Transactional Analysis Journal: Matters of Consequence

Transactional Analysis Journal
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Matters of Consequence
Lois M. Johnson
Transactional Analysis Journal 1981 11: 66
DOI: 10.1177/036215378101100113
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Matters of Consequence"
Lois M. Johnson
Abstract had only four years with letters, phone

Considers the impact upon transactional conversations and books.
analysis, ITAA membership, and members' To David I feel indebted for his sharing.
attitudes towards self and others, of the I felt and still feel that I had a glimpse-
availability of BEING strokes within in my mind's eye-as Eric planted the seeds
the organization. Contrasts earlier years of of his personality theory and shared them
ITAA, when recognition for BEING was with those who would listen. David shared
readily available to all, with more recent with me that he saw the future of ITAA a
years, when strokes for DOING became expanding, growing and a contributing
increasingly abundant as BEING strokes force in the mental health field.
declined. I saw the growth, expansion for a long
time. Membership swelled. People clamored
for admittance. To quote Eric; "the desire
Where will we be for the twentieth anni- for stroking may also be related to the fact
versary of the TAl? That will depend on that outside stimulation is necessary to keep
how we deal with the excessive attention certain parts of the brain active. . .. This
we spend on matters of consequence in need to be re-charged, as it were, by
relation to the strokes we distribute to our stimulation and especially by social contact,
members for BEING. Unless the Being may be regarded as one of the biologic
Hunger is fulfilled membership, I hunch, origins of group formation" (Berne, 1963).
will dwindle even more. And so ITAA continued to grow and grow.
In August 1970, Monterey, Ca., I became As new members were stroked for BEING
an advanced member of ITAA. I met the membership grew. There were degreed,
many people who had been only names non-degreed, lay persons, paraprofessionals.
to me until then. I experienced my own Even prison inmates or ex-inmates took
share of sadness and felt reassured as I TAWI courses, exams and signed contracts
listened to personal tributes to the late Eric to train for advanced membership. Some
Berne. Here was a group of dedicated of those non-degreed or paraprofessionals,
people who were ready to re-shape social after becoming CM's or SFM's went back
interactions, accept individuals without to college, by their own choice, for their
regard to creed, ethnic origin, social own growth. Being stroked unconditionally
status, or handicap into their organization. did contribute to that choice.
Sitting on the edge of the pool David Somewhere along the years alphabet
Kupfer and I dangled our feet in the water. letters became matters of consequence.
He shared his grief, his dreams, his per- They became more and more important,
sonal rememberance of Eric. His were more urgent and of utmost concern. Without
expansive than mine for he had known letters after one's name one was considered
Eric for a long time. Eric, he said, had unsuitable. Some folks structured their
visited him in the hospital and David found times by counting alphabet letters as if the
it incongruous that he was now dangling letters belonged to them. Those folks who
his feet in the water and Eric was dead. My had an abundance of letters after their
grief and dreams were no less intense. I'd names were richly stroked and given impor-
St. Exupery, Antoine. The Little Prince. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1943,45-46.
66 Transactional Analysis Journal

MATIERS OF CONSEQUENCE
"Unless the Being Hunger is fulfilled membership, I hunch, will

dwindle even more."
tant assignments, as if the letters were the pulled back from PTM status and their
real matters of consequence. Less strokes stroke economy in ITAA seemed to be
for BEING were given out and strokes non-existent. I've been challenged by
for DOING became abundant. some of these, even professionals in the
To quote Claude Steiner; "the method mental health field, and asked to justify
used by parents to turn children into frogs my membership in light of the inconsis-
derives it's potency from the control of tency of policy and procedure. I feel dis-
strokes, the supply is low and the price couraged needing to address and re-
parents extract for strokes is high" (Steiner, address repeated inquiries.
1971). Members began to notice that strokes I have decided no one has the power to
for BEING were almost non-existent and make me into a frog! "I hear the birds
were extracted by the price of degree(s) sing, see a coffee pot, smell a flower, love
before one might be considered worthy of my fellow man, my own way, not the way
teaching or training. As a member, if you I was taught" (Berne, 1974).
didn't perform (publish), outshine, compete, Thank you Eric for giving me the tools
then strokes were very conditional and and skills to be as autonomous as it is safe
minimal. You weren't invited to join some for me to be. Thank you David for your
clicks.** That's when members began to philosophy and pragmatic example.
feel turned into frogs. They began to drop
out, intuitively knowing they had no Lois M. Johnson, MA, CTM, is Director
chance of ever becoming a prince or prin- of Michigan Center, Inc. and People
cess (advanced member). Changers Center, Inc., Consultant to U.S.
If or when one of these potential prince Office of Personnel Management is in
or princesses did exhibit an unusual skill or private practice and is an adjunct faculty
talent in any area, if they used their intui- member at Lake Michigan College, Benton
tion (as suggested by Berne) then the heavily Harbor, Michigan. In Florida she is con-
alphabetized member(s) who had all that sultant to Weight Watchers, Central Florida
"book-learning" discounted that person; and Weight Watchers Northern Alabama.
e.g. You don't know enough, You haven't
been trained in that field, You have no REFERENCES
Berne, E. Games people play. New York: Dell Pub-
right to tread on my special expertise, You lishing, 1964, 178.
have no right to use your intuition, You Berne, E. Structure and dynamics of organizations
need X Y Z PDQ! and groups. New York: Grove Press, 1963, 158.
I've talked with a goodly number of Steiner, C. The stroke economy. Transactional
members who dropped ITAA membership, Analysis Journal, 1971,1(1),9-15.
*Males must own a tux, tails, ruffled shirts; females have a wardrobe of stylish long gowns, and a budget that
allows for fifty-plus dinners. Leaders of PTM Contract workshops. Certain Training Groups.
Vol. n, No.1, January 1981 67

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Transactional Analysis Journal

The online version of this article can be found at:

International Transactional Analysis Association

Email Alerts: http://tax.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts

>> Version of Record - Jan 1, 1981

Downloaded from tax.sagepub.com by Ana Farcas on May 22, 2014

Abstract had only four years with letters, phone

66 Transactional Analysis Journal

Downloaded from tax.sagepub.com by Ana Farcas on May 22, 2014

"Unless the Being Hunger is fulfilled membership, I hunch, will

Vol. n, No.1, January 1981 67

Downloaded from tax.sagepub.com by Ana Farcas on May 22, 2014

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