enough to destroy an individual, even one with social support and financial security. But I went through all five at the same time with no social support and no financial security. It was like a giant hand squeezing my heart and head every single day - unendurable. Not surprisingly, and more than once, I almost didn't make it.

*In no way does this apply to the migrant invasion of Western Europe and North America perpetrated be a deranged and hostile elite in its efforts to destroy Western Civilization. Happily, both the propaganda (always cheezy and obnoxious), and the smears (projection), no longer seem to work on said elite's designated scapegoat, the host population of the West.

None of this is mentioned to gain the sympathy of the reader. Rather, the reason for listing all five is to take an inventory, as they like to say in AA, and to state the facts, without which no recovery is possible. For this reason, our inventory list will grow throughout this essay. Indeed, it is, in a way, my subject and justification. Unlike AA, however, in my case, it is an inventory that is more behavioral than moral, simply because an understanding of what we are actually doing is, as far as this writer is concerned, what is needed most right now. Besides, the behavioral subsumes the moral. Obviously. Since the only thing connecting morals, or morality, to the world is human behavior

And by behavior is simply meant People Doing Things.

The use of the word behavior here is not to be confused, in any way, with the old academic behaviorism, or with its replacement, the cognitive revolution. The reason being that neither are behavioral enough. There are many reasons for this. But the most important is that neither one has ever said a word about the primary attribute of the human brain, randomness of response, the attribute to which all of human behavior is a response.

If human beings are reducible to genes and culture, nature-nurture, then the primary genetic attribute of the human brain is randomness of response. But here a problem arises. Search what is the primary attribute of the human brain, or, what is the primary genetic attribute of the human brain, and you won't get an answer. Either they don't know themselves, or they don't want you to know. But they know. How could they not?

But let's say that they don't know. In that case it would certainly go a long way toward explaining their incompetence. If they do know it would explain their Old Testament-like fear of losing their power should the world start to put two and two together.

To put it baldly, both of these intellectual "disciplines", run by those who answer to the hostile elite, and so are in on it, have subordinated science to politics and so betrayed science, which is the model of knowing. That today's elite, in all of our social institutions, is deliberately shoving science under the iron paw of a political ideology that is, at its core, pre-modern, is far worse than when the Church silenced Galileo some 400 years ago.

In fact, the Church's action against Galileo was historically appropriate. Whereas what the elite is doing to the model of human knowing is not just insane and evil, but a maladaptation. In other words, the hostile elite is a threat to human survival. They are the real cancer of the human race. Which means that treason against the hostile elite is loyalty to humanity.

By the way, for those who might dismiss as presumptuous, or even deluded, comments on matters such as these from someone like myself who has no academic credentials, just keep in mind that civilization was not created by professionals, but by amateurs. No. Civilization was not created by professionals, but it is being destroyed by them. Proof? Just look around!

In any event, another important reason for sharing the inventory above is to make it clear that, as a recovering scapegoat myself, the content of Writings, and especially this essay, are written in blood.* Nothing of what I write is the result of academic toying. Not just because I'm no academic (my love for, and interest in, life is too great). But because, as with all scapegoats, my real aim is to tell my story, if only to myself, and in the best way I know how. For me, PRC Writings is the best way I know how.

*Of all that is written, I love only what a man has written with his own blood. Write with blood and you will find that blood is spirit. Nietzsche

Again, as with this essay's title, there is no grandiosity in my use of the Nietzsche quote. I have to write to keep from bleeding to death. I'm not saying that writing is the only way for a recovering scapegoat to keep themselves from bleeding to death. It's not even the only way for me. I'm just saying that it has proven, at least so far, to be the best way for me. Besides, whatever a recovering scapegoat does, they do in blood. A fact easily confirmed by recovering scpaegoats. Just ask them.

