"only a tremendous shock (analogous to ECT) or a great deal of time and effort to recondition will bring about the kind of reprioritization you intend to illicit."

Apart from a very small percentage of people, I think you are right - a short, sharp shock (God, one of the Thatcher government's phrases!), will be required. Candidates:

* A GOM hurricane to put oil above $100
* Stock market collapse when KSA run out of excuses and admit they have little or no spare capacity
* Recession which sees mortgage foreclosures hit a few % of the population

The last of these may not be sudden will I think will happen anyway over a period of a few years but whether recognition of the cause will come with it, I wouldn't like to say.

Hi,

Hmnn...interesting question, what are the conditions for change.

I offer space, as in "emotional space" or acceptance, as productive. (In a way that shock and/or hard times can never be.) Emotional space, or "unconditional positive regard" - (positive and yet disinterested attention) allows the brain to think. Acceptance and connection, respect for autonomy (seeming contradictions) - are what people crave. Most people have a lot of the negative, going some ways back.
www.cnvc.org, www.newconversations.net, www.gordontraining.com.