There are signs of it all over the place if you pay attention. It is growing in prevalence the strange behavior that indicates that a number of people believe reality simply ceases to exist or can be changed simply because they want it that way. Perhaps a time of magic is returning, that doesn't mean it actually works.
So where did it begin?
Perhaps with this....
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Usually we learn that such things don't actually work.
Or perhaps it is with this...
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That situation where we hide under the covers and believe that because we can't see the bad scary thing, the bad scary thing can't see us.
It works at the time as typically what we are afraid of is all in our own mind. Yet, in reality if there were a true bad scary thing/person then hiding under the covers does not make us suddenly invisible.
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Now as we age we typically learn about imaginary things, and that these things are not real. They are fun, they are nostalgic, but they are not the reality. They are simply our minds providing us with these...
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As we age and encounter situations in reality we tend to begin to build up our bravery, and our realization that some things just don't magically change because we want them to.
For example I was talking with some friends in a slack channel about how I lived in a place surrounded by a lot of mountains and cliffs as a child. I remember climbing a good ways up a cliff and reaching a ledge where going up was more difficult and then I considered going down and that was far more terrifying and it took me a bit to work up the courage to do it. We would often find visiting tourist kids stuck part way up cliffs and need help down. I can relate, it was scary, but at some point I just faced the situation and reality struck and I made my way down.
There was no magic scene fade where one minute I am on the ledge and the next I am standing on the ground with a smile on my face. Reality doesn't work that way. There was also not glitter beam of a Star Trek transporter to save the day. I had to face reality.
For awhile now things have been occurring that seem to damage this learning about reality. It is our own fault and I primarily believe it is how we have begun to raise our children.
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We've begun to do everything we can to make sure that our children are protected from anything we perceive as dangerous or uncomfortable situations.
They play a game where there are trophies for the winners? We don't want them to experience the sadness of loss and that they didn't get a trophy.
Let's give everyone participation trophies. Isn't this great!?!? (Emphasis added for sarcasm)
I'd say this ill prepares the child for the reality of their future. We all encounter moments where there are winners and losers, and cases where we didn't get anything and have to watch someone else receive something. This is reality and these situations come in many forms. Fortunately, if you were not kept in bubble wrap/fantasy land then you already learned how to deal with these situations when you were a child. If not then we may see "adults" that do this...
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Why might they think this actually works?
Perhaps because of this...
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If the parent responds out of frustration and gives the child what they wanted just to silence their tantrum then that is taking the "positive reinforcement" technique that so many child raising studies have pushed for in the last half of century and using it to reinforce that throwing tantrums is good.
I've seen so many parents give in to tantrums. I've also observed what it does to the children. I've also observed some of those children as they "grow up". Though when I say grow up I am talking physically. I often see people in grown up bodies with minds that still view reality as a fantasy land.
A large population of "adults" that were raised within this process have reached ages where they can vote, they can make decisions, they can protest, etc.
It is having some effect. It is about the effect I think we should expect in the wake of all of the above.
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I personally have begun to loathe the label/term "safe space". It is so-called adults trying to go back to the first couple of images in this post without ever learning the lessons that came with those early childhood experiences.
I loved to play D&D, I even did a little LARPing. Yet I was quite good at keeping my fantasy games and imagination separate from reality. I can gleefully indulge my imagination without it bleeding into my mind such that I believe my fantasy is reality.
I have no delusions that just because I declared a place safe that reality will then ignore it and will behave as the safe space has been dictated from.
There are further examples.
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I see the fact that things like that exist as a symptom of this fantasy land imposing itself on reality. The reality is that the above designation meant nothing as the Constitution in the nation in question states this.
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With Alaska and Hawaii thrown included as well.
That taped section on the ground is the equivalent of the very first image in this post. They likely were used to throwing tantrums and getting their way, so perhaps they never learned that first lesson. Or perhaps they learned that anytime they said something their parents didn't like they got a time out? If so, perhaps they think the little taped yellow free speech zone area is the equivalent of them being able to put other adults in time out, because they don't like what that person says?
The entire reaction to Trump in the first place showed symptoms of this madness and delusion.
Before he was even elected. He said "grab them by the pussy" in a locker room tape.
Unless you lived in bubble wrap with ear plugs you no doubt encountered things like that and worse growing up. If not, then perhaps you didn't learn on the lessons life has to offer as you were sheltered.
