Dysfunctional groups and cliques like to
dictate who their members can associate with. They are often quite
effective, and don't even pay any mind to whether it's right or wrong. A
member of this group may be so used to this behavior that they also
don't think about whether it's right or wrong, they simply feel the
pressure of the group and behave accordingly. Any new person that a
member of this group
brings in will be assessed and found either acceptable or unacceptable.
The assessment is always first and foremost about whether this new
person fits in with the hierarchy that's already established within the
group. If this new person is found to be unwilling to follow the group
agenda, including political opinion and going along with gossip or
illegal activity, they will not be welcomed. If this new person
threatens the ego of one of the group members, they will not be
welcomed, and may be smeared or outright rejected. Even if this new
person is a love interest of one of the members of the group, this will
not be respected. The new person will ONLY be accepted and welcomed if
they follow along with the controls, agendas, and hierarchy already
within the group, and ONLY if no one in the group is jealous of or
intimidated by the person. Disordered groups do not respect the rights,
boundaries, opinions or needs of the individual. If a person does not
conform to their satisfaction, they will be rejected. If the member that
brought this new person into the group does not go along with the
rejection, he or she will be punished and ultimately rejected if he or
she does not stand up against the treatment. Disordered groups with this
behavior can be seen in any group of people who are in regular contact,
or who have common interests. A non-disordered group welcomes new
individuals with open arms, and is happy and interested to meet new
faces, and respects the relationships between its members. However, a
healthy group must have a large enough measure of security and ethics to
stay healthy.
