i don't come here much, but it seems to be there is a lot of strife here right now, maybe to do with war, maybe not. i think a lot about the group mind in my work, so i can share some things for those who wish to hear. i think there is much of what is somtimes called unconcious collusion happen hhere. at first it feels quite attractive to us, when it first begins to happen in the group. we first become attracted to the specific group, whose group unconscious matches some part of our individual uynconscious, something that gives us something in common with other group members. the group's unconscious is what carries the group's history and culture. so unconscious collusion is when individual's unconscious is in communication with each other member of the group, and collectively this network of links of group history and cultures constitutes the group unconscious.

so here at Mudcat, the important group processes are discussions abut folk music and subjects between people who share both the group history and culture, and also those who don't (new people).   sometimes what happens in these cases is small, informal subgroups form, and they will discuss group issues among themselves away from the eyes and ears of the main group. this is usually a sign of low trust in the main group by the subgroup. this dynmic can create blocks to develpment of trust within the maingroup.

experiences show though, that in intensive groups when these breaches of trust by subgroup of the main group arent shared, main group members are aware of them at unconscious levels, and feeling the pullingaway of subgroups.   oftn this knowing/feeling makes main group members start fantasies and feelings which start affect communications in the whole group.

so then, what happens next. ususally issues come up in the group unconscious which provokes anxiety in many in the group, and it overwhelms them. instead of staying focused on group goals, ie here is music discussions, some anxious members fall into fighting among themselves, some ususally strong people suddenly feel passive and wanting to be told what to do. so this group members are now caught up in unconscious collusion, they think this is what they MUST do to protect themselves against those that they felt is a threat. here in Mudcat, that fear and anxiety seems to get projected alot on people who are guests.

so my opinion, which no one asks for of cuorse :) is this. nothing will be made rihgt with this group of people here and now until people are concious of what is truly making them anxious and fear each other. question is, how to bring these axnieties to the level of the groups conscious mind, to get everyone who comes here, not feeling the group fears unconciously.

seems like more and more people here are wanting Joe to be a policemen for them and make them safe here. when this happens in group unconscious mind, we know there is much, much fear and anxious feelings in group and in indivduals. this seems to me to be because many in this group and individiual members, have deep feelings and fears of shadow self in themselves and others here,including group unconsious here seems very stuck here in its own shadow self, but without knowing it in the consious group mind, or even most individual minds.

this is only just my opinion, but at least i have one! not like those others who have none in other threads! :)

so maybe Mudcat people will never be able to accept its unconsious group shadow because many not want to know or accept anything about it. so it is thouse sorts of subgroups which just keep attacking those people they project fears and anxieties on over andover for the whole group unconcious. they think they are protecting themselves, you see. pyscholigsts call this fight/flight. sometimes instead the anxious ones just withdraw especially to new people. but mostly the fearing subgroup of people keep projecting fearrs of the ones they maybe think they know for a long time here or know from somewhere else, but then aren't so sure they know who that persons or guests or members are for sure. so they keep attacking and withdrawing, again and again .

so, that is what psychologists call group unconcious collusion. becuase i love this music site, i will give a good song about this very thing for you all here:

I'm looking through you.
What did I know?
I thought I knew you.
What did I know?
You don't look different, but you have changed.
I'm looking through you.
You're not the same.
CHORUS
Why, tell me why, did you not treat me right?
Love has a nasty habit of disappearing overnight.

anyway, i wish you all every luck because it is a vey hard dynamic in the Mudcat Group Mind to break.

samantha