First, you must be in a position to help. Second, you must be respected. It is one thing to be a good listener. It is another to be a mere spittoon for another’s distasteful experiences.
the obstacle, aphorism 367, A Human Strategy by Matt Berry
367 A: Is it more pleasant without the obstacle? B: Yes, but before I discovered that it was an obstacle, I was content. There was no inconvenience, and therefore, there was no obstacle. A: But if it is “better” without the obstacle, wouldn’t it be wise to look for other comfortable, and therefore invisible obstacles everywhere? A Human Strategy ** The Mechanics of Virtue ** Post-Atheism