ehowton | Theory of Situational Acknowledgment

I know, spirituality to you is a load of mumbo jumbo, but it does help people find peace with themselves. I'm not talking about religion. I'm talking about shedding yourself of guilt, of anger, of ill-feeling, of anything that makes you feel shame. And then you can focus all of your energy on ascending. I don't know what you truly believe about yourself. For all I know, you use your intelligence to compensate, to make yourself feel better for other things you think you may lack - I don't know. But maybe you could start reading your own mind? ~ Dr. Elizabeth Weir, Stargate: Atlantis [to Rodney McKay after he triggered an Ancient device which increased his cerebral activity and allowed him to read minds] (The Tao of Rodney)

In the not insubstantial task of attempting to catalog not only my own behavior, actions, intents and motivations but those same concepts in other key players, I have not only run across an old pet peeve, but have several times found myself spewing the same pet peeve I despise in others! I ask you, how is that even possible? Complexity. Given the complex nature of intertwined intellectual and emotional tendrils, separating them has not been a simple task. And this gives rise to sloppy secondary control mechanisms when wholly focused on completely draining primary mental activities.

That finally answered, I required a definition for this peculiar occurrence that I was now falling prey to myself. To set some ground rules, why yes pulling this plank from my own eye first gives me jesus-authority to remove the speck from yours! Additionally (and more secularly) since I don't live in a glass house that clearly affords me the freedom to throw rocks. Hey, I didn't make these parables up, I'm simply following them. That being said, let's discuss (y)our shortcomings!

So I have this aversion to substantiated wistfulness, with a side of expectation. Its complicated. Anyway, while I myself was prone to deep pining during the Romantic Period of my life, I've grown quite accustomed to the whirlwind events of what I like to call, "life" and the many changes it brings. And I assume that everyone learns about the same lessons about life that I do, and that if they haven't yet, an explanation of that lesson should be sufficient. Not sufficient enough for it to replace their actual experience, but enough to understand where I'm coming from. They don't have to live their life the way I live mine, but I do expect them to be able to comprehend my point of view as I attempt to comprehend theirs. So far so good?

Right. So my theory attempts to minimize that woe-is-me feeling of melancholy when you are aware of the events surrounding its conception. Surely by understanding the steps which precipitated the (potential) loss you wouldn't be as prone to its influence. Or would you? If the answer is yes, we're discussing grief and while these helpful tidbits may assist in accelerating the process, it won't supplant it. But if we're not - if we're just talking disappointment, or failed expectation - then knowing the *why* ought to be enough to offset that, right?

I was working on another project today and I required an online English-to-Latin translator. I pulled up the first two which hit on google and after I put in my word, but before I hit "Translate" I double-checked that it was set to English --> Latin. It was, and I proceeded. Much to my dismay it gave me a dictionary definition instead of translating it, and I noticed it had somehow flipped to Latin --> English. I sighed heavily and opened the other tab. It did the same thing! Curious, I looked up the word to discover its etymology - yep, you guys are way ahead of me - it was a latin word already. (And because

codekitten is going to ask, the word was quiesce.) Anyway, it dawned on me^* that perhaps I was doing that in r/l too? Trying to define things which already were, as I understand them, self-defined. I don't have to explain myself to anyone but myself, and I'm finding that the most challenging of all.

^{* - What photogoot would call one of my Water Cooler Moments.}

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I am prone to mull things over a little too much; I'm talking about situations here. Going over what I did/said, what he or she did/said, throwing in a little fantasy if/then scenario and mentally testing that hypothesis...perhaps this is some kind of imaginary "recasting"? This is usually something I seem to have accepted on the surface and think it doesn't bother me, but then I'll wake up at some ungodly wee hour with those same thoughts swirling. Gradually, I've learned better how to shut that shit down before it gets away on me. Think of something else, focus on the future, even if it's as mundane as what's on the grocery list or menu for tomorrow. Can't do anything about the past or the other person's actions. Call it accepting what is. Call it letting the chips fall where they may. Call it acknowledging what is within my control and what is not, and most of the worrisome stuff is about things beyond one's own control. Maybe even call it some kind of denial, because I think that factors in there somewhere too. It is complicated, as you say.

Whatever you call it, it appears you have developed coping skills to banish the unwanted emotions triggered by things you can do nothing about. And that is awesome!

(Btw, that scenario running is an INTJ thing ~ a specific function of the "N". You may indeed bounce between ISTJ and INTJ.)

Wasn't her 'S' like 1%? Hrumph!

Well, it doesn't always work, but it's better than stewing. As far as emotions, it feels more about trying to reduce anxiety than anything else. But maybe (probably) the anxiety results from underlying emotion.

Interesting about the N function. I'd like to know more about that.

This site gives a pretty thorough description of all of the functions: http://www4.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/learning/kirby4.htm

That's a GREAT ONE! Thanks for linking. I need to keep a copy of this on my handheld (or a paper-copy in my wallet for all those technophobic Luddites.)

I am glad you think so! I refer to it from time to time.

(Ah, the bane of the technophobic Luddites.)

(Ah, the bane of the technophobic Luddites.)

Which may be naturally redundant now that I think of it...

Perhaps! But fun, nonetheless.

Theory of Situational Acknowledgment

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