I am often amazed by the behavior of “adults”.
Walking through an office frequently resembles a school playground!
Little Bobby trips Jane. Heather and Alice plot revenge on Kevin who called them names. And the bully pushes through anyone who gets in his way.
There are many psychological dimensions that show up when people come together. One of the most interesting is how we revert back to unhealthy childlike antics when we feel threatened, stressed or afraid. We don’t seem to have upgraded our childhood coping skills.
But it’s not necessary to play those games anymore.
Action – The first thing to do is to be aware of your intentions before you do anything, particularly if you are feeling stressed. Be sure you are acting in good faith and not in retaliation or mindless reaction.
If others want to play childish games, let them. You can choose to leave the playground now.