I'm not sure a good description is avail on the web, but Dr. Eric Berne
described this as the game "Why don't you; yes but" which is abbrev. YDYB.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transactional_analysis

He therefrom developed a typology of common counterproductive social
interactions, identifying these as "games". The first such game theorized
was Why don't you/Yes, but in which one player (White) would pose a problem
as if seeking help, and the other player(s) (Black) would offer solutions.
White would point out a flaw in every Black player's solution (the "Yes,
but" response), until they all gave up in frustration. The secondary gain
for White was that he could claim to have justified his problem as insoluble
and thus avoid the hard work of internal change; and for Black, to either
feel the frustrated martyr ("I was only trying to help") or a superior
being, disrespected ("the patient was uncooperative").

Incidentally, was your mother over dominating, and your father always did
what he was told?

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"QB3" wrote in message
...
"Charlie S." wrote in message
news:nAuEe.966$Sr2.491@trndny03...
You are way off base with your reasoning. It's not for lack of courage
that
I'm not bringing this up to my neighbor. There are other personal issues
I
don't wish to discuss in this Usenet format.

Sorry that you had to encounter the standard Usenet mini-flame, but your
original post followed the standard formula for a spineless jellyfish
posting (i.e. describe a problem with multiple, easy solutions and then
one-by-one eliminate every reasonable solution). The most likely responses
to such a posting are sarcasm, flames, and references to your relationship
with your mother.