Uncle Sam & Mother Russia's Drama
Drama Triangle dynamics are not just for individuals. Uncle Sam and Mother Russia are playing out a global dysfunctional family game.
So far I have written about the drama triangle dynamics that show up in personal relationships. In the article on the political parties, I did touch on the idea that Democrats are more likely to play roles in the drama triangle. But, we also have whole countries that act out these roles. This is one way in which Republicans also get trapped in the drama triangle.
In the book “How To Break Free of the Drama Triangle and Victim Consciousness,” Barry & Janae Weinhold, PhDs wrote:
During the cold war era, the USSR and the USA were both playing out Drama Triangle dynamics on international and political stages. The Soviets saw the USA as Persecutors with a global imperialistic goal to make the whole world capitalist. They saw the developing countries such as Vietnam and Nicaragua as Victims of our imperialism who needed Rescuing. They saw themselves as the Rescuers. We were shocked when we heard them say this!
Then we shared our very different perceptions about this international Cold War Drama Triangle. We talked about how the US government portrayed the USSR as Persecutors whose goal was to make the whole world communist. We believed Vietnam and Nicaragua, and other developing countries, were helpless victims who needed the US to rescue them from the USSR’s aggression.
We still remember the deep silence that settled in after this exchange with our Soviet colleagues. It was so clear to all of us that the governments of both countries had misled us and promoted seeing each other as “the enemy.” It was a very sobering moment.
…
What flashed in front of us was a realization that Uncle Sam and Mother Russia were playing out a global dysfunctional family game.
Uncle Sam & Mother Russia Today
That is a dated example. But it’s obviously easy to see the US government clearly has painted Putin and Russia as a persecutor, Ukraine as the “victim” and the US is supposed to be their rescuer/savior now that we’re donating billions. If you try to talk in-depth about how the Russians view it, what you say will likely be called “Russian Disinformation,” here in the US. Just talking about it might lead to the content being suppressed. Surely Russia thinks they’re the saviors/rescuers and we’re the persecutors in this situation.
However, the mainstream media in the US never seems to talk about how Putin might view the situation. Instead, they turn him into some cartoon villain who only wants to cause pain. It’s a way of dehumanizing “the enemy,” which makes it easier to attack him and his country.
If people took a step back and saw how both sides viewed a situation, they’d be much less likely to want to take action. If you saw “victims” on both sides, you’d be less likely to act. A Rescuer wants to take action to “save” only their perceived victims. Governments want to take action. They get the result they want by painting the other side as “the enemy” and riling up support.
Side note: President Biden says he wants to unite the United States but always says things that cause further division. He labels his political opponents as “the enemy” of “democracy.” He wants people to take action against their neighbors and not to view their neighbors as people who just have a different perspective. His actions of villainizing groups of citizens clearly don’t match his original message about uniting us.
Watching from outside of the Drama Triangle
From outside of the drama triangle, you would expect people to take personal responsibility. In this case, certain countries should resolve matters without other countries getting involved. Ukraine & Russia had some relative peace for years before this happened. Whatever they had been doing then seemed to be working. They should be able to solve this like adults.
Instead, the United States sees them as children, which is patronizing. Of course, anyone in the “rescuer” position looks down on their perceived “victim” and sees someone who can’t solve their own problems without “help.”
Anyone who is outside of the drama triangle and is being called a “victim” will feel that condescension. As a female, I feel it whenever feminists say we, females, need help from them.
But, in the case of Ukraine, I don’t see a country feeling like they’re being condescended down to, but rather a country with a victim mentality. They seem to love to look like a victim and get “help” from the US, among other nations.
If you take a position outside of the drama triangle on the subject of Ukraine, people inside of the drama triangle will label you a “Putin supporter” or “Russian Propagandist.” This is because anyone inside of the drama triangle detests it when you won’t play these games with them. You will always be labeled a “persecutor” if you won’t play the drama triangle games with someone.
You’re Okay with People Dying?
Anyone who is entrenched in the Drama Triangle dynamics will see someone outside of the drama triangle as being insensitive to the suffering of the “victims.” I understand that initial reaction. This is why I anticipated the question.
No, I’m not “okay” with people dying over senseless wars. Why do you think I spend my time writing about the drama triangle dynamics? If everyone took personal responsibility for their lives we wouldn’t be stuck in the drama triangle, no one would feel powerless, and we wouldn’t have these wars in the first place.
I actually know a way to stop it and am taking some personal responsibility to help make the world a better place. Whereas anyone who just throws money (in the form of donations) at the Ukraine situation just perpetuates it. What do you think they do with the money? They just get more guns and kill more people, whose families then paint the others as their “persecutors.” It just feeds more war.
I hate to sound self-serving, but money spent donating to people like myself who are trying to help people take personal responsibility would be much better spent than donations to Ukraine. That is if you actually want peace in the world and not to feed more war.
If everyone took personal responsibility and stopped blaming others for their problems, people would feel powerful over their lives. If you feel powerful over your own life, you feel safe, and don’t feel the need to attack other people.
The USA Should Focus On Itself
I love the United States, as it was created to be. It’s not perfect, but it has the ability to be if we could stick to ourselves and not go looking for outside drama. We have enough drama inside of the US. There’s no need to focus externally. Whenever you get involved in drama, it just feeds it. As the US donates to Ukraine, a whole new generation of Russians see the US as their “persecutor.” The drama will continue until people step away from it.
The Drama Triangle is a mind game that we all play at some time. But as War Games puts it, it is
"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play."
How To Break Free of the Drama Triangle and Victim Consciousness is a referral link to Amazon which helps to fund my substack. I recommend it because it’s an easy read and I found it extremely helpful to understand the Drama Triangle dynamics.