Bert’s therapy/Session 14: Attached

Because you think everyone

is a control addict.

Yes.

Explain why.

Because human beings

are unsatisfyable.

I don’t understand.

Well, we have these big brains…

which can imagine a perfect reality,

one without pain or discomfort.

And moment to moment we carry

in our heads a picture of how

that reality would look and feel.

And we’re constantly comparing

that picture of the reality we want

to the reality we have.

And when those two pictures

don’t match — which is

most of the time —

we automatically try to change what

we have into what we want.

Which most of the time means

we’re fighting reality

Which is a fight we can’t win.

Also exhausting.

And that’s “controlling”?

That’s what I call it.

The Buddhists call it attachment.

So you think I’m tired and unhappy

because I fight reality instead

of learning to live with it.

Right.

Well, I think that’s crap.

I think your theory is

New Age bullshit.

And you and I don’t see things

the same way at all.

And that I’m probably in

therapy with the wrong therapist.

And I should probably get up

and walk out of this office right now.

(Therapist smiles.)

You’re smiling.

Why are you smiling?

Oh, because.

Because?

Because there you go again.