MASTER MY STORIES 109defensive." While Villian and Victim Stories look back to explain
why we're in the situation we're in, Helpless Stories look forward
to explain why we can't do anything to change our situation.
It's particularly easy to act helpless when we tum others'
behavior into fixed and unchangeable traits. For example, when
we decide our boss is a "control freak" (Villain Story), we are
less inclined to give him feedback because, after all, control
freaks like him don't accept feedback (Helpless Story). Nothing
we can do will change that fact.
As you can see, Helpless Stories often stem from Villain Stories
and typically offer us nothing more than Sucker's Choices.
Why We Te ll Clever Stories
They match reality. Sometimes the stories we tell are accurate.
The other person is trying to cause us harm, we are innocent vic
tims, or maybe we really can't do much about the problem. It can
happen. It's not common, but it can happen.
They get us off the hook. More often than not, our conclusions
transform from reasonable explanations to clever stories when
they conveniently excuse us from any responsibility-when, in
reality, we have been partially responsible. The other person isn't
bad and wrong, and we aren't right and good. The truth lies
somewhere in the middle. However, if we can make others out
as wrong and ourselves out as right, we're off the hook. Better
yet, once we've demonized others, we can even insult and abuse
them if we want.
Clever stories keep us from acknowledging our own sellouts.
By now it should be clear that clever stories cause us problems.
A reasonable question at this point is, "If they're so terribly hurt
ful, why do we ever tell clever stories?"
Our need to tell clever stories often starts with our own sellouts.
l,ike it or not, we usually don't begin telling stories that justify our
ad ions until we have done something that we feel a need to