Failing to learn from losing is a chapter title in my recent book Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate. Actually a partial title. The full title is “A Sobering Weekend: Failing to Learn from Losing” (pg. 109). Last night’s Democratic debate reminded me of that chapter. The sub-title is, “April 12, 2016”.
Empathy is just narcissism
with a hat, dark glasses, and a raincoat.
That is the last sentence in the chapter. But that idea also appears in the preface (pg. xxi). It’s a theme throughout the book. Also stated as, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.”
The Debate
first pulled embarrassment from my emotional portfolio. Then I thought further and it clicked – oh yeah (I have been here before) – the Democrats have not learned a thing. Which, by the way, is not uncommon.
Evolutionary psychology
suggests that rewarded behavior will be repeated. But then Social Psychology suggests that intermittent reinforcement is the strongest of reinforcers.
And but so we are left with a paradox.
Teal Swan
is a millennial spiritual advisor. (Whom I find attractive in more than one way.)
She poses the question: What is the belief you have that most other people don’t believe? This has been referred to by very smart people as, “The Teal Question”.
My answer is: That first order narcissism is a rare and valuable trait.
Election 2016
informs election 2020. If you, voters, don’t educate yourselves – you’ll get what you’ve always got. In other words, powerful others determining your life’s experience.
It’s complicated
for sure. As are you.
My recommendation
is psychotherapy. But, my-oh-my, the caveats regarding that are … (see the chapter, “Malpractice, Victimology, and the Greatest Problem” (pg. 97).
Don’t give up or in … hang in there.
As my psych-girl says (which I challenge her on): “It’s up to you.”