Flying Monkeys

@Historylover, there's some good information on YouTube about dealing with Flying Monkeys.

@Historylover, I have been a keen observer of history and society (plus many other things), I my humble opinion the last 20 years have been the start of the decline of Western Civilization. In any decline in society it's the most capable that get leaned on first. There's lots of people in a similar position who are removing themselves from society (for self preservation reasons). Civilizations collapse from the bottom first, not the top.

I'll look into it when I get a chance, @justanotherguy. I'm done for the day.

Human behaviour, psychology and sociology has been my interest for many years too, @justanotherguy. I agree that it is often the most capable that get leaned on first. They represent a threat, from my observations, and a potential disruption to the established social order whereby getting ahead is dependent on dog-eat-dog, instead of from the desirable merit base.

I became 'the problem' when I stopped being everyone's underdog and rose up to my full height.

I had a look at one of the videos, @justanotherguy. Life used to be so simple. Who knew all the inevitable game-playing we ventured into when we took our first breath? It's not simple anymore.

@Historylover, life was very simple when I was a kid, but human relations have become much more complicated over time. But a lot of the 'game playing' is just childish and adults who do it are little more than children that never grew up. Being an adult is actually a lot simpler than people try to make out.

@justanotherguy In 1980s, I read a book by Dr. Phil (and promptly discarded it). I think it was the first, or one of the first, books of that genre available to the general public that I was aware of. There may have been another dealing with the games people play. These books began a social awakening that seem to have steamrolled into our lives ever since.

I find it hard to believe that psychology has not only taken over conversations but also lives in the intervening years. Psychologists are everywhere and in every situation. (I would suggest interfering in too many instances, especially with children).

It seems that everyone is now an armchair expert, but human psychology is so complex that I'm beginning to wonder if anyone is. There seems to be no hard and fast rules to which all therapists subscribe, so are they all just feeling their way along this very complex road too?

I don't find being an adult difficult, I just find winning at life difficult when the cards are stacked against me.

@Historylover

"I don't find being an adult difficult, I just find winning at life difficult when the cards are stacked against me."

Unfortunately that's been the case for a lot of people. Dr Phil seems to be interested in destroying society more than anything else. Most of his 'diagnoses' have been normal human responses to stress.

"Normal human responses to stress" @justanotherguy YES this! That fact is so often ignored by clinical mental health staff. It was one thing I first asked as a peer worker when I worked face to face with people. I'd meet them and ask "what's been happening/ what happened to you". I feel that is a big difference between PWs and clinical staff. We ask what happened; they usually ask what's wrong with you.

I've never watched McGraw's show, @justanotherguy, and 'show' is the correct term, I feel. Watching other people's private problems is an odd form of entertainment, and discussing private matters to a vast television audience must be the ultimate form of attention seeking.