THE ART OF GETTING “OFF THE HOOK”

After the recent attempt that several of us were involved in whereby we attempted to get a trainer to do “what’s right,” namely, pay her bills and accept responsibility, I reflected on the multiple ways that she sought to get “off the hook.” Now I understand why anyone would want to avoid responsibility and avoid making good on something— it costs! First of all, it literally costs financially. A person may have to take out a loan, get a second job, borrow money from family, etc. And none of that is pleasant. It’s also unpleasant to have to admit to either having done wrong, or failed to do what’s right. And for some people—that is a near impossibility. So they seek to get “off the hook.”

It’s a common human tendency and we all were probably highly skilled at it as children! When I I was a pre-puberty child, to get off the hook, I blamed my brother, I denied that I did anything, I advocated for mercy because I couldn’t help it, “things just happened,” my brother “made” me do it, I didn’t mean it, etc.