Question. Why would one want to have someone support one emotionally when one can do it oneself? Surely emotionally mature people can weather the storms of life without someone else helping them to stand?

A lot has been said about today's younger generations been eternal children. They have been taught that we all have to support each other. My generation, and my forebears were taught to carry our own burdens.

It was quiteva shock immigrating to America and finding the difference in culture. I recall one American professor teaching at UCT in the early 90s. He was very bewildered in the the first semester because he thought all the students didn't like him.

At the end of the semester, he gave a handout wanting to know how he did. They all thought he was brilliant.

He then did some reading and research. He realized that in America, his students constantly emotionally supported him, but that didn't happen in either South Africa or the UK.

The entire point of being emotionally mature is to be able to live wirh one's own emotions - tragedy, pain, joy, contentment, anger, etc.



The British used to call it a stuff upper lio.