And if I almost didn't make it, then it's only fair to ask what saved me. What saved me was not just reading great books and writing (songs and essays), or creating my own job, but, more importantly, meeting the love of my life, and becoming part of an extraordinary family filled with beautiful children. That's what saved me. I made a niche for myself. So it only seemed fitting that at least some of all this would find its own website or two.

And here we are. That's what saved me. But what motivated me?

What motivated me quite frankly was not just wanting to tell my story, it was also not wanting the scapegoaters to win. Meaning, I didn't want to lose myself before dying, which would have been worse than death. And I thought about suicide a lot and indeed, more than once, attempted to drink and drug myself to death, a not uncommon thing among scapegoats. But, even when sober, or especially when sober, I came to welcome the thought of suicide because the conclusion was always the same. You can not let them win - ever! Bluntly, scapegoaters are guily of attempted murder, literally, or figuratively, as in soul murder. If the scapegoat does kill themselves, and this does happen, you can be sure their scapegoaters will be the ones ready with excuses, ready to absolve themselves of any responsibility. I was determined never to give them the satisfaction - and I never will.

But, again, the deeper motivation for my recovery is not just about not wanting them to win, the deeper motiviation was then, and is now, not wanting to lose myself as a result of having been scapegoated. I wanted to live long enough to share my gifts with the others, the gifts all scapegoats have. The very gifts that are often the reason why we were scapegoated in the first place.

Above all, I wanted to recover from the heartbreak of having been scapegoated - and heartbreak is the right word - so as to one day become a part of something bigger than myself. And that's exactly what I'm doing now. So far, so good. But so what?

Well, anyone involved in any type of recovery, but especially the recovering scapegpoat, for that will be our primary focus here, has had to enter into a never-ending process often described as brain rewiring, a kind of psychological and emotional repatterning, that seems to be the only way to recover from the #1 consequence of chronic scapegoat abuse - CPTSD.

It is exactly this that serves as the justification for saying that the recovering scapegoat, along with the culturally transcending individual and recovering addict, represents the future model of human consciousness. Because, as a result of our current and unprecedented culture crisis, itself brought about a scapegoating and hostile elite's Super Tyranny, anyone who refuses to submit to that tyranny, anyone who wants to understand what has happened to them as a result of this crisis, anyone who want to live in defiance of the scapegoater's rules, will perforce have to enter into that unending process of brain rewiring. Needless to say such brain rewiring is the absolute opposite of brainwashing.

The irony here is that both scapegoater and scapegoat are brainwashed. That is, until the scapegoat breaks down to break through and ulitmately breaks away from their scapegoaters, ie; breaks away long enough to enter recovery and stay there.

At that point, it becomes a battle within minds (of the scapegoats) and between minds (scapegoats vs scapegoaters). In other words, a battle between brainwashing and brain rewiring. And make no mistake about it. This is a battle of life or death.

Naturally, the recovery is itself traumatizing. Which would explain why, sadly, some don't make it. The reason is not hard to find. Such recovery is, like the abuse, humilating and infuritating and triggers not a few revenge fanatasies that, though understandable, nevertheless often serve as an obstacle to one's recovery which, obviously, is what helps trigger those fanatisies.

This state of affairs is not only discouraging, it is often debiliating, and can destroy the recovering scapegoat. Indeed, the challenge is not to succumb to the despair brought about by recovery. Because, if one can manage to survive, the rewards are incalculable. The most important reward being a Self that one can live with and, more importantly, share with others.

Lastly, there will be no attempt to be exhaustive in this essay. Nor will there be any attempt to anticipate arguments, since, quite honestly, I've heard them all, and none of them have come from a genuine attempt to address the problem. Instead, they all invariably come from a position of defensiveness while wearing the mask of the shaming parent ready to wrap my knuckles for wrongthink.* My aim here is to simply direct attention to a possibility that for some of us has become an actuality. It's also important to add that not all recovering scapegoats respond to their recovery in the same way. That is not, and could not, be the case. What I am saying is that the categories used here successfully subsume the general pattern of scapegoat recovery. But don't take my word for it. Simply test and use those categories and decide for yourself whether or not they are useful.

