Episode 10 - Scapegoats in Society: Blame, Power & Identity with Amina AlTai and Samantha Stilwell
Why do we scapegoat others—and who usually ends up carrying the blame? In this episode, Dr. Payal is joined by holistic business and career coach Amina AlTai and cultural anthropologist Samantha Stilwell for a deep dive into the psychological, historical, and societal roots of scapegoating.
Amina shares powerful insights from her work with marginalized leaders, while Samantha brings an anthropological lens to the patterns of blame and collective guilt across cultures. The trio also highlights the emotional toll of being scapegoated and how we can begin to break the cycle through empathy, awareness, and sustainable activism.
Whether you've ever felt like the scapegoat—or unconsciously made someone else one—this episode invites you to reflect, heal, and rethink power structures from the inside out. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review if this episode resonates with you!
Listen
In This Episode:
00:00 Introduction to Scapegoating
01:20 Meet Amina and Samantha
02:03 Diving into Scapegoating
04:13 Glass Cliff Moments
06:25 Cultural Perspective on Scapegoating
11:33 Impact of Power Dynamics
23:37 Ambition and Identity
33:13 Historical Context and Lessons
35:36 Healing Wounds and AI
37:28 Cultural Weakness and Profit
39:46 Individual Change and Ripple Effects
42:38 Sustainability in Activism
45:47 Navigating Guilt and Shame
51:33 Hope in Gen Z and Millennials
59:12 Collective Ownership and Compassion
More from Amina:
More from Samantha:
This Podcast is Produced by MicMoguls.com
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Instagram - @dr.payalberi
LinkedIn - Dr. Payal Beri
YouTube - @payalberi511
Website - www.rkempathy.com
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