girldetective

Doing a little idetecting lately, Ive come across one Id like to inquire about.

As an adult, what with stories told and past shenanigans, how does one determine if they were the black sheep in the family - or could it be they were the scapegoat in the family?

Each is a very different genus, and important in the order of things.

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As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons...be cheerful; strive for happiness - Desiderata

Charlatan

A black sheep is more like a rebel that just doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the family.

A scapegoat is one upon whom the rest of the family hangs all of their problems. The scapegoat gets the blame for everything.

One can be a scapegoat without being a black sheep.

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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

KellyC

What Charlatan said.

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Him: Ok, I have to ask, what do you believe?
Me: Shit happens.

girldetective

Or, one can be a scapegoat and as such get the rep as a black sheep.
Aha!

Baaaa.

__________________
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons...be cheerful; strive for happiness - Desiderata

Xerxys

^^ Yes, yes.

A common denominator.

Toaster126

Yes, I have found that most black sheep get to also play the role of scapegoat, even if it is sometimes undeserved.

I am the black sheep of my family... in more than just the ironic sense because my white mom remarried a white guy. I am not the family scapegoat, though. Thank God.

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"The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." (Ayn Rand)
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." (M. Scott Peck)

girldetective

I have had trouble reconcilling the rep of black sheep in my fam of origin with my memories of who I was, what I did, why I did it, and what I felt.

I think I might have been a goat all dressed up in sheep's clothing since I was a grade schooler.

I wonder what problem(s) were being hidden by scaping me.

__________________
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons...be cheerful; strive for happiness - Desiderata

girldetective

Back to the scapegoat condition/tradition. Its origin is Judaic, with a goat being sent off into the wilderness with the sins of the sender. And, that is what being a scapegoat feels exactly like. One might even learn to walk away by themselves, before being sent.

The news is that there is a scapegoat society inthe UK. I dont know anything about it yet though, so this is no recommendation.

__________________
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons...be cheerful; strive for happiness - Desiderata