*If the new reader is not amused by Wikipedia's Orwellian and irony-free attempt to discredit the term wrongthink by associating it exclusively with the alt-right (itself controlled opposition) then you're probably not going to like this essay, or PRC Writings. As long-time readers know, I have no use or respect for the Right or Left in any form. Both are products, or better - deposits - of the18th century Enlightenment, and as such have not only outlived their usefulness, but are intellectually, socially, and morally bankrupt.

I

Time is moving too fast and life has never been lived so wastefully. Everyone thinks with a watch in their hand and no one thinks of tomorrow - or even today. That is, with one exception - the recovering scapegoat. The idea here being that in this one exception lies our only real excuse for hope.

It very well may be.

Not simply because the recovering scapegoat believes in something, or even because they believe in themselves. No. The reason this possibility has shown enough promise for a handful of us to want to make it an actuality in our daily lives is because, to make it work, we have had to test and use that belief.

And what do we believe in? Continuous Renewal. Which, of course, presupposes a belief in oneself, or a belief in one's Self.

There is no end to the testing and using of a belief. Not only because this testing and using makes any potential actual, but because such testing and using keeps the actual alive and growing. This is what is meant by Continuous Renewal.

Another way of putting it would be to say that we believe in a conversion to a permanent de-conversion. Because this is the only way to keep a belief from turning into an absolute. The human race has been living by absolutes since forever. None of them have worked. That's why, though there have been many conversions, it's always to another permanent conversion. It is understandable that we made this mistake in the past. But it is no longer necessary for us to continue making that mistake in the present, and certainly not in the future. We simply can't afford to.

Continuous Renewal, or Cultural Transcendence, on the other hand, is the only alternative - for which we have a record - that has proven itself to be the only way out of a culture crisis, any culture crisis. Like, for example, the one we're living in now.

The justification for the assertion that Continuous Renewal is the only alternative to any crisis, can be found in what Peckham referred to as The Triumph of Romanticism, that buried child of cultural history. Buried or not, Romanticism was at the time, and remains to this day, the single greatest cultural redirection in human history. The great paradox of Romanticism is that it triumphed while it was being buried. That is, buried in the all too much of the modern age that it helped bring about, and so, strictly speaking, was never buried at all. This speaks to the beating heart of the greatest paradox of them all, life itself, of which, in terms of cultural history, Romanticism is the perfect compliment, or model. Which is why we're still living in it, and why its theme of Continuous Renewal will prove serviceable far into the future.

But Continuous Renewal is not limited to a culture crisis. It applies to personal crisis as well, since, as I said in a previous entry, Cultural Transcendence is Self-Transcendence. This explains the use of the phrase conversion to a permanent de-conversion. Conversion, for example, from the role of the family scapegoat, to the role of the recovering scapegoat, and beyond. And by role is simply meant an identifiable pattern of behavior.

This is appropriate enough, given the fact that today the personal and cultural have blended indecipherably, so severe is the current crisis, which subsumes and helps explain the family and its various roles. A crisis before which most people appear to be relatively or even entirely helpless. The explanation for this being that they do not even know that there is a Self behind the roles they are being forced into by today's Super Tyranny. A Self that is the very source of their value and identity. Without this awareness, without this feeling, without this sense of value and identity, they simply submit to The Global Super Tyranny, all the while confusing the elite's tawdry puppet show for the real thing.

Submission to the puppet show can also be seen as a way to avoid facing, or to deny all together, the fact that there is a crisis. The more enthusiastic the submission the truer this is. From this perspective, enthusiasm is best seen as the mask the submissive and fearful wear to give their submission a good conscious. Either way, a greater waste of one's life would be impossible to imagine. Not that Team Puppet Show is all that concerned.

