The Recomposed Self

Shelby Steele wrote an excellent book about sixteen years ago entitled The Content of Our Character. In it he wrote a chapter about what he called The Recomposed Self. It is an amazing concept that is very much alive today, and not just with blacks. Steele shows how in order not to face one's fears and perceived vulnerabilities, one denies those feelings, then distorts reality to some other theme, most commonly that of victimization. When we choose to think of ourselves as victims, we are released from responsibility to face our difficulty rationally, spared some guilt and accountability, and our innocence is restored. Anybody think this applies to today's world? How about to each of us as individuals?