Thom Hartmann and the Goalie Mask principle -- we should protect all of us.

[Akamai]

Thom has had over the years some great observations on human behaviors.

One of the best was this:

Thom referred to research focusing on face masks for goalies.

He said:

"If one asked individual goalies if they wanted a face masks, they individually said no. If the goalies were asked if everyone should be required to wear a face-mask, the majority said yes."

The point, I think, is that we are willing to join together to help the greater good, if we share the pain. I sure am.

Go Bernie! Go Thom Hartmann!

[donco]

1. Hhhmm...Goalie Mask

JUST might be a good feature to wear to a trump rally.

[Rebkeh]

2. I love Thom but I don't agree on this one

At some point, you cross over into co-dependence. It's still way too early to be thinking like that.. maybe after the general but not now. Conflict is not always a bad thing, it's often necessary. I'm not talking about destruction, I'm talking about constructive conflict. We are supposed to be focused on differences right now, that's the whole point. It's okay, the sky will not fall if we don't have constant 24/7/365 harmony. It's imbalanced to expect that, not even nature does that. If the party is going to fall apart, then let it fall apart. No attachment, let it be.

Unity is all great, of course, but toxic tribalism, enabling the people that bring everybody down, is, well... toxic.

We can't have unity in this environment anyway, not until the environment changes. So, we need to let it change.

I'm in the "let's deal with reality" camp. The party may be beyond saving, let it transmute (or transform), let it shed its old skin. I'm of the "let's get out of our own way" thinking.

We won't know how it plays out until November, maybe sooner. Until then, I'm not enabling the people that are killing us by resisting reality.

In 2008, we had no choice but to unite, it was a different time. In 2016, we do have a choice. Change is coming, we can do it easy (with President Sanders) or we can do it hard. But we are going to do it one way or the other.

Just my .02

[revbones]

4. Excellent points.

Nothing really to add, just thought it was worthy of someone saying that.

[Rebkeh]

7. Thanks :)

[Akamai]

9. You don't think we are codependent? If so, you are very, very

wrong.

Incredibly and utterly wrong. Maybe you misread the general ideas, etc.

We are --in essence -- rowing together in this storm of life and depend on the accommodations of others and they depend on the accommodations that we make.

Another image Thom uses is that of a person who walks into a 7-11 and chews into a candy bar. Thom says that when we enter that store we accept a variety of responsibilities, including the responsibility to pay for the candy bar we have bitten into.

We enter a society structured with benefits and responsibilities and we have to live up to these.

Or maybe I am off on a tangent.

Please tell me my error.

[Rebkeh]

12. No, that's not what I mean

Let me clarify. What you describe is interdependence and I agree 100% with that.

I'm using a psychological term normally used for dysfunctional relationships due to addiction or other form of self harm. The enabler hurts him or herself by supporting the addict. For example, a parent that helps an addicted spouse by giving him or her money for drugs is hurting not only him or herself, but the children too. The whole family suffers - you do not want unity in that situation.

Codependent relationships are a type of dysfunctional helping relationship where one person supports or enables another person's addiction, poor mental health, immaturity, irresponsibility, or under-achievement.

This is not a "rowing together" thing, this is refusing to help the other rowers lead everyone else over the waterfall. When 1/3 of the rowers are trying desperately to counter-row to go a different direction but it isn't working, at some point you get out of the boat and start swimming. If the republican party falls apart, and it's becoming increasingly obvious it is going to, it's likely the democrats will try to save it (co dependence). I think that's a mistake, it won't solve anything, only delay the inevitable. There are a lot of ways it could play out. That's just one scenario.

I don't think enabling the party is a good idea, that's all. Eventually, and it may not be until 2020 or later, the democratic party is going to have a reality check. We need to be prepared.

I'm not talking about disorder and chaos, I'm talking about the fears of disorder and chaos actually creating fear and chaos itself. We can't let those fears keep us in the boat.

If the party falls apart - let it. The sky will not fall. We can rebuild, restore or recreate.

[Akamai]

15. Your explanation makes a lot of sense to me -- I wish I could

have seen your differentiation earlier, between co- and interdependence. I sure withdraw any criticism I made of your post.

[Rebkeh]

16. No problem

I should have been clearer.

[Akamai]

17. Rebkeh -- again I thank you and I apologize for misinterpreting what you said. My bad.

[Rebkeh]

18. None needed

You made me realize that I didn't explain my point with enough clarity. It's actually something I need to work on. You aren't the first.

Thank you.

[ebayfool]

10. Awesome post, Rebkeh! TY and wish I could rec it!

I tried to formulate a cogent response, but damned if I could add a word. You have said it all for me, clean and succinct. TY.

[artislife]

11. Crab barreling.

There is a life cycle to everything, from plants to civilizations. It is the nature of things.

Sometimes it is best to let the field lay fallow.

[Rebkeh]

3. I think of the party like an old house or car that's in need of repair

We just don't yet know the degree of repair we will need.

The foundation might still be good, so rebuild.

Framing, floors, window replacement .. Easy enough to do. But a cracked foundation ... Uhhmm. Start over.

Meanwhile, people are focused on making cosmetic improvements, not even acknowledging the hole in the roof and talking about wallpaper choices.

I'm oversimplifying it but you get what I mean.

[TDale313]

5. The party has huge structural problems.

It needs serious reform (at the very least) Many of the Hillary supporters refuse to acknowledge that. Half the party is supporting the 74 year old Democratic Socialist who wasn't even a Dem until a short time ago. The establishment needs to wake up. Huge numbers of people across the political spectrum want change- they see the system is broken and rigged. We need a populist movement in this country. If we on the left can't figure out how to address this and speak to issues affecting the young and the disaffected working class the Repugs will. Just look at Trump.

[Rebkeh]

6. Indeed, it does. And they are out of touch

Trump doesn't inspire me to unite. Love inspires me. Hate repels me ... The Democratic party needs to realize that fear can only go so far.

[TDale313]

8. Agreed. Give people something to vote for. n/t

[artislife]

13. I do see the rise of Trump and Bernie

coming from the realization that the parties are a club, and as George Carlin puts it, we don't belong.

How we decide to react to that knowledge is either one of fear and scarcity mentality (Trump) or determination and community (Sanders). I think we have to be bold. We don't have a lot of time.

[Rebkeh]

14. I agree wholeheartedly