But we are. We're concerned about throwing away our lives to any tyranny, whether familial or civilizational, that is run by unhealthy and unhappy people who not only do not have our best interest in mind, but who openly hate us. We are not here to serve them. We are here to recover our sanity and freedom. We're here to recover ourselves from a personal and cultural crisis that we did not create and for too long could not control. Until now!

We now know the situation we are in. We know the people involved. We know the problem - and we have the tools.

The argument here is that the proof that Continuous Renewal is indeed possible is found not only in cultural history, and not only in any individual today, few of us as their may be, engaged in a self-conscious act of Cultural Transcendence, but also, and just as importantly, in the recovering addict. But, above all, in the recovering scapegoat, for reasons I'll merely touch on here. Not only because I have addressed this subject in previous writings, but because I intend to expand on it in future articles and essays, and for reasons that will become obvious with each writing.

In any event, for a long time now, without our knowing it, or adequately understanding why, there has been a desperate need for us to build a solid and reliable bridge between Pop Culture and High Culture. Nowhere is the potential for such a bridge greater than with the reentry into society of the culturally transcending individual, the recovering addict, and the recovering scapegoat. This bridge can also lead many away from Political Polarization and toward Cultural Transcendence.

The potential contribution of these three to human culture, along with the work now being done on the scapegoat, shows extraordinary promise and will hearald profound changes.

Again, though I would like the reader to keep the culturally transcending individual and the recovering addict in mind for what follows, our focus will be on the recovering scapegoat, though, as we'll see, there is a common bond that unites all three.

Not surprisingly, the hostile elite has commited itself to burying the idea of Continuous Renewal for good. But, as I've written about here and here, this renewal is experiencing a reemergence. And those of us committed to recovery will be at the center of it.

II

The world has become a completely corrupt and power-hungry technological money machine that is quickly moving forward, and just as quickly moving downward. The whole frenzied and maniacal psycho-money machine is so accelerated that a single stone of reality thrown into its wheels is enough to make it fly into pieces. But, since desperate haste is the best way to avoid reality, those in a rush to get things done roll like the stone rolls, in blind obedience to the stupidity of the laws of mechanics.

The prime mover of this plunge into the abyss is Supremacy Inc.*

* Zionism + Identity Politics + Useful Idiots + Scapegoat = Supremacy Inc. Zionism is top-down controlling world leaders. Identity Politics is bottom-up controlling the masses. The analogy for this social system is found in the family system. Zionism = The Controlling Parent. Identity Politics = The Golden Child, Useful Idiots = Flying Monkeys, The Scapegoat = The Host Population of the entire Western world, or, as they are referred to by the hostile elite - Amalek. Clearly, the Scapegoat's task is to go No Contact!

The Super Tyranny that is Supremacy Inc. is the most powerful force in human history, in as much as it includes the two most powerful ideologies in the history of Explanation and Power, Zionism and Identity Politics.* No entity in history has had this much power over human and natural resources. A fact that makes its accusations of White Supremacy a laughable and hysterically desperate attempt at deflection through psychological projection and moral reversal. Truly corrupt and bankrupt in every way.

*Zionism being the senior partner, as Identity Politics and its useful idiots and paid proxies found out after October 7th, 2023. The amusing and long awaited result of the Left's attack on Zionism for its genocide of the Palestinians, was that the whole Identity Politics enterprise exposed its own hypocrisy. Bluntly, it is now possible for all to see what a few of us have known for a long time. That Identity Politics is to whites, what Zionism is to the Palestinians, ie; scapegoaters calling for, and acting on, the genocide of the scapegoat. Identity Politics is just as guilty of selective genocide as is Zionism. Supremacy Inc. has been exposed as a destructive force with no intellectual, social, and moral legitimacy.

Both of these explanatory systems are intellectually, socially, and morally bankrupt, entirely scapegoat-dependent and totally destructive. Naturally, the bankruptcy and scapegoating go together. Like all scapegoaters they are coward-bullies, who say Yes to Power, theirs, and No to Life, ours. Proof? Just look around! Everything Supremacy Inc. controls is in free fall.

