Chroniclers of in-group atrocities shift attention to their own group’s suffering

Evidence

When individuals witness or learn about the suffering of other human beings, they may experience distress, and may, thus, be motivated to either prevent such distress from arising or to act to reduce it. This seems to be an uncontroversial view (e.g., Bandura, 1990). When the suffering is due to the actions of their own group, that is, when they hold vicarious responsibility for the event by virtue of their association with the perpetrating group, a different, more specific emotional pattern is likely to emerge: feelings of shame and/or guilt may be experienced. — Emanuele Castano, On the Perils of Glorifying the In-group, 63 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: German unilateral guilt narratives ignored Poles’ own comparable displacement and suffering — Andrew Demshuk, The Lost German East: Forced Migration…, 669; Reminders of a group’s own victimization history increase guilt assigned to others — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 2145; In-group glorifiers linguistically minimize accounts of their own side’s atrocities in written summaries. — Emanuele Castano, On the Perils of Glorifying the…, 55 (+13 more)

Broader Connections

• Vicarious group responsibility for others’ suffering triggers shame or guilt. #complicates (0.75) — Emanuele Castano, On the Perils of Glorifying the In-group, 63