--- In [email protected], "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "jim_flanegin" <jflanegi@> > wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <jstein@> > > wrote: > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "nablusos108" > <nablusos108@> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "authfriend" <jstein@> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], off_world_beings > > > <no_reply@> > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Wow, what kind of born-again fanatic goes to all the > > > > > > the trouble of compiling something of so little > > > > > > significance? > > > > > > > > Good point ! This Barry fellow seems to be oneofakind. > > > > > > > > > > I think he may be having a breakdown. He's always > > > > > had periodic freakouts, but I've never seen him in > > > > > such a manic, irrational tizzy. > > > > > > > > > > Usually when he senses that he's losing it, he > > > > > takes a little "vacation" (vowing never to return, > > > > > but of course he always does). This time he > > > > > doesn't seem able to recognize that he's gone round > > > > > the bend. Not a good sign. > > > > > > > > It's alkohol, no ? Barry seems to enjoy the cheap french vino... > > > > > > He's never been able to handle challenges to his > > > opinions; his freakouts typically occur when he's > > > been getting more opposition than usual. This time > > > I think there's just been too much of it for him to > > > deal with. Whether alcohol is exacerbating things, > > > who knows? > > > > > I don't know if that's an accurate assessment, though you've been > at > > this awhile. The reason I bring up the question is that Barry goes > > out of his way to *generate* opposition, so it seems odd that he is > > then not able to handle it. What an odd thing to do, if true. > > There's all kinds of conflicting motivations > involved, I think. > > My sense for a long time has been that there's > a major part of him that believes he's worthless, > which is why he puts on such a huge phony act > and erects so many layers of defenses, pretending > to be someone he isn't. > > People who are convinced deep down that they're > worthless may subconsciously seek to *validate* > their sense of worthlessness, especially if it > was formed early in life. Barry's smart enough > to know that a lot of what he posts is total > nonsense, but he does it anyway. And he lies about > stupid things that are easily documented. > > You may have noticed that he rarely addresses > criticism of himself directly. He doesn't defend > himself, he simply counterattacks. > > There's another part of him, also deep down, that > quite reasonably rebels against the first part's > conviction that he's worthless, but he doesn't > have the confidence to let that part show. He > has to dress it up in fancy costumes and makeup > before he can actually face the audience. Doing > his I-don't-care act while throwing his weight > around tends to pacify the rebellious part of > himself, while it generates enough criticism to > validate the I'm-worthless part. > > I think he manages to maintain a precarious balance > between these conflicting parts of himself most of > the time, but every once in awhile the balance > tips a little too far, and he freaks. > > I'm sure Dr. Pete will appreciate my armchair > analysis here. ;-) I hasten to add it's not > informed by any study of psychology; it's just my > intuitive sense of the emotional dynamics involved > based on 12 years of observation.
Wanted to add that I'm pretty sure Barry doesn't behave like this in his everyday life. Internet forums are an outlet so that he *doesn't* behave like a monster otherwise. Also, sometimes you see the "Hey, I'm not worthless!" side coming out undisguised. Remember how happy and proud he was a few weeks back about his roll in the hay with the young woman? It occurs to me now to wonder whether that very positive validation may have tipped the balance too far in the *other* direction, so the "I'm worthless" side had to push it quickly back again. But it pushed too hard and elicited too much criticism, and now he can't get things back in balance. Just a guess, but things have certainly gone downhill from that one blissful night.
