Rick similarly dithers for a moment while scurrying through a busy workday. A moment flashback about that scene about returning to Ohio, then an interesting idea about the visual setup for the new advertising campaign, then stepping into the elevator, then recalling a line from Waiting for Avidus that makes Rick squirm a bit about his job, then making a mental note to set up that dinner reservation for dinner tomorrow night (“I do love city life”), then stepping out of the elevator.
Dithering also enables us to engage briefly in a fantasy about the other side of the polarity and then return to reality. Susan pauses during a brief break in her receptionist routine to daydream about life in a Paris pied-à-terre. Rick skims a copy of the Farmer’s Almanac that he purchased last week. He lingers on the weather forecasts and wonders if Vermont farmers actually rely on these forecasts.
Many members of a society start binge-watching a 6-part documentary on small town America (S²). Media research finds that they soon abandon this series. Some of these viewers actually click on their remote and start watching a 4-part series on the latest nanotechnologies (O²). They don’t stay on this documentary for a very long period of time. Other folks flip back and forth between the section of their magazine that features homes located in the woods of New Hampshire and the section that features the latest shows on Broadway.
Flailing
I would distinguish between Dithering and Flailing—which is a much more dramatic swing that involves enacted decisions rather than just shifting thoughts, feelings or fantasies. This Flailing may lead to precipitous decisions regarding where to live, what job to do, and even who to love. Susan could actually decide to “take this job and shove it!” She could also “kiss off” her boyfriend. And then hop on a bus to Chicago where she hopes to find an apartment and job. Susan “trusts” that the world (or some divinity) will be “kind” to her and open new doors for her. Instead, she takes a more “reasonable” step. Susan drives her car to a friend’s home in Atlanta, where there is the prospect of a job involving public relations. This would be an advance over her receptionist job but would still be making use of the people-skills she learned while being a receptionist. Then the flailing takes place. Susan realized that she made a “big mistake.” She returns from Chicago or Atlanta and asks her boss (and boyfriend) to take her back: “it was a mid-life crisis.”
Rick does some similar flailing about—though not quite as dramatic. He uses his two-week vacation in August to drive back to his hometown in Vermont. After visiting with his relatives and old friends, Rick decides that this is not a good time to move back home. His Vermont town is “not yet ready for him” and the editor of his local newspaper isn’t in the mood for more “edgy” reporting. Rick returns to New York City—but he is not through with flailing about. Perhaps, it is not a return to his old town that makes sense. What if he was to move to a large community in Vermont (such as Manchester)? Rick contacts the Manchester Journal. There are no jobs at this newspaper at the present time. Rick begins to panic. He contacts the New Hampshire Union Leader. Nothing is available. Perhaps he should stay in New York City. However, his failure to find a potential newspaper position in New England only whetted his appetite. We human beings often most desire that which we can’t have. Sigmund Freud offered us some insights in this regard.
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