I just got an interesting e-mail, which makes a good point:
Hi Bob
I am an asshole victim once removed. I thought you missed a good chapter
title for families of victims. "Shit Rolls Down Hill". Back in the roaring dot com age, after a horrific day with one of the
office assholes, my husband was being particularly grumpy with the family. When
I called him on it, he said "Well, shit rolls down hill." The asshole "left" shortly thereafter when his other less than moral
activities came to light. Unfortunately, I am still dealing with the run-off
from another asshole who has stepped up to the throne.
title for families of victims. "Shit Rolls Down Hill". Back in the roaring dot com age, after a horrific day with one of the
office assholes, my husband was being particularly grumpy with the family. When
I called him on it, he said "Well, shit rolls down hill." The asshole "left" shortly thereafter when his other less than moral
activities came to light. Unfortunately, I am still dealing with the run-off
from another asshole who has stepped up to the throne.
As I recall from all the years I was a psychology major, psychoanalytic theorists called this "redirected aggression," the boss yells at the employee, the employee yells at his or her spouse, the spouse yells at the kids, the kids take it on the dog, the dog takes it out on the cat, and so on. And there is some research implying that such ripple effects do occur, including a study by Bennett Tepper, which shows employees who have abusive supervisors do suffer greater irritability, anxiety, and depression, and less life satisfaction.
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