At 03:41 PM 3/4/99 -0800, William X. Walsh wrote:
>Well, people, make your own judgement.
I've posted a number of reasons that it would be better not to have notes
sent about or in response to persons showing a pattern of
non-contribution. The reasons include helping outside readers, such as
reporters, to avoid thinking the person is legitimate, as well as just
reducing the amount of "noise" and distraction on the mailing list,
especially in the hope of "extinguishing" the source of that noise.
I left another reason off and these summaries of phone calls remind me that
this additional point is actually rather important: Within a therapeutic
context, there can sometimes be some benefit in participating in a
patient's fantasies. In other circumstances, all that is accomplished is
helping the person to maintain the fantasy.
When dealing with a highly disturbed personality, the best that the rest of
us can do is refuse to provide any substantiation to the fantasy. Serious
responses to contributions sent as part of the fantasy are not compatible
with that goal.
Folks might find responding to these fantasies humorous. I suggest that
that is like finding humor in playing on the foibles of any other sort of
handicapped person. In truth it is not funny at all; it is pathetic.
d/
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Dave Crocker Tel: +1 408 246 8253
Brandenburg Consulting Fax: +1 408 273 6464
675 Spruce Drive <http://www.brandenburg.com>
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 USA <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
