Buddy
The Living Force
Hi Lisa. I'm sorry you're having to experience this apparent psychological reversal by a previous co-worker. I don't know much about people with 'handlers', but I am familiar with how basic beliefs involving personal powerlessness and personal worthlessness can drive similar changes in behavior in some people.
In fact, I've recently finished re-reading A Structural Theory of Narcissism and Psychopathy, having found myself interested in the 'roots' of certain behaviors. As a brief reminder, Wolf and Kohut (though they are speaking mainly in terms of a group) seem to ascribe similar motivations for their thesis as Robert Fritz does in his The Path of Least Resistance: basically feeling helpless and powerless.
But I was also thinking that if you add that to what psychologist Albert Ellis called the "worthless-piece-of-sh*t" syndrome, one might then see how the "victim" of this syndrome could deny this aspect of self--to split off from and project their "bad self" onto some other target--say, all Jews. I can't say for sure, of course, but for all I know, perhaps that "woman who used to date one of the people who were stalking me on the internet" played the key role here? At any rate, this particular pattern is as old as history and knowingly exploited by people in positions to influence others. And he is certainly not going to see it since he's right in the middle of it.
And as if all that weren't enough, there is Gurdjieff and Don Juan explaining how people on a path can come to a point where they do a 180, turning against the 'teacher' or 'joining the petty tyrants.'
You may already know all this, so I just wanted to say thanks for posting your thoughts and feelings. I'm sure it feels bad to experience this kind of thing from people you've worked with. When pressure mounts, more people may experience this phenomena from their 'friends', so don't be sad and disheartened for long.
You have a winner mentality that deserves to be supported all the way, OSIT. :)
In fact, I've recently finished re-reading A Structural Theory of Narcissism and Psychopathy, having found myself interested in the 'roots' of certain behaviors. As a brief reminder, Wolf and Kohut (though they are speaking mainly in terms of a group) seem to ascribe similar motivations for their thesis as Robert Fritz does in his The Path of Least Resistance: basically feeling helpless and powerless.
But I was also thinking that if you add that to what psychologist Albert Ellis called the "worthless-piece-of-sh*t" syndrome, one might then see how the "victim" of this syndrome could deny this aspect of self--to split off from and project their "bad self" onto some other target--say, all Jews. I can't say for sure, of course, but for all I know, perhaps that "woman who used to date one of the people who were stalking me on the internet" played the key role here? At any rate, this particular pattern is as old as history and knowingly exploited by people in positions to influence others. And he is certainly not going to see it since he's right in the middle of it.
And as if all that weren't enough, there is Gurdjieff and Don Juan explaining how people on a path can come to a point where they do a 180, turning against the 'teacher' or 'joining the petty tyrants.'
You may already know all this, so I just wanted to say thanks for posting your thoughts and feelings. I'm sure it feels bad to experience this kind of thing from people you've worked with. When pressure mounts, more people may experience this phenomena from their 'friends', so don't be sad and disheartened for long.
You have a winner mentality that deserves to be supported all the way, OSIT. :)