Well, there is a right response and a wrong response. For example, the last time I spoke to my mother, we were talking about this fraudulent school and the money owed and that the whole reason I left was because of this debt and I was feeling suicidal, et cetera. I said, "That's why I stopped taking care of personal hygeine and my teeth got all messed up. That's what people do when they're really depressed" Her response: "Is that what people do? My teeth should be messed up."
Instead of empathising, she made it all about her and made a joke of it. I just told you that I was going to kill myself if I stayed there any longer and your response is, "I'm even more suicidal"? Then a few minutes later, I got sick to my stomach of talking to her so I said I have to call somebody (i.e. my ladyfriend) and she said, "YOU have somebody to call?" suggesting, rightly, that I don't have any friends.
I mean, who needs this? So I stopped talking to her. I don't want to be one of those annoying California hippie douchebag people but I need positivity in my life. All she brings is negativity. So I cut her out. Feel great. Don't have to talk to that disgusting, thieving pervert any more.
As for Wymark's situation, that's terrible and I hope things improve.
One might think, "That's a pretty messed up family. Things can't possibly improve." One would be wrong to think that.
All too often, people go through life as if it's an inevitability. It's like classic Japanese film Seven Samurai. All of the peasants are resigned to their fate of paying regular tribute to the bandits. But one rises up and gets the idea of hiring samurai to protect the village, thereby saving the village.
One also sees this deterministic world view expressed in the bandits themselves. Once they see that the village is now fortified and protected by the titular seven samurai, why would they continue their assault? Surely, there are easier targets and they can come back when the samurai leave. The bandits continue to attack because that's what they do. If just one of them realised that he could turn around and go home perhaps others would have followed suit. Instead, they all rushed head long into their slaughter.
One doesn't see this only in Japanese cinema. One should see it in their own lives. Times when you've taken destiny into your proverbial hands. Sure, I could have stayed in my mother's house and killed myself in about 2005. But I opted for a different solution.
Yes, I could have continued to go out with desperate internet women who never wanted to go out a second time. But what about that black girl who I work with? She seems nice. But asking people out is a risk. I'll go for it.
Of course, I could have stayed in London. Could have continued that terrible job. Maybe could have worked for a different company. Or done a whole different job. But still stay in crappy, over-priced, shit London. Or I can take a chance and move to Glasgow.
Then there's all the theoretical stuff that you could have done. "I don't know, dad. Driving while drunk? I'm not sure that's too safe. You can't even walk when you get home so how on earth are you driving? Maybe you should take a taxi or something." Simply saying that may have altered the course of events.