Think about that folks. An intellectually, socially, and morally corrupt and bankrupt Super Tyranny with more power over human and natural resources in the history of Power itself. That Supremacy Inc. is also in free fall is the one bright spot in all of this. But, happily, as we shall see, it is not the only bright spot.

III

That’s why the one way out will be found in the trails being blazed by recovering scapegoats now operating on the cultural periphery. The explanation is found in the common bond that such individuals share, along with the culturally transcending individual, and recovering addict - The Drive Toward Reality.

The scapegoat does not avert their eyes, to use Werner Herzog's superb phrase. Indeed, this drive toward reality isn’t so much the reason why one is scapegoated. That’s what scapegoating is!

Scapegoating is Humanity’s Attack on Reality!

That is, as such scapegoating has been and continues to be played out in our social institutions, starting with the family, the most basic bio-social unit since the Paleolithic Age, to an entire civilization, as it is now. Nothing exposes a society’s weakness and hypocrisy more than scapegoating. And scapegoating can only come from a position of power. To the “victorious and powerful” scapegoater, the scapegoat is “weak and slow.” But, more importantly, the scapegoat is also seen, unjustly and irrationally, as the problem, and the only solution being the complete destruction of the scapegoat. But knowledge and experience move slower than destruction. Which is why, one may hazard to guess, scapegoat recovery is so rare and so risky, since there is no guarantee. So when the scapegoat survives long enough to enter recovery and stay there, well, then they become the solution to the problem that is scapegoating. Still, such knowledge and experience truly does take it's time. That’s why it has taken until now for some to finally beging blazing the one trail that appears to offer us a way out of our current dilemma, the culture crisis brought about by the hostile elite, their paid proxies and useful idiots. That is, a crisis brought about by the scapegoaters. We seem to be confronted today with a great oxymoron - a trail blazed by a slow recovery.

Now that is an innovation! To move against the tide and the times. In doing so, the scapegoat does say Yes to Power, Spiritual Power. The scapegoater only says Yes to Political Power, theirs of course. And in so doing says No to Life.

IV

Scapegoating has always been an attack on Reality by those who can’t face it. A reality the scapegoat represents, not because they own the truth, and certainly not because they think they do. No. They are attacked simply because of their drive toward reality.

Note: Of course, they're primarily attacked for simply existing. But one gets the point.

Because this drive gives us a knowledge about ourselves that most people do not want to have. Hence, their dependency on scapegoating. But, and it has to be said, that what applies to Supremacy Inc. also applies to any explanation of the world that refuses to expose itself to the gritty recalcitrance of a reality that doesn’t care what any of us believe in. That is why no change will come from the masses and certainly not from Supremacy Inc., since whatever change it values is only measured in destruction. Which, as they have proven time and time again, is the only thing they're interested in or capable of. Change will only come from those now on the cultural periphery who are willing and able to expose their explanation of the world to a process of continuous feedback and correction for the purpose of continuous learning, change, and growth. In short, change will only come from those dedicated to a life of Continuous Renewal. An important reason for this can be found in what is arguably the most important component of The Drive Toward Reality:

Self-Criticism without Anxiety!

Specifically, the ability to engage in self-criticism without allowing any anxiety to interfere with that self-examination.

V

And though that change will include those from all walks of life, it will ultimately be led by recovering scapegoats. Not just because they were scapegoated (again, some don’t make it). But because of what they had to do to survive long enough to recover, and what they will have to do to stay there, and what they have learned about themselves and others along the way.

And exactly what have recovering scapegoats learned?

Well, many things, of course. Certainly too much to go into here. But one thing worth mentioning for now is what I refer to as Disparity Awareness. To quote from a previous entry:

Problems emerge when there is a gap between ability and demand. In other words, problems emerge when we perceive the difference between what a situation demands of us and how well we can respond to those demands at the moment.

