Vicious cycle patterns play out not only in personal relationships, but also on the societal and political level. Below is a table identifying key characteristics of the Drama Triangle, a common vicious cycle. This pattern was first described by Steven Karpman and cited in the book, Games Alcoholics Play, by Claude Steiner. In this pattern, the participants assume three interacting roles that produce an impasse. (While common for participants to alternate between roles, they usually gravitate toward roles suiting their values and personality styles.) In applying this model to our Congress, we can better appreciate the dynamic process behind the polarization and gridlock.
| DESCRIPTIVE LABELS | Persecutor Critic Enforcer | Victim Rebel Free Spirit | Rescuer Enabler Caretaker | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POLITICAL COUNTERRPART | Law & Order Conservative | Libertarian | Bleeding Heart Liberal | |
| PREVAILING VALUES | Order, Security, Conformity | Freedom, Individuality | The Common Good, Compassion | |
| FUNCTIONS OF THE ROLE | Maintaining the status quo, preserving order and security, reducing the sense of threat | Enjoying life, maximizing pleasure, minimizing distress, expressing oneself fully | Achieving a sense of worth through helping others who cannot help themselves | |
| BASIC IMPLICIT ASSUMPTION | Rebels threaten the basic values of our society, and they must be dealt with through force and coercion. | Enforcers are the enemy bent on oppression, and I am not strong or skillful enough to deal with them effectively. | Victims are too weak or helpless to take care of their own problems and conflicts, and they need my help. | |
| TYPICAL ACTIVITIES | Blaming, judging, criticizing and punishing Rebels for crimes, mistakes, shortcomings, wrongdoing | Complaining of harrassment and unfair treatment, avoiding the Enforcers, seeking immediate relief and rescue by Enablers, escaping and unmbing by getting high | Criticizing Enforcers for insensitivity and harshness toward Victims, providing relief for Victims and addvocating for them, helping them escape the natural consequences of their actions |