First, let us concede that there are a number
of dedicated trouble-makers among us who for various psy-
chological reasons, are impelled to cause trouble. Later,
in this chapter, we shall discuss how to deal with them.
But it is the inadvertent trouble-involvement
of the rest of us which we principally want to consider
now.
After considerable study of this strange phe-
nomenon, it turns out that, in most cases-all avoidable-
we, ourselves, are the culprits! We unintentionally and
inadvertently do, say or write things which are the sub-
sequent causes of our own troubles. Or we unnecessarily
escalate potential trouble into real trouble. And often we
persist in an action-reaction sequence which not only main-
tains our trouble-involvement, but increases it.
We haven't learned the GENTLE ART OF
LETTING ALONE.
In most cases-all avoidable-we initiate our
own troubles by two actions: (1) Unnecessary involve-
ment or, much worse, over-involvement, and (2) Unneces-
sary reaction or, much worse, over-reaction. Let us briefly
examine both of these methods by which we unnecessarily
and inadvertently cause ourselves trouble.
(1) Unnecessary involvement or over-involve-
ment:
It is not necessary that we join every conflict,
take sides in every cause (especially controversial causes)
and thus gain an additional supply of enemies. Yes, ad-
mittedly, we may also gain some friends, but the enemies
made in controversy seem to remain long after the friends