As to the relationship between Disparity Awareness and the subject of this essay there is much to be said, again, too much.

What can be said now is this. Problems can be said to produce three things in the responder: intellectual tension, psychological disorientation, and emotional disturbance. Not surprisingly, the normal response is to ignore the gap between situation and demand. And exactly what is that gap? Reality! The normal response to a problem, which is not only part of Reality, but can take us deeper into it in our attempt to solve that problem, whether or not we are successful*, is to ignore the disparity.

*Though it could be argued that the opportunity to experience more of Reality is greater when we're unsuccessful. Or, as G.H. Mead once put it in so many words, a scientist is happiest whenever their theory turns out to be wrong. Of course, because then they get to be a scientist. That is, they get to practice what they love, assuming, like G.H. Mead, they love science. And let's face it, many today have been so indoctrinated by an ideology that has nothing to do with science that it's pretty obvious that they do not love science.

The normal respose is to ignore the disparity between situation and demand, that is, to ignore a problem the solution to which could improve the quality of life for those involved. But in three categories, in three social roles, that disparity is not surpressed. The roles of the culturally transcending individual, the recovering addict, and the recovering scapegoat. And, to repeat, the common bond between all three is The Drive Toward Reality.

*Traditionally the only two important areas of social activity where the disparity was not surpressed was in the Arts & Sciences. But, unfortunately, as mentioned above, they have been severely compromised by a crude, blunt, and idiotic power ideology - Supremacy Inc.

This is why they are the future model of human consciousness. Not because I said so. But because what I have said is part of a larger culture movement that is much needed and spreading.

And it is spreading because it is healthy, because it is honest, certainly more honest than anything scapegoaters will ever offer. Above all, it is spreading because its joy is much deeper than its sorrow. And no one knows sorrow and the need to recover from it more than the scapegoat who has lived to tell the tale.

But the other two groups know this sorrow and joy as well. And though the emphasis in this essay is on the recovering scapegoat, the ultimate aim is to join all three, whether as seperate groups united as one, or all three in a single individual. As someone who has integrated all three into one life, I can affirm that, in this case, the potential can most definitely become the actual.

Be that as it may, it is not at all uncommon to hear scapegoaters posing as scapegoats. But they are easily found out, now more than ever. Not only because we know so much more about it all than ever before, or because it is just so obvious that they are lying, about themselves, and about their scapegoats. But because, as was said before, scapegoating comes from a position of power. Which brings us to yet another thing recovering scapegoats have learned about - Politics. This might sound like a non sequitur to some, but probably not to recovering scapegoats.

Because I intend to go into this in more detail in a future entry, and so can not go into detail here, I will now, perforce, be blunt.

The basis of all politics is sado-masochism. The idea in a civilization is to reduce that relationship to its bare minimum or, depending on the cooperation of all involved, eliminate it, if, in fact, such a thing were possible (in itself rather doubtful). From this perspective, it could not be more obvious and disturbing that

Sado-masochism is the beating heart of all scapegoating.

The worst thing an individual or group can do to another individual or group is to make them feel completely helpless. Nothing can be more humiliating, and ultimately infuriating. Because to survivce the individual or goup must, for a time at least, submit. That is, until the worm turns, and the scapegoat turns the tables and comes to dominate. However, unlike their scapegoaters, they do not want to dominate their scapegoater, or anyone else. They want to dominate, to guide, direct and encourage - themselves. The journey to this achievement, and that is exactly what it is, an great personal achievement, is extraordinarily painful, humiliating and infuriating.

