Yet, amid the genuine fight for equity, a new phenomenon has emerged. I call it the victimhood economy. It is a landscape where identity-based grievances can be commodified, outrage is monetized, and a perpetual narrative of oppression is strategically used for personal, professional, or political gain.
In 2019, actor Jussie Smollett claimed to be the victim of a racist and homophobic hate crime in Chicago. He received an outpouring of support from celebrities, politicians, and the public. However, it was later revealed through a police investigation that the attack was staged.
When individuals or groups repeatedly frame themselves as perpetual victims, often to gain sympathy, avoid accountability, or manipulate perceptions despite having the agency or support to change their circumstances. It’s a subtle yet potent form of emotional manipulation that can disrupt team dynamics and organizational progress.
Today, we will unpack how some professionals and organizations benefit from a continuous victim narrative and what it’s silently costing teams, trust, innovation, and society at large.
1. Victimhood as Currency in Corporate Clout
In today’s workplace, being seen as oppressed can confer moral authority. Individuals who claim marginalization, whether valid or exaggerated, often become untouchable, immune to critique, and elevated in company influence.
There was the case of a mid-level employee in a media firm who frequently cited microaggressions and systemic bias to shut down performance feedback. The company, fearing backlash, reassigned their manager instead of addressing the real issues (i.e. missed deadlines and disruptive behavior).
History provides us with the responsible use of advocacy. The Civil Rights Movement of the mid-1950s emphasized resilience, collective progress, and character-driven advocacy. Today’s misuse of victimhood often pivots toward personal leverage rather than collective upliftment.
When we allow victimhood to thrive, merit is sidelined, and psychological safety diminishes as colleagues fear honest dialogue in our organizations.
2. The Monetization of Oppression on Social Media
Influencers and self-proclaimed activists now build entire platforms around their identity struggles. While some stories are authentic, others are curated to generate outrage, sympathy, and monetized attention.
A 2023 Pew Research study revealed that identity-based activism accounts for over 60% of viral Twitter (X) content among Gen Z audiences.
There was an instance where an online personality garnered a six-figure brand deal after a viral post about workplace discrimination. Weeks later, former colleagues shared that the incident had been grossly misrepresented.
When we allow victimhood to thrive, authentic stories are drowned in performative ones. Trust in real advocacy erodes.
3. Weaponizing DEI to Avoid Accountability
DEI programs are designed to foster fairness. But in some companies, individuals misuse DEI language to deflect from underperformance or poor behavior.
In a Coaching Session, I observed how a client (who was rated as underperforming team leader) repeatedly used “emotional safety” claims to avoid disciplinary action. When her colleagues expressed concern, rather than deal with the issue of accountability, they were labeled “insensitive” or “tone-deaf” by the organization.
When we allow victimhood to thrive, DEI becomes diluted. It shifts from a tool of empowerment to a tool of manipulation.
4. Creating Identity-Based Gatekeeping
In the victimhood economy, certain individuals take it upon themselves to police who is “allowed” to speak on specific topics.
I once dealt with a situation where a white male executive was removed from leading a gender equity initiative because “his voice didn’t count,” despite being a longtime ally with tangible results.
When we allow victimhood to thrive, collaboration shrinks and dialogue becomes divisive.
If we are truly invested in driving an inclusive culture of peak performance, we must remember that Identity should invite more voices to the table, not fewer.
5. The Rise of the Oppression Olympics
A subtle competition now exists in some circles. It is about who has suffered more. This hierarchy of hurt turns shared struggles into comparative battles.
During a leadership retreat I facilitated, team members began “ranking” whose communities faced more historic oppression. The focus shifted from strategic planning to identity sparring in ethnicity, gender and religion.
If we truly want to mainstream an inclusive culture of peak performance, we must remember that no one is receiving a trophy suffering. We must confront issues head on. Else, empathy will be replaced with one-upmanship and it will halt the progress of our orgnizations.
Conclusion: From Victimhood to Value
Victimhood, when rooted in truth, deserves visibility. But when monetized, exaggerated, or manipulated, it morphs into a culture of entitlement, fragility, and performance. It costs real victims their credibility. It costs organizations their clarity. And it costs society its sense of shared responsibility.
The solution isn’t to silence voices but to elevate integrity. Let’s move from identity economics to value economics. From performative pain to principled leadership.
Because in the end, resilience not resentment is what changes the world.
Next Steps
If you need help rebalancing advocacy with accountability in your culture or you want to train your team on how to lead with empathy and excellence, contact us on +2347026668008 or [email protected]
Let’s break the cycle of victimhood capitalism and rebuild with clarity, courage, and character.
