Blind Spot: RS Physics

theory
#1

I’m having trouble expanding my understanding of RS Physics beyond something simple like “friends/athletes on competing teams” or “Siblings fighting on opposite sides of a civil war”.

How would something like “seeking a political office” be problematic for a marriage in terms of Obtaining and Doing (feel free to use an example with different storytelling, but I’m trying to get a sense of Obtaining and Doing specifically)? Is it enough that one person is seeking or obtaining office and this is putting a strain on the relationship? Or does it need to be more along the lines of both parties doing the same thing, like, I guess both parties are working toward one of them obtaining office puts a strain on the relationship?

#2

Hmm. I’ll admit, I’m a bit weak in the RS Throughline. But whenever I’m in doubt, I dig deeper.

Consider the difference in an Obtaining RS Throughline with the following different Issues: Morality, Self-Interest, Approach, and Attitude. For Self-Interest, you might get something like the Underwoods: two go-getters who block each other almost as much as they help one another. With Morality, on the other hand, you might get a “Canadian standoff,” where both sides of the marriage are trying to out-sacrifice for each other, a la “The Gift of the Magi.” Jump to Approach, and now we’re talking about a couple whose attempts to climb the political ladder are hampered by, say, a mismatch in their love languages. Contrast that with the Attitude story, where the two of them have settled into a grating routine, snarling “I love you, dearest” in front of the cameras.

Perhaps that helps reframe the question?

EDIT: A Doing RS will follow a similar process with Skill, Experience, Wisdom, and Enlightenment. But here, I think it would make more sense for this to be a new marriage, maybe post-honeymoon, where the two are still feeling each other out. (…I said “out.” Get your mind out of the gutter. :wink:) So here, if one of the members is seeking out public office, we’re also seeing how these two work together as a couple. Experience might represent that one or both of the members was previously divorced, and they’ve brought their baggage into marriage #2. Skill, on the other hand, would probably be with bachelors and bachelorettes, and how well each member has adjusted to married life. (I’m imagining one wakes up early every morning to make the other breakfast in bed, while the other keeps jumping in surprise while they’re brushing their teeth in the bathroom when the first slips behind them to take a shower.) Wisdom and Enlightenment, same deal: either the spouses have brought toxic (or fruitful) ideas into what they think a marriage should be, or they’re stumbling into new and strange situations that all the romances in movies haven’t trained them for. (“The media’s all up in arms, just because I did lunch with my attractive intern! …Why are you upset, honey?”)

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#3

Thanks @actingpower, I think that is going to be fairly helpful after I consider it a while. I think because the RS is in general a blind spot for me, I revert to using the RS throughline as storytelling instead of a source of problem. I.e. I kept asking “how can a relationship seek office?” when I should be asking “how does seeking office affect the relationship?” The first one is ridiculous and makes no sense, but the second one seems perfectly clear.

#4

I think you are getting somewhere here for sure.

I agree “the relationship seeks office” sounds a bit ludicrous. But I think if you focus on how seeking office is affecting the relationship, you’d also find that the relationship is concerned with Obtaining or being Obtained. Like maybe the relationship is worried about being cast aside, or (for a more hopeful RS) they’re concerned with achieving the next step in their marriage, like having kids.

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#5

Perhaps,
The Manchurian Candidate vs. State of the Union
The Intern vs. Woman’s World
Norma Rae vs Places in Heart