Major Jackal Categories

1. Moralistic Wrongness

Example: Jim Acosta and Donald Trump trade jackals. “You are a tyrant.” vs. “You are a loser.”

Jim Acosta – famous CNN anchor of a political show critical of Donald Trump on Monday quit his job live on air, after CNN leadership moved his show from a morning slot to the midnight hour. (The bosses of CNN kiss the ring of King Trump …) He says: “It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant.

In response Trump posted to Truth Social on Tuesday: “Jim Acosta, one of the worst and most dishonest reporters in journalistic history, a major sleazebag, has been relegated by CNN Fake News to the Midnight hour, “Death Valley,” because of extraordinarily BAD RATINGS (and no talent!), Word is that he wants to QUIT, and that would be even better. Jim is a major loser who will fail no matter where he ends up. Good luck Jim!”

Collect moralistic judgments from our group: “Who is what.”
Put them on the whiteboard.

“He/she is a … ”


2. Comparative Thinking

“How to make miserable” – The title of a humoristic book by Dan Greenberg makes fun of this type of thinking, where we compare ourselves to others. He suggests a number of exercises to make our lives miserable. For example, put a life-size image of a person next to the mirror, who you think is extremely beautiful. Then compare your own image in the mirror with this person.
Or – think of a person you deem to be extremely successful and think of what they have achieved in life. Then think of what you have achieved in comparison.
When we laugh about the absurd exercises he suggests, we recognize that indeed we operate like this on some level and we understand the tragic results to which this type of thinking leads.

The same applies to our comparative thinking of other people and how we use it sometimes in order to influence others to act in a different way. We can say to our kid: “Why don’t you enjoy sports more, like your friend Benny does?” How do you think these words will land with your kid? I think not very well.

Invite people to share comparative thinking examples from their own life
and write them on the whiteboard.


3. Denying responsibility

Marshall calls communication life-alienating, when it clouds our awareness, that we are each responsible for our own thoughts, feelings and actions.

  • “I have to …” (Amtssprache – orders from authorities above me …)
  • “This makes me feel …”
  • “I can not …”

We deny responsibility for our actions, when we attribute their cause to factors outside of ourself.

  • I cleaned my room, because I had to.
  • I drink, because I am alcholic.
  • I hit my child, because he hit his sister.
  • I lied to the client, because my boss told me to.
  • I have to give you this parking fine, because it is the law.
  • I started smoking, because all of my friends do.
  • I hate to cook, but I do it because I am wife and a mother.
  • I was overcome by such a strong desire to eat the chocolate.

Collect examples from participants on the whiteboard.


Giraffe replaces language that denies choice with language that acknowlegdes choice.

“I go to work, because I want to keep my job.”

Obedience is the most dangerous attitude for mankind, not rebellion.


4. Demands

Demands explicitly or implicitly threaten someone with punishment for non-compliance..

Example: “You have to shut off the computer now. Otherwise I will take it away from you.”

Example: “You have to treat women and men the same. All people are created equal!”

Collect examples from participants on the whiteboard.


5. Deserving punishment (reward)

In this concept we believe that punishment leads people to learn to not repeat certain actions.

It implies an outside judge, who would decide about right and wrong. As we see in wars and many conflicts, perspective on what is right and wrong, what is deserved and not deserved clash again and again. An outside judge would need to be impartial. How can be make that happen? And what if the outside judge fails, as we see happen often? And what is the intention behind the punishment? Does it show good results, does it show that people learn and change their behaviour?

From a giraffe point of view I believe it is in the interest of all, that people change not in order to avoid punishment but because they see the change as benefitting themselves.

“Such “Deserve thinking” encourages and celebrates punishment as a form of justice and retribution. It is at the root of violence on the planet. Justice is in the eye of the beholder and a punishment may often lead to more violence and more injustice.