A different take on "wellness".

[PeterB]

For some years I have been recommending " Games People Play " by Eric Berne,
This is a populist and entertaining introduction to his more weighty " Transactional Analysis".
GPP introduces to the concept of game play..games in this context being a series of unsuccessful ( in the longer term ) ploys that are undertaken to bring about a certain pay off for the player. This payoff invariably involves a short term emotional gratification and a longer term sense of emptiness...which fuels the next game.
Berne gives examples of various games which he gives memorable titles to.
One such is " Lets You And Him Fight " Its self explanatory with reflection..One comes across some heavy players of that. usually people who feel in some way disadvantaged.
Another one is " Wooden Leg" The player sees themselves as having some kind of disability in social terms, and feel that this gives them permission to act as badly or irresponsibly as possible. When challenged on this the pay off line is " What do you expect, I have a wooden leg "
There are many others. It makes fascinating and potentially revealing reading.
It goes without saying of course that from a Buddhist POV the point is to identify and eliminate ones own games...

[cooran]

Hello Peter, all,

Anyone interested may read the book here:

Eric Berne - Games People Play (with attached ebook)
http://jeelchristine.multiply.com/journ ... ched_ebook

with metta
Chris

[PeterB]

Thanks for that Chris.
Aint technology wonderful ?
E Books yet...




P.

[Reductor]

I think I'll give it a read. Thanks.

[PeterB]

If you do thereductor you may initially see games everywhere...after a while it becomes internalised rather than overt...

[Reductor]

I will bare that in mind, Peter.

[alan]

Fairly interesting in and of itself, but you seem to want to make a larger point. May I ask what it is?

[PeterB]

I have no idea...there being a larger point is your idea. Perhaps you would care to share ?

[alan]

You seem to be casting dispersions on those interested in a healthy diet.
I don't see any positive points in your post. But I may be missing something.
What am I missing?

[cooran]

Hello alan,

Where is the indication that this thread is about a healthy diet or even about eating??

with metta
Chris

[alan]

Fair critique, Chris.
I was assuming Peter's post was an attempt to respond to another thread about healthy eating, in which he went out of his way to portray health-aware people as narcissists.

[PeterB]

It hadnt crossed my mind.