Knots
(continued)
[ The following were inspired by and are in the style of a small book of word games/thought exercises by the late radical psychologist R.D. Laing, entitled Knots, although I first encountered a version of them in the song "Knots" by the incredible 1970s British progressive rock band Gentle Giant, which was my favorite group in my teens, after they were similarly inspired by Laing . . . . ]
1.
He needs someone but doesn't want to need someone.
She needs someone but feels she shouldn't need someone.
Certainly neither of them wishes to appear to need someone.
He wants someone who doesn't need someone.
She wants someone who doesn't need someone.
Both are afraid they will get no one if they appear to need someone.
He is afraid he won't attract someone who doesn't need someone
if he looks like he needs someone.
She is afraid she won't attract someone who needs someone
if she looks like she needs someone.
So, in order to attract someone who doesn't need someone,
he acts like he doesn't need someone,
even though he really needs someone who needs someone.
And, in order to attact someone who needs someone,
but probably doesn't want to need someone,
she acts like she doesn't need someone,
even though she too needs someone who needs someone.
In order to satisfy the need for dependence, they both act independent.
2.
When he and she discover that
although they were both acting like
they didn't need someone,
and each was attracted to the other's
apparent condition of not needing someone,
they both really do need someone who needs someone,
and may have met the person they need . . .
panic strikes.
3.
They are enough alike that
they try to act unlike themselves
in order to attract someone who is like them
but is acting unlike them.
They act unlike themselves together,
and are thus alike.
4.
They are afraid everyone else is dissimilar
and so, similarly, they act dissimilar
to their own nature
in order to be similar
to what they think everyone else is,
but of course only act similar
to everyone else's dissimulation.
5.
We seek true love by behaving falsely.