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Quote by Joel M. McMains

“Repetitive, forceful corrections had taught this gentle dog that at a specific spot the handler would always yank the lead. Thus, each time the Newf arrived at that point, she'd freeze for a beat and close her eyes in anticipation of the impending blow. This caused her to lag, which led to another correction, which resulted in more lagging, another correction, ad infinitum. It was a classic example of canine learned helplessness, whereby a dog learns to accept abuse as a natural, inevitable consequence of living with humans. Repeated corrections had only frightened and confused the animal, and she was trying to protect herself in the only way she knew how.”

Quote by Joel M. McMains

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Joel M. McMains

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“The beating soon had Laurelene nearly senseless. The carbineer began to tear away her hempcloth robe and when she tried to crawl away he dragged her back and punched her face until she lay unresisting, her legs bare and apart. He's done this before, so this is what it's like to be violated, she thought as he settled down on top of her with a long, shuddering sigh. Anything, anything, just no more beating, she thought, her eyes closed.”

RapeHelplessnessPowerlessnessSexual ViolenceLearned HelplessnessViolated
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“...many of my young patients are genuinely incapable of managing their own lives. Their parents have taken the reins...They have reached the conclusion that not only are they poorly equipped to deal with life, there's nothing they can do about it. They have no options or sense of agency. The term for that is learned helplessness: the belief that nothing you do can impact your environment. Accumulated disability is "I don't have the skills to do this." Learned helplessness is "It doesn't matter what I do. I'm powerless." These two conditions are intertwined - the teenagers' accumulated disabilities give credence to their belief that they don't have the skills or courage to change their situation.”

TeensLearned HelplessnessAccumulated Disability
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“When groups experience learned helplessness, the dynamics closely resemble those seen in individuals. Prolonged exposure to external forces—like systemic policies or enduring patterns of exploitation—can lead the group to internalize a belief that it has little to no control over its circumstances. With repeated failures to bring about meaningful change, collective confidence begins to fade. Over time, this belief in powerlessness results in disengagement, as the community stops participating actively or fighting to alter its conditions. Instead, they find themselves waiting for external solutions rather than taking charge of creating their own.”

LeadershipAfricaLearned Helplessness
Book:Rethinking Leadership in Afria: Reflections on Dependency and Learned Helplessness
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“... לא היה צריך להתגלגל באכסניא זו, שמזונותיה כחושים ופשפשיה שמנים, שמוציאים ממנו את דמו בלילה כבעליהם שמוציא ממנו דמיו ביום ... לאו כל אמנון זוכה לתמר, ולאו כל שלמה מוצא את שולמית. כמה היה ליבם הומה כשהיו יושבים בחוצה לארץ והיו קוראים באהבת ציון על תפארת בנות ציון המצוינות. עכשיו שהם דרים בירושלים עדיין לא זכו לראות מאותה התפארת. אפשר שבאמת צדקו חז"ל שדרשו את שיר השירים דרך משל ומליצה. ... הניחה שפרה את ראשה על ליבה של אמה, ובכתה. נסתכלה בפניה הנאות והנוגות, זה הנוי העגום שגרם לאותה צרה, שאותו בחור נתן עיניו בה. רבקה לא זכתה ליופי כזה, אף על פי כן נשא אותה פייש. ספק אם נסתכל בה, ספק לפני החתונה וספק אחרי נישואיהם.”

Only Yesterday
Author:Agnon, S.Y.
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