We are seeing high levels of burnout in the workplace and student disengagement in schools and sports.bullying. Bullying and abuse infect the cyberworld, school cultures, sports, and arts programs. It's gotten so bad that advocates are striving to see laws in place that require institutions to maintain “psychological safety.” The key word here is safety.
There is another automatic survival response in Porges’ research, which he refers to as “fawning and appeasement.” These behaviors explain the individuals in bullying and abuse situations who take the bystander role when someone or some group is being targeted. They frequently benefit by defending the abusive individual, receiving opportunities by ignoring or dismissing the harm being done to targets.
It is time we start prioritizing safety in the workplace, school, sports, and arts. Porges, appropriately writing and communicating with his son, which is symbolic of what polyvagal is all about, explains in concise terms why it matters., empathy, altruism, growth and compassion," he writes."When we don’t feel safe, our sense of self-preservation trumps all else, and selfish, desperate, and aggressive behaviors are all but inevitable for most people.