This is http://www.essayz.com/a9605161.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %GROUP ADDICTION SEX ROMANCE RELATION KASAL SCHAEF 960516 There are many foci which are central to addictions in may inter-woven ways: alcohol, drugs, work, money, spending, business, power, romance, a person, computers, sex, groups, religion, science, knowledge, etc. In each instance the addict is: 1. Dishonest about their preoccupations in life. 2. Preoccupied with issues of ownership/control. 3. Fixated upon problems, fixes, solutions. 4. Attached and unable/unwilling to let go. 5. Seeking love, but unable to accept true love. 6. Defensively seeking security via techniques. 7. Unable to relate intimately and honestly. 8. Seeking group support for their own beliefs. 9. Preoccupied with other people's perceptions. 10. Unable to be true to self and others. In the light of the above facts about how addicts relate to each other and to their environment in general, it is clear that they are bound to operate in darkness, in ignorance of the meaning of their own experiences. They just do not "get" it. The significance of their experiences does not sink into their conscious thought process and dialogue with others. Addiction to group-think is one of the many manifestations of addiction. People become addicted to their particular group(s) and to group-think. Their thinking processes are dominated by group interactions and reactions. They are incapable of detaching from group- think to transcend the mistakes of group-think. They cannot back off from the group-think of their own group and see it "from a distance". An addictive group which is engaged in group-think cannot reflect honestly upon the activities of the group---for there is much dishonesty which is central to group-think. No group engaged in addictive group-think can honestly reflect upon its own dishonesty! Each individual knows that according to the rules of their collusive games of mutual self deception---they will be rejected if they call group-think into question or call the rules of their dishonest games into question. This they cannot do because they are not familiar with honest Love which is patterned upon God's Love. They and those closest and dearest to them have for the most part rejected such love and are not familiar with it. People who are engaged in addictive group-think usually pride themselves upon how independent they are. In fact they are usually so dependent upon their group and its group-think that they cannot think a single independent thought. It is taboo to think any independent thoughts---for an independent thought might expose the fact that dishonesty is essential to making their group-think look worthy of respect. Thus they cannot detach from their addiction to the group which they seek to control; or which they think that they do control. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================