Why we jump from one outrage to another?

The recent Kolkata rape case has stirred strong emotions and reactions from people across the country. Many individuals have taken to social media and other platforms, expressing their outrage and blaming various aspects of the system—whether it’s the government, the culture, or societal norms - some also went to the extent for saying "India is not safe for women", "men are like that only".

As a human being and psychologist, I was deeply touched by the incident and soon when incident turned into dirty blame game and political parties started fuelling the sentiments - I took a backseat and started observing only. I decided not to write about it as what I am going to write may disturb many. But, recently thanks the encouragement from K Srini and wonderful fellow travellers in the 3 day journey called "Atman Ramayan", I decided to take this risk of looking into the complex psychological processes at play in incidents like these that shake us from inside in addition to creating a lot of public uproar.

Why some incidents get a lot more attention and generate a lot more outrage than others?

This was the first question I decided to examine and I see that there is a deep psychological dimensions to it. Over few thousand rape cases are 'reported' (actual numbers may be much higher than this) every year in this country. The average number of reported rape cases has been approximately 86 per day in recent years. This statistic reflects data from 2022, where the total number of reported rapes was 31,516, indicating a slight decrease from 2021, which recorded 31,677 cases. So why one NIRBHAYA Case got an outrage and now this Kolkata case got such outrage. There are many factors reported by journalists and most prominent among them is 'political prominence' - a case that has high potential to gain political advantage is more likely to be reported than the one with low potential for political mileage. We can see the validity of this argument intuitively in this case as it is no longer a rape case but a sleazy-fest between 2 political parties.

However the psychological aspect is rather uncomfortable - we get outraged when something that we value is violated. So, if a poor girl in remote village gets molested, it generated less outrage than if an educated, free, independent girl in violated (as in both cases of Nirbhaya and this one). Suicide of Sushant Singh Rajpoot shook the whole nation while suicide of many common citizens on daily bais doesn't even get a mention in records.

Second, rather more disturbing aspect is that when we see such incidents with people who are in the places and positions the society aspires for - we are in direct face to face with our shadows. And the shadow here is that every man is a potential rapist and every women is a potential victim (while I write this I also acknowledge that rape happens with men as well and women also have capacity to rape, though the proportion in negligible). Jung stated, "For a shadow to be cast an object must impede a path of light. The object that casts our psychological shadow is our persona". The more we have ignored examining our tendencies the bigger our outrage will be. The more you hate yourself (unconsciously) for the potential to do something nasty, the bigger as 'moral persona' you will project to prevent your ego from facing this ugly part of self.

Outrage is a form of self-defence, the bigger the defence, the bigger the outrage.

What Is Being Defended?

It’s important to recognise what people are defending: their sense of safety, justice, and identity. When a traumatic event like a rape occurs, especially one as publicised as the Kolkata case, it can trigger deep-seated fears and anxieties. These aren’t just about the event itself but are often connected to personal experiences or buried emotions that resurface. We find it difficult (and sometimes unacceptable) to face these buried emotions and most easy, effortless and socially accepted form is outrage - focusing on the external and blaming a group that we hate rather than examining self or taking steps to do something to bring a real change.

For some, this case may remind them of their own past traumas, making them feel vulnerable or unsafe. For others, it may threaten their belief in a just and fair society. To protect themselves from these painful feelings, people often unconsciously resort to various defence mechanisms. Here are the defence mechanisms that I have seen happening in social media and shared/commented widely.

The Defense Mechanisms Used

1. Displacement: Instead of confronting the personal fear or trauma that the case might have reawakened, people may displace their anger and frustration onto broader targets—such as the government, the police, or societal norms (Men in this case, Linkedin was full with male-bashing posts after the event). This allows them to channel their emotions into something that feels more manageable and less personal.

2. Projection: Many individuals may project their own insecurities, fears, or past experiences onto the larger issue. For instance, someone who feels powerless or has experienced injustice might project those feelings onto the entire system, believing that the system is entirely corrupt or broken, rather than acknowledging their personal pain. I am sure you can identify many Linkedin posts where people said they are 'shocked' and 'appalled' with the event and go on lamenting that India is like that and nothing can be done.

3. Rationalization: To make sense of the horror and unfairness of the situation, people might rationalize the event by blaming external factors like culture, politics, or religion. This allows them to maintain a sense of order and understanding, even in the face of chaos and tragedy. Most academic people use this defence mechanism to deal with their personal trauma.

4. Identification with a Group: When people feel threatened or upset, they often seek comfort by aligning themselves with others who share similar feelings. By joining a collective outcry, individuals feel validated in their emotions and less alone in their distress. This can create a sense of solidarity, but it can also amplify negative emotions and reinforce a “us versus them” mentality. This is further fuelled by political parties and we see this a lot in WhatsApp group forwards.

5. Denial: Some individuals might completely deny the deeper impact the case has on them by focusing solely on external issues. They might immerse themselves in activism or blame-shifting, all while avoiding their own emotional responses or memories that the case might have triggered. Politicians ride on this mechanism as well.

But what does it all lead to? What is the consequence of using these mechanisms?

The Consequence

While these defence mechanisms help people cope with immediate emotions, they often prevent deeper healing and understanding. By focusing blame externally—on the system, culture, or other broad targets—individuals may avoid processing their own pain or fear. This can lead to prolonged distress and a sense of helplessness.

Moreover, when collective blame spirals out of control, it can create a toxic environment where real solutions are overshadowed by anger and hostility. This is what is happening with all the demonstrations and counteractions.

So, what can we do as a citizen? in our various roles as mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, student, professionals, what action can we take that can bring real change?

What can we do?

1. Watch and Examine what arises in you

In the wake of such a traumatic event, it’s natural to feel angry, afraid, and overwhelmed. However, by understanding the psychological processes behind our reactions, we can better manage our emotions and responses. This not only helps us as individuals but can lead to more constructive discussions and actions that address the root causes of such incidents.

2. Avoid being played in the hands of your own persona or in the hands of politicians/interest groups who just want to set their score and have no real empathy with the victim. Avoid the temptation of forwarding a post that is using any of the 5 defence mechanisms described above.

3. Separate personal from the systemic

If you have followed 1 and 2 you will know what is your personal projection/defence versus what is the systematic aspects that you wish to change. Then, change what you can, influence what you can and accept what you cannot. An action that arises after you have dealt with your own trauma and anxiety will be an action that will address the situation and bring real change rather than creating an empty outrage and playing in the hands of interest groups.

Ultimately, while it’s necessary to hold systems and structures accountable, it’s equally important to look inward and address the personal fears and traumas that events like the Kolkata rape case may trigger. By doing so, we can work towards a society that is not only just and safe but also emotionally resilient and self-aware.