Call this a really big deal as far as I am concerned. At the very least, a connect the dots moment. Below is a link on political correctness. (and in case you are interested, my biggest post JW challenge.
The One Personality Trait You Shouldn't Trust
The main point of this blog is that overly polite, overly politically correct people are not to be trusted, that there is always an agenda underneath, just waiting to blow up a relationship or business.
Enter JW's. And me.
All my life, I learned by imitating the elders and knocking on doors how I could relate to everybody. That's the one whole key to JW's, when you first meet one, they try to relate to you. That is the whole point behind the 'How to Overcome Conversation Stoppers' in the old Reasoning book. The one key technique is to overcome any genuine objection by diving right into it as if it were a pool.
Christian? So are JW's. Muslim? Hey, you are monotheistic, just like us? Atheist? Can't blame you, we can show you everything wrong with all religions. (of course our's is the one true one...) Agnostic? Hey, we JW's are on that same road, sometimes we get confused about things like Gentile Times, 1914, the word generation. Sometimes, we can't find our own @$$ with two hands and a flashlight.
That is why the GB, and most "company man" elders seem so.... vanilla. They smile with a far away look in their eye. Whether it be at a householder's door, or dealing with someone at the KH, an elder is always looking to relate, to put you at ease, in order so that they can influence whatever discussion or situation they are in.
It's called Manipulation 101.
Of course, we all know that, but I find in myself this horrific tendency to carry on with all the influence that the elders have taught me, to try and relate to anyone and everyone, at the expense of.....
At the expense of me. Something I see in many other former JW's on this site and those I have met, esp when they first leave.
Now don't get me wrong, I am me. But under stress, sometimes, I break down. I try to "feel" or understand what others might be thinking or feeling, esp about me. It doesn't happen to often these days, but it does happen.
Instead of being authentic, I try and slice the baby in two. Instead of offering the uniqueness of me, I try instead to sell how I am just like everyone else.
This blog has been an eye opener. Here I am, and most people, yeah, those damn worldly people, value differences. They actually like a more acerbic me, ready to give an opinion as opposed to meld with the collective.
JW's are politically correct, not to avoid giving offense, but to manipulate.
I wonder if like me, many who leave must deal with the after effects of this legacy. Always trying to relate to and manipulate others, instead of giving voice to the uniqueness that is each of us.
