It occurred to me today that blame has become a poison in the bloodstream of our society.

I can’t think of very many situations at all where blame is something that is even necessary. Can you? Think of any necessary blame scenarios, I mean?

I think that we have become interested in blame as a society because we work psychologically to avoid responsibility, to avoid any stress to our fragile egos. In fact, if you ever manage to meet anyone who is, like me, trying to avoid blame in their life as much as possible, those people tend to be those with a strong sense of self that can stand a ding or two, brought about by taking responsibility every once and a while.

And so, instead of self-blame, we attribute the situations around us to others, because it maintains the integrity of our “selves”. We blame because it’s easier than taking responsibility. We blame because it’s easier than keeping our mouths shut (does that sting a little?).

The unfortunate truth is this: we are to blame for everything.

WHAT?!?!?!

I’m not saying that we are, each of us, universal scapegoats, responsible for global warming and the Holocaust and the world-wide hunger epidemic. Rather, what I mean is this: each of us has responsibility to bear in each of these –in fact, in every– situation(s).

The problem of gang violence in under-privileged inner-city communities is my fault. Now, is it really? A middle-class teacher in a rural farming county in the mid-west? Yes, it is my fault.

Because, you see, I haven’t done anything to fix it.

So, before I go blaming the parents of those gang members and the government who doesn’t offer the right hand-outs and the educational system that has failed those gang members, maybe I should just consider the fact that I haven’t done anything to fix things.

Imagine, if no one was able to blame anyone unless they’d demonstrably put their skin in the game. I think that would deal a mortal blow to the blame situation in our society right there.

A favorite quote of mine goes, “If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it.”

So, shut up or get busy.