In Reply to: Re: We might have been robots posted by Miguel on September 24, 2003 at 08:24:13:
I subscribe to something called "enlightened self interest." What it boils down to is this: I take care of my own needs before I try to take care of other people's needs. People who DON'T take care of their own needs and who also put lots of energy into sacrificing themselves will often use caretaking others as a way of meeting their own needs. They will also tend to be very resentful & unhappy givers.
This condition is also known as "co-dependency". As in: I need you to be needy and dependent so I can take care of my self-esteem by taking care of you. I can't get my own need for self-esteem met directly--after all, I'm sacrificial and selfless! Zerby is a pretty classic co-dependent personality, imho. Did you ever get the feeling you were actually being ripped off while she goes on about how much she sacrifices for the good of TF?
In my view, the better job I do of taking care of myself, the better able I am to make a true sacrifice of my time & energy for the sake of others. (A "true sacrifice" is one in which I don't harbor resentment about what I'm giving up for the good of another human being or cause.) It's kind of a paradox, but it's what I've learned from being in the caretaking business for most of my life.