Social Anxiety and Position Term Paper

Rather than grow upset or angry or feel sorry for himself, Gimpel cultivated a persona that ironically had everyone else in the town looking like fools. While Gimpel knew what the others were up to, they did not realize how wise Gimpel actually was. Gimpel was aware throughout his life that people were playing jokes on him and therefore he never really was taken in; he only played the fool because he realized that was what the others wanted, in their petty and puerile approach to life.

Gimpel, on the other hand, was easygoing.He did not let life get him down, even when others teased and taunted him. Whereas most people would have developed psychological defense mechanisms to protect against social anxiety and cruelty, Gimpel accepted his position in the community and his status as the fool. Gimpel fooled everyone else and therefore emerges as the wisest man in….....