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From: jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: BEING RESPONSIBLE
Message-ID: <1441@peora.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 09:18:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: peora.1441
Posted: Tue Aug  6 09:18:41 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 12-Aug-85 02:47:43 EDT
References: <2471@ut-sally.UUCP>
Organization: Perkin-Elmer SDC, Orlando, Fl.
Lines: 29

"Pooh" is basically right, I think.  The notion "you are responsible for
your own feelings, not me" is another manifestation of the "me"-oriented
attitude that has recently become popular.

I think this philosophy derives from people who have been, for a long time,
concerned about the welfare of others, and have in time become worn down
by it.  Receiving no rewards, in the long run, for their efforts (like
writing in Usenet), they come eventually to realize "why, I don't have to
do this, at all!  And I am much happier if I don't."

The problem comes when you then go out and make a "gospel" out of this,
and start teaching it to others.  Soon, people who have never had the problem
of becoming exhausted by too much concern for others take up the philosophy
as well; and soon, you have a group of people who are basically self-centered,
glorifying their self-centeredness by making it a popular fad (ironically,
thus making it a social experience.  I am reminded in that sense of the
women I observe when I eat lunch at Wendy's, who spend their "social" time
together endlessly telling denigrating stories about their friends who are
not there.).

It is certainly true that you have considerable control over your emotions.
At the same time, your emotions are a barometer of your environment, as well;
and this environment includes the presence or absence of others, even of
supportive ones.  It is best not to make philosophies from pathological cases.
-- 
Shyy-Anzr:  J. Eric Roskos
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