
// signal
Scapegoating is the social mechanism by which a group projects collective blame, shame, or anxiety onto a single individual or outgroup, often to restore order or unity within the larger community. It functions as both a psychological defense and a ritual act of purification.
In the Psycheverse
Psyche examines scapegoating as a pattern of persecution that reveals the fragility of group consensus and the costs of refusing to assimilate. Through literary analysis (particularly in *The Golden Ass*), spoken-word performance, and introspective monologue, she interrogates how individuals become targets for mass judgment and what it means to resist both the role and the mob that assigns it.
A spoken-word performance episode where the host delivers a powerful piece about being scapegoated, refusing to conform to mob mentality, and maintaining individuality in the face of group persecution.
Psyche continues the deep-dive into Apuleius' Golden Ass Book 3, where Lucius faces a mock trial for 'murder' that turns out to be a festival prank, then transforms into a donkey after spying on a witch's transformation magic.
A poetic, introspective episode where Psyche delivers a haunting monologue about judgment, perception, and the complexity of human nature.
Topics that frequently appear alongside scapegoating