Black and White thinking---very interesting

[Izzy_*now*]

When we fall victim to Black and White Thinking, we have mistakenly reduced an entire spectrum of possibilities down to the two most extreme options, each the polar opposite of the other without any shades of grey in between. Often, those categories are of our own creation, and we are attempting to force the world to conform to our preconceptions about what it should look like.

Many sites when googled

This one is

http://atheism.about.com/od/logicalflawsinreasoning/a/blackwhite.htm

[lighter]

Reminds me of how we can either set ourselves up for dissapointment or contentment....

depending on our expectations in the world.

Lighter

[Izzy_*now*]

Yes,
and this phrase really is frightening for some...

attempting to force the world to conform to our preconceptions about what it should look like.   (There's that Should word.)

---sounds very N-ish. However B&W appears to be attached to depression, but However again. The N and his daughter were depressed as well as Ns--and acccused of B&W thinking.

[Leah]

Interesting, both my NFather and my exNHusband -- were Black & White thinkers, and suffered from depression.

An extract ...

Black or white Thinking:  There is no middle ground or gray in black or white thinking. Certain people are seen as either totally bad or good. Situations are either/or. There is no understanding of where the other person is coming from, only staunch judgment. 'I'm right and you are wrong' always leads to a 'lose-lose' situation.

from ...

Taking Ownership (Responsibility) for our Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions.

http://www.voicelessness.com/disc3//index.php?topic=7623.msg123828#msg123828

Leah

[darren]

My ex-girlfriend, who could have had borderline personality disorder, had very severe black and white thinking.  It was actually kinda scary, in that not only could she not see the middle ground, but she could go from the black POV to the white POV in an instant, and not be able to comprehend the contradiction of that.  It was bad enough for her to most likely qualify for a disorder.  I learned a lot about my own processes by being with that girl... the things that were so extreme with her seem to exist in everybody... just not enough to be considered unhealthy or a disorder.