Complicit absolution

Ok kiddo, imagine you and your friend are playing together and you accidentally break a vase. You say sorry but your friend tells you that it's ok, they won't tell anyone and they won't get you in trouble. That's kind of like complicit absolution.

Complicit absolution means that someone is forgiven for doing something wrong, but only because the person forgiving them is also involved in the wrong thing. It's like they're saying "it's ok, you're not the only one doing something bad."

Let's say some kids in your class cheat on a test. The teacher finds out and asks who did it. One kid speaks up and takes the blame, but the other kids stay quiet and don't tell the truth. The kid who took the blame might feel better because they don't get in trouble, but really the other kids are also responsible for cheating and should have taken the blame too. This is an example of complicit absolution.

Basically, complicit absolution is a kind of forgiveness where the person who did something wrong is let off the hook, but only because other people who are involved in the wrong thing are also letting them off the hook. It's not really fair or right, because everyone who did something wrong should take responsibility for it.