Many psychologists believe humans are inherently hedonistic, meaning that approaching pleasure and avoiding pain are the main goals of our lives, with several theories expecting individuals to psychologically adjust to the conditions of their environment and the wider society for their happiness and well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, is it ever just or ethical to adjust to social injustice? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a powerful keynote address delivered at the 1967 annual conference of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.<\/a> called upon all people \u201cof goodwill to be maladjusted to these things until the good society\u2019s realized.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He declared, \u201cI must honestly say to you that I never intend to adjust myself to racial segregation and discrimination. I never intend to adjust myself to religious bigotry. I never intend to adjust myself to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few [and] leave millions of God\u2019s children smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n RELATED: <\/strong>What Is Power Without Love? Explore MLK and Baha\u2019i Quotes<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n So, how do people adjust to societal injustice? <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a journal article titled \u201cThe Psychology of Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s \u2018Creative Maladjustment\u2019 at Societal Injustice and Oppression,\u201d published in The Journal of Social Issues, people \u201cignore, forget, accept, rationalize, legitimize,\u201d and \u201cminimize.\u201d Let\u2019s break these behaviors down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To avoid feeling unhappy or uncomfortable, people ignore and avoid news that would educate them about global suffering. However, isn\u2019t turning away from injustice akin to turning away from God? Baha\u2019u\u2019llah<\/a>, the prophet and founder of the Baha\u2019i Faith<\/a>, revealed<\/a> the following words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Some people try to forget our nation\u2019s history of genocide and slavery by claiming it\u2019s all in the past and that we should just move on and not think about those atrocities anymore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, they fail to understand how marginalized communities are still affected by this historical oppression through the systemic racism that persists in our structures and institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While some people may accept that injustice is a part of life and resign themselves to not doing anything about it, we can\u2019t lose hope in our ability to make a difference in this world. Baha\u2019u\u2019llah stated<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish yourselves from others. Through them the brightness of your light can be shed upon the whole earth.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n People rationalize and legitimize injustice by seeking reasons or justifications for discriminatory practices and inhumane treatment. The Universal House of Justice<\/a>, the global governing body of the Baha\u2019i Faith<\/a>, condemned this justification of abusive actions. They wrote<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There can be no justification for anyone compelling another, through the use of force or through the threat of violence, to do that to which the other person is not inclined.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n People minimize injustice by downplaying or denying its severity, blaming its victims, and dismissing incidents as isolated cases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They may compare current injustices to worse past conditions or appeal to progress by citing improvements over time. Some frame concerns as overreactions and emphasize that the harm a victim endures is their own responsibility while ignoring systemic barriers, allowing individuals and societies to evade accountability and delay meaningful change.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow People Adjust to Social Injustice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. They Ignore Injustice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. They Forget Injustice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. They Accept Injustice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. They Rationalize and Legitimize Injustice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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5. They Minimize Injustice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n