But, again the rewards are incalcuable - for many reasons. Not the least of which is that the recovering scapegoat has, in a sense, transcended Politics itself. At least in as much as it has been practiced throughout the world since the beginning of recorded history. Needless to say, without knowing it, such an individual has transcended their cultural as well. And in as much as that culture has operated out of the same political model as has all human culture throughout history, they have transcended not just politics and culture, but history as well. And now we're back to why the recovering scapegoat represents the future model of human consciousness. The answer as to why is found in their drive toward reality. And that drive requires - lento! It requires that we move slowly and think carefully. Satisfying the drive toward reality takes courage, honesty, and intelligence - three other important qualities needed for Scapegoat Recovery.

Again, there is no grandiosity in this claim. On the contrary, the genuinely grandiose and unhealthy are those who, with arrogant presumtuousness, call their belief the “truth”, or refer to themselves as the chosen*, all the while abolishing the search for truth, and everyone else’s choice in the matter. Namely, our choice as to whether or not we get to live well or die badly.

*How is that not racism - against all races? A rhetorical question of course.

That is why recovery is about restoring, not just the right to choose, but the ability to make choices, which is exactly what was damaged the most in scapegoating. Of course! Because, with the choice making ability damaged early in life, before it has the chance to develop, as a result of the abandonment, rejection, abuse and neglect, we have little choice but to submit to the scapegoater's will. That is why it is the one thing the scapegoat attacks first! Just as any tyranny has always done as soon as it takes power - it attacks reality. Bluntly, the grandiose are the fast moving scapegoaters, starting with the family, moving throughout our social institutions, and culminating in Supremacy Inc., all of whom, it will be remembered, are also fast moving downward.

Just look around!

They are the ones who can’t wait. They can not wait to be “right”, they can not wait to have power, and they can not wait to scapegoat those willing to look life in the eye and take their time doing it, since they know that life requires all of the respect an individual can muster. While scapegoaters, by definition, do not respect life. Above all, the scapegoater can not wait to punish the scapegoat for even existing, but especially for standing up for themselves, because by doing so they expose the scapegoater. More than anything, this explains the insane hatred and unintelligent wrath of the malicious and vengeful scapegoater. Their inability to wait is why they are fast moving downward.

V

This willingness to stand up for themselves, however awkwardly and ineffectually at times, is the one part of the scapegoat's choice-making ability that wasn't entirely damaged by the abuse. In fact, it is exactly this that makes a full recovery possible.

Speaking of recovery, now would be the right moment to explain the reason I chose Malevich's White on White as the image for this essay. Briefly, the painting has one square inside of another. But the inside square is not actually a square. It's a bit off. Just as the white inside the interior square is different from the white outside of it. So, in color and form, there is something about the inside square that sets it apart from the outside square.

The outside square is the ideal, the norm, the expectation!

The inside square is the reality that violates the norm! Get it?

A better visualization of the drive toward conformity versus the drive toward reality would be impossible to imagine. And, as I've tried to make clear in this entry, it is exactly this drive toward reality that seperates the scapegoat from the scapegoater. Naturally, there is more to that painting and its relation to scapegoat-scapegoater. But, for now, this will serve.

Lastly, unlike the scapegoater, once the recovering scapegoat has restored their ability to make choices that are satisfactory for them, if for no one else, and are ready after a long, solitary, and painful struggle to reenter society, they still, nevertheless, do not expect what they offer to be believed. Not at all. They only want to be heard and understood. Toward that end, they only ask that whatever ideas or explanations they offer be tested and used.

And that is all that I am asking here, to be heard and understood, though the reader might choose to withhold final assent.

Concluding Remarks

When it comes to the question “What would you rather be, “right” or happy?”, the recovering scapegoat thinks of what the scapegoater's idea of “right” is, and has always been, and chooses happiness instead. And since happiness can never be a direct aim, since happiness can only be a by-product of something else, the scapegoat finds their happiness in their recovery, in taking their time to satisfy the drive toward reality - where all of us find our home. In short, the scapegoat finds their health and happiness in a life of Continuous Renewal. It is for this reason that one is justified in seeing the recovering scapegoat as the future model of human consciousness, as our only real excuse for hope.

It very well may be.