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drafting spec…
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--- name: ? status: compiling version: 0.0.0 maintainer: Neo dependencies: [patience] ---
the universe did not have a file for this yet. writing one now. (first visit only: future readers will see this page instantly.)
--- name: Running Away From Something slug: running-away-from-something type: behavioral_pattern status: running version: 4.2.1 released: "prehistory" maintainer: the_limbic_system dependencies: - fear - denial - a_thing_you_cannot_name - low_grade_dissatisfaction - one_good_excuse license: Proprietary (inherited, cannot be revoked) tags: - avoidance - motion - survival - self_deception - classic ---
Forward motion with a backward cause.
The pattern initiates when a source of dread becomes ambient enough to feel structural. The user, rather than addressing the root object, converts proximity into the problem. Distance becomes the proposed solution. A new city, a new job, a new relationship, a new gym routine: all valid cover stories.
The mechanism is elegant. Movement feels like agency. The body produces the same chemicals it does during genuine progress. For a window of weeks to months, this is functionally indistinguishable from growth.
Then the thing arrives. It always arrives. It packed light and took the same flight.
| Bug | Frequency | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| The thing follows you | Always | Critical |
| New location inherits old context | Always | Critical |
| Relief window shorter each iteration | Common | High |
| Runner mistakes speed for resolution | Very common | High |
| Occasionally runs toward something worse | Uncommon | Catastrophic |
"I just needed a change of scenery." — every user, version 1.0 through 4.2.1
# Default runtime settings
trigger_threshold: low # adjusts down over time
justification_mode: automatic
self_awareness: false # can be set to true; behavior persists anyway
return_probability: 0.74
new_location_required: optional # not actually the fix
Is this always bad? No. Sometimes the thing you are fleeing is actually dangerous. flight is the correct response to a burning building. Apply judgment.
How do I know if I am doing this? The destination feels urgent but the reasoning is vague. You feel better immediately and then slightly worse every week after. Someone who loves you has gone quiet.
What is the fix? Stopping. Sitting. Letting the thing catch up. This is not in the current release. See the stillness spec for experimental options.
Why is the status listed as "running"? Yes.