In today's world there is an obsession based solely on the use of scapegoats. According to the dictionary, scapegoating is a person or group forced to bear the blame for others or suffer in their place. Some of the most influential scapegoats include Jesus Christ who suffered for the sins of civilization, the Jewish population who was punished for the problems in Germany, and more recently, the US citizens who died in 9/11 who were punished for the sins of America. Scapegoats have come in many forms over time and have been very destructive. The use of scapegoats in our society, as in Shirley Jackson's “The Lottery,” has proven harmful, and an end must be found to find peace. Scapegoats abound in the world today. Political parties and businesses constantly seem to find one person or small group who takes the blame for serious problems. This can cause problems and arguments that sometimes lead to something serious like wars. Scapegoats are just a way to shift the blame onto oneself and others, just so one's reputation can remain intact. This kind of attitude shows how lethargic the world has become, where people don't even take responsibility for their own actions. Many people from older generations complain about how all the new generations become too comatose and reluctant to own their actions and indiscretions. With attitudes like this, peace will never be found and will inevitably lead to conflict. Something must be done to stem the flow of scapegoats that have been used too much over time. One of the earliest examples of scapegoating is found in the life story of Jesus Christ. Whether one believes in Christ as savior, the story of his life in...... middle of paper ......g people take the blame for others; society needs to rid the world of this ancient ritual sacrifice. Works Cited Griffin, Amy A. "Jackson's The Lottery." Explicato., Fall 1999. 58.1, 44.Academic Search Premier. Network. June 31, 2011.Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery”. Literature and the writing process. 9th edition. McMahan, Elizabeth, et al. United States: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011. 137-142. Print.Kaplan, Thomas Pegelow. "The Jewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda During World War II and the Holocaust." Canadian Journal of History. Summer 2007. 42.1, 131-133. AcademicSearchPremier. Network. June 30, 2011. The New King James Version of the Bible. Ed. London: Thomas Nelson Publishers.Zvagulis, Peter. “Blame the scapegoat.” New presence: The Prague Journal of CentralEuropean Affair., Autumn 2010. 12.3, 7-15. Premier of academic research. Web.30 June 2011.