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Essay: "Mind Games"

Mind Games People Play

Eloquence and wit are two gifts I believe I was given and I try to use it for the benefit of myself and others. I would be lying if I said I never used it to degrade others. I am not attempting to rationalize, but many times I have taken a potentially physical altercation and alleviated it by using words the other guy didn't know. There are many mind games played in prison by everyone inside. The officers cause strife by throwing their weight around with other officers and especially inmates. Officers personalize everything. It seems as if the state of TX has sold all their property to the TDC officers. The ranking officers make sure those without rank stay subservient, this of course causes dissension. Inmates ruminate on ways to manipulate female officers to get things from them. Some of these ladies are so starved for affection they fall for these childish mind games. Most inmates flirt with these female officers, telling them how beautiful they are just to get a few favors. They of course, you have inmates playing mind games with other inmates. The most popular situation is when there is some sort of confrontation. People jump at or pretend to throw a punch in hopes the other will back down, because they don't want to fight anyway. Then there are the profane tirades, where they see who can string together the most profanity, I have a good example of this behavior that happened to me just today. I was a recreation enjoying some 4 on 4 basketball, when it seemed my team couldn't lose. One of the opposing players became upset, because he felt his team should not lose because he was on the team. I scored a lot of the points, and those I didn't score I was pivotal in the play via assist or rebound. The opposing player began telling me how horrible a player I am and to try scoring on him. He was trying to upset me to try to score on him, therefore, getting me out of my game. I just continued to play the way I was. The way I see it its kind of hard to play mind games when you don't have much of a mind. I've realize the eloquence and wit I claim is wasted here among the mentally retarded.