Projection is not just hypocritical, it is also stupid
In the political context, we think of anti-LGBT public figures who love to slander all queer people as child sexual predators…. and, extremely predictably, many of them are exposed as child sexual predators themselves OR protectors of said predators.
Obviously, projections exist beyond politics; I use that example simply because it is one I am most familiar with. But, regardless of the contexts, it begs the question: why do people do it?
I have been repeatedly told that “projectors” (I know the word has other entirely different meanings) simply want to put the blame onto innocent others, to put the spotlight on them. But, I still find it nonsensical.
Once the spotlight is on, there is a chance it will move to me…. and once I am under it, others may or may not be compelled to scrutinise me.
If I were guilty of something, I would choose a more complicated approach. Complicated because I have to read the rooms.
First, I have to think twice about turning the spotlight on.
If I were in a position where not saying anything would make people suspicious of me, I would turn it on. If not, I would never do it; I have to ensure the spotlight remains off.
But, if someone else turns it on, would I turn it off? Well, it also depends.
If the spotlight actually distracts us from something more urgent (e.g. tasks with impending deadlines) or it violates the privacy of undeserving individuals, I would be bold enough to turn the spotlight off, assuming the other people have good sense of priorities and respect privacy.
But, if I don’t have any good reasons, I would have to be very subtle about changing the topics. If I cannot be subtle about it, I would have to simply let the spotlight on; obviously, unless people ask me, I shouldn’t add fuel to the fire by voluntarily giving my opinions.
This may be too effortful for many people. But, for me, guilt forces my brain to work even harder, to think twice times a hundred before doing anything….. and, despite not being 100% foolproof, I still think it is worth the effort.
For our grave sins, ones that deeply negatively affect others, we will get caught sooner or later. But, for the relatively milder ones, the effort will buy us more time, which means there is a chance people will move on and forget about them.
Oh and even with the mildest sins, projection can backfire on us, horribly. Apart from committing a sin, we also have to be a hypocrite and accuse an innocent person of something they didn’t do.
We give people two more reasons to be angry at us.
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