the individual by-standers do not have the personal strength to go on the attack themselves. An unhealthy clique is created between Jeremy and his audience.
In psychology it is widely recognised that curing people with personality disorder is extremely difficult, if not impossible, and Jeremy appears on the face of it to be well entrenched, and therefore highly unlikely to change. The analysts’ cliche you have to want to change applies here, but Jeremy probably will never want to change. Another common adage applies - neurotic people make themselves miserable: people with personality disorder make everyone else miserable. And Jeremy’s extreme attacks are indeed meant to make others unhappy.
How does this affect environmentalists’ approach to campaigning?
As the disorder is so difficult to cure it is best to avoid wasting energy by trying to reason with people like Jeremy, if Jeremy does indeed have this condition. A more productive approach would be to attack the clique dynamic. The hangers-on are more likely to be influenced (actually if Jeremy drives a 4x4 every second of the day for the rest of his life it does not matter - environmentalists must change people en masse).
By exposing the deeper truths of unhealthy people like Jeremy the observers are less likely to want to associate with him and his behaviour. In fact, if it were common knowledge that it is unhealthy not to care for one’s world, it would be a strong incentive to each individual to take more responsibility. The fear of being unhealthy may become a tool to motivate people towards more environmentally sensitive actions.
In psychology it is widely recognised that curing people with personality disorder is extremely difficult, if not impossible, and Jeremy appears on the face of it to be well entrenched, and therefore highly unlikely to change. The analysts’ cliche you have to want to change applies here, but Jeremy probably will never want to change. Another common adage applies -
How does this affect environmentalists’ approach to campaigning?
As the disorder is so difficult to cure it is best to avoid wasting energy by trying to reason with people like Jeremy, if Jeremy does indeed have this condition. A more productive approach would be to attack the clique dynamic. The hangers-
By exposing the deeper truths of unhealthy people like Jeremy the observers are less likely to want to associate with him and his behaviour. In fact, if it were common knowledge that it is unhealthy not to care for one’s world, it would be a strong incentive to each individual to take more responsibility. The fear of being unhealthy may become a tool to motivate people towards more environmentally sensitive actions.
Environmentalists need to make it known that environmentally damaging action is a sign of an unhealthy person.
Groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth need to change human behaviour just as a
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