You likely have been in with groups of your friends and if you think back at some of the conversations you had they would have been crass and far worse than the one Trump made there. Context mattered, why were you saying it? If you watch Saturday Night Live, or Mad TV, or many other shows far worse things have been said. Context matters. Is someone trying to express humor. Perhaps you should check out some older stand up routines such as those by Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, etc.
Yet, society went on to be outraged over "words" and even make pussy hats.
Then he won. The screaming, the disbelief, the crying... it all commenced.
We have now spent a year long tantrum where the attempt is to overthrow the election and get their way.
At what point does being an adult require more than just the size and age of our bodies?
I enjoyed reading your post, but I would disagree with how giving children what they want as positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is simply rewarding good behavior. If you give a kid a treat when they are having a tantrum, that is not the same as positive reinforcement. Also, the term used by psychologists that you are referring to at the beginning of your post is called object permanence. Young children have yet to understand that things exist in a way whether they want them to or not. You are correct that some behaviors of adults suggest that they may not have totally moved on from this.
No Positive Reinforcement is giving a positive response to an action. Negative reinforcement is giving a negative response. Rewarding for good behavior is what they are told they should do. That is a subset of positive reinforcement. Positive Reinforcement is larger than that. Rewarding a child that is throwing a tantrum by giving them what they want is a POSITIVE reinforcement of the behavior. Spanking the child, or telling them "keep it up and you won't get X either" is negative reinforcement.
Both can be abused. Young children often understand a lot more than people think. Sometimes the understand less than people think. As a father of six every one of my children was different.
You're correct. I had to look it up, but I see what you are saying. Basically, I think positive reinforcement should be used as a good thing, but if parents give in to tantrums by giving them what they want, then that is how it can be bad. Seems like everything in life is about finding a correct balance.
Correct. I spanked my children. Yet I did so under very specific rules and they know what those were. I would tell them before I was going to do it. NO EMPTY THREATS. It wasn't an immediate thing it was reserved for if they kept doing something over and over regardless of what was said or done. Yet, once I told them "If you do that again you are going to get a spanking". If they did it again. They got a spanking. My wife if she gave it to them would be crying while she spanked them and often her crying had more impact than the spanking. Yet, we did not give our children empty threats.
The ONLY time they ever got a spanking without a warning is if they did something life threatening to themselves or someone else such as shoving their 2 year old brother off the top of a bunk bed.
The result?
I spanked each of my children less times than I could count with one hand. I didn't have to. They were respectful of me and others, and they still are to this day. (All adults - half of them with kids of their own)
Conversely I had friends who would never do this. They did use a lot of empty threats and I watched their kids walk all over them and other adults, and even stick their tongues out at the back of their parent's head while smiling after an "empty threat" from their parents.
Spanking can be abused. Yet even reality uses negative reinforcement for some things. Thus, why we have pain receptors.
I believe we should address ABUSE. We shouldn't treat everyone like ABUSERS. Meaning if someone actually abuses a child, deal with them. Don't try to pass overarching laws that impact everyone. That doesn't work.
Also each of my six children were very different. It was a challenge and adventure. What one might respond well to, another would not. So it was an adventure of finding what worked for each child. There was no one method, or one size fits all that worked.
Mhh where did it start, one of the BIG questions, BUT where does it end ???
Its getting crazy/creepy more and more ,...
MONSTERS under the bed
is why I have a teddy bear.
never go to bed without it.
Heh... I like monsters.
At this point some screaming anti-trump under my bed would be closer to a monster. At least until they encountered the reality of me shooting them. :)
I approve of your message.
I second it!
Spare not the rod..... At age 13 I was an adult, so when I see these safe zones and these glorified whiny brats I see the failure of their parents to set some ground rules that would have educated them in reality (a switching would have cured so much). Another great topic!
I actually got distracted writing this. Which means I still need to write about what I intended to write about when I started this. :)
I agree, yet I failed to even write about what inspired me in the first place. Which means I simply need to write another post.
Looking forward to reading it...
Follow and vote me please ☺I did the same for you 😇
That's good question..
Thank's for sharing
great content
The funny thing is that Trump is the biggest baby and half of his staff busy with just making sure he doesn't see things that upset him and that he gets his daily dose of praise.