Hi Warmup,
I find it interesting to adjust myself using classic stories. Icarus, Huck Finn, Parsifal, and Quasimodo had framed my evolutionary self. Now it's Cassandra's turn.
My version is the lost story of Cassander: after Venus saw him bathing alone by a creek she approached him as a very beautiful maiden. Being very shy and private Cassander pushed her away though being quite fully aroused. He felt he needed time to get to know here better, and there were some nasty diseases about. Who was this stranger to him? Was he just a passing playtoy? No! And he meant it.

While moving away and beginning to get dressed, Venus looked at his back and steamed. How dare he! And without a second thought, like that, she cursed him. For ever after whenever he saw deeply and wisely into a social, political, or interpersonal context, he can speak, but no on will believe or listen or follow his suggestion.

Cassander felt the angry whisper across his shoulder blades and when he turned to plead for a milder curse, Venus had vanished!

I found some interesting blog pieces about this pattern. I'll work my way through one that had suggestions for coping from Gemma Summers.com.

#1 "Learn to hold your own counsel." I may be here a long time. I'm reminded of Jackie Gleason's lament when his crazy ideas turned sour, "Me and my big mouth!"

Me: Keep my trap shut? Why? Don't they need to know? What do we have speech and words if not to help each other know more? I know a little, or have a different slant, and I shouldn't they be open to my sharing it?

Myth Healer: Most times, Cassander, no, they are not. Most people simply ride the circuit of their own thoughts like a model engine on a toy train track.

Me: Now I feel alone.

MH: It may be about timing, or approach, but, for now, experiment with a week of neutral questions, if you must say anything.

Me: Like what?

MH: Okay, you watched a film on high-end art auctions. You walked out with a couple and began to chat. What are you curious to know about their thoughts?

Me: Oh, did the like it? Did they learn anything? How do they feel about how the original artist is treated in the process? Things like that?

MH: Yeah.

Me: Can I add I know I've heard about the French law called droit de suite (right to follow) that give some money to the original artist or their estate with each re-selling?

MH: Brace yourself — No. You don't know these people, they don't know you. You'll never see the again, most likely.

Me: Can I tell them this film will help me review an upcoming play about artists that what's made to have value in the arts?

MH: Hm, maybe not.

Me: I'm sad.

MH: Sit with it. This is going to happen a lot.
Revu2