# Lack vs Abundance

**URL:** <https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/lack-vs-abundance/1211>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [September 5, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/lack-vs-abundance/1211 "2017-09-05T21:33:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jassnip](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/jassnip/32/452_2.png) [@jassnip](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jassnip)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/lack-vs-abundance/1211/1 "2017-09-05T21:33:17Z")

</div>

Okay, so I was tooling around the reports and looking at the thematic throughlines and I was reading along and it said something like there’s a lack of control…and then I was tweaking the form and went back to the report and it now said there was an abundance of control. Is there something in Dramatica that “knows” this, that can tell if there is too much or too little of something?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![actingpower](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/actingpower/32/2201_2.png) [@actingpower](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/actingpower)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/lack-vs-abundance/1211/2 "2017-09-05T22:04:04Z")

</div>

I’d have to tinker with it to know for sure, but my guess would be Stop vs. Start. In a Stop story, the Problem is a massive, overbearing weight that needs to go away. Thus, an overabundance of Control. In a Start story, everything is reversed–the difficulty here occurs because the Solution isn’t around. There’s a Solution-shaped hole in the character’s heart, and it needs to be filled. Thus, a lack of Control.

EDIT: There’s also the discussion we’ve had every so often about how “lack of Control” and “Uncontrolled” are different things, but I don’t think the app says anything in that regard. I’ll expand, if you’re interested.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jassnip](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/jassnip/32/452_2.png) [@jassnip](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jassnip)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/lack-vs-abundance/1211/3 "2017-09-05T22:25:21Z")

</div>

ahh. yes that does seem to be the difference. Thank you, Andrew.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![actingpower](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/actingpower/32/2201_2.png) [@actingpower](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/actingpower)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/lack-vs-abundance/1211/4 "2017-09-05T22:26:12Z")

</div>

Glad to help! 👍

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mlucas](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/mlucas/32/275_2.png) [@mlucas](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/mlucas)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/lack-vs-abundance/1211/5 "2017-09-06T00:16:43Z")

</div>

In case anyone is wondering, this is the Four Throughlines Themes report.

Thanks for reminding me of this report – I hadn’t looked at it for my current project and jeez, is it ever scarily accurate! With the MC and IC names in there, it feels like the report is tapped directly into my mind.