Episode 10: When life isn't fair

Why do some people blame the victims? Or assume that there must have been a reason that some random accident happened? How do we react when life isn't fair? In this episode we discuss the Just World Fallacy, and why some of the stories people tell themselves about the world can be harmful.

Content warning: this episode discusses sexual assault, victim blaming and mentions discrimination against disabled people.

Get in touch on OurStoriesAndOurSelves@gmail.com or @ourstories.bsky.social

Music from https://pixabay.com/users/good_b_music-22836301/

Sources: 

53 Times Karma Taught Assholes A Valuable Lesson. (2017, May 23). Bored Panda. https://www.boredpanda.com/instant-karma-2/

Andre, C., & Velasquez, M. (n.d.). The Just World Theory. Santa Clara Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Retrieved 15 July 2025, from https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/the-just-world-theory/

Cherry, K. (n.d.). How the Just-World Phenomenon Explains Victim-Blaming. Verywell Mind. Retrieved 15 July 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-just-world-phenomenon-2795304

Dan, B. (2021). The metaphysical model of disability: is this a just world?. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 63(3), 240. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.14775

Davies, J. (2020, May 4). Just-World Hypothesis & Examples of How It Fools You—Learning Mind. Learning Mind. https://www.learning-mind.com/just-world-hypothesis-examples/

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger dies aged 100. (2023, November 30). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67574495

Furnham, A. (1995). The just world, charitable giving and attitudes to disability. Personality and Individual Differences, 19(4), 577–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(95)00090-S

Gruman, J. C., & Sloan, R. P. (1983). Disease as Justice: Perceptions of the Victims of Physical Illness. Basic and Applied Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324834basp0401_4

Is It Dangerous to Believe in a Just World? | Psychology Today. (n.d.). Retrieved 7 July 2025, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stretching-theory/202210/is-it-dangerous-believe-in-just-world

Karma. (2025, June 25). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/karma

Kirk-Wade, E., Wong, H., & Stiebahl, S. (2025). UK disability statistics: Prevalence and life experiences. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9602/

Lerner, M. J., & Miller, D. T. (1978). Just world research and the attribution process: Looking back and ahead. Psychological Bulletin, 85(5), 1030–1051. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.85.5.1030

Pratchett, T (1997). Jingo. Victor Gollancz 

Smith, Z (2000). White Teeth. Hamish Hamillton Ltd and Penguin

Van Heuveln, N. (2024, September 7). The ‘Just World’ Fallacy and PTSD: Why Rigid Beliefs Can Intensify Trauma Symptoms [Substack newsletter]. Criterion Counseling. https://criterioncounseling.substack.com/p/the-just-world-fallacy-and-ptsd-why

What is rape culture? (n.d.). Rape Crisis England & Wales. Retrieved 30 June 2025, from https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-informed/about-sexual-violence/what-is-rape-culture/