"I'm Sorry, That Sucks"

“Not every problem I confide in you needs to be fixed. Sometimes I just want to hear, ‘i'm sorry, that sucks.’”

Boys, have you heard this before? Probably from a girl right? And regardless of whether or not you are capable of fixing the problem the fact of the matter is you are forbidden from even attempting. Is this rational? Probably not. But does it eventually help an individual return to rationality? It is not scientifically proven, but from my experience I would say, yes. As we saw in Hecuba, sometimes we need to be validated in our irrational coping of emotions in an effort to return to rationality.

In the play, with the appearance of the women of Troy, Odysseus, and Agamemnon there was a common response to Hecuba’s penetrating grief. The gist of these statements was “your life is so terrible,” “you are the queen of sorrow, grief, and pain,” “I would rather die than sink as low as you have,” “you poor, old, lonely, slave woman.” Sounds pretty similar to the, “that sucks” concept doesn't it? But why did so many people validate her in her irrational expression of grief? Because, it eventually helps her return to rationality.

Lets analyze the situation. Hecuba, utilizing mimesis is able to effectively persuade others through emotionally charged language, to feel empathy for her and her situation. Then the listener, being filled with compassion, uses rhetoric to persuade Hecuba that she is justified in her all encompassing grief. They vindicate her and let her know she is rational in such extreme emotion. After she is comforted with this validation, she carries on with revenge (which in this society would be considered "rational" because justice was a right esteemed by the gods and executed by the people).