Humans And Companionship

Humans are hard-wired for companionship. We're biologically "group animals". Our brains are designed for us to live and survive with other humans, around other humans, next to other humans.

Optimally, our ideal living situation is to live in close proximity to one or more human beings who have healthy boundaries, who are mutually respectful, supportive, and lighthearted, who are honest and straightforward, and who respect one another genuinely.

When we live in close proximity with humans who are controlling, critical, and/or domineering, we are not living in an optimum environment for us to flourish. Like plants that are kept in a small container, our growth is stunted. When we live near others who don't respect us as persons, or our personal space, or our possessions, we can become anxious and depressed. Our ability to function is slowed and thwarted, and sometimes even halted.
Controllers will often sabotage the growth and function of their targets, and then blame the targets for their lack of growth and function, just like a person who buys a rosebush but puts it in the shed and doesn't water it, and then says it was a defective rose bush.

When we live alone, we don't have to deal with a Controller in our midst, but we are also missing the positive elements of good companionship.

It's a Catch-22 for we Human beings. We're supposed to have companionship and live near and with others, but those others need to be positive, respectful, and supportive (and us as well) in order for everyone to grow and live happy and healthy. In such an environment, anyone who needs extra support or help receives it as a matter of course, no big heroism required, everyone is already there.
But if the others are non-supportive, disrespectful, and self-centered, then the only time anyone who needs support and extra help will get it is when someone stands up against the negative current and rescues them. This is not how it's supposed to be. Heroism isn't needed in a genuinely healthy and functioning human environment.

So unless we are living and interacting on a daily basis with or near positive, emotionally healthy and integrity-minded human beings, our environment is not "optimal" for our health and happiness. Just like any other creature; plant or animal. We aren't always "at fault" for not being completely happy and feeling completely "whole", our surroundings play a large role. We ARE one of the humans who are making the environment either more positive or more negative for ourselves and others, and at the same time we are not, as individuals, WHOLLY responsible for the entire environment. We are responsible, and so is everyone else.

Oppression

Those who oppress only target those whom they fear are more powerful than themselves.
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