We are social animals. We need others to survive. With rare exception, this is at the heart of many of our behaviors. We create patterns of behavior that help us to stay connected with others, even when it’s just a bare thread of a connection, or even if those others are harming us. It’s not rational. It’s survival. And when it works, even partially, it becomes automatic. Rarely do we question it—and even more rarely do we recognize it.