Readers of this blog know that late in my life I am
having to change one of my core views of the world. I have always
assumed that people are fairly capable of change, though they seldom do
it. Now I realize that virtually no adult can change regardless of
their desire or intent. Possibly when faced with a choice between
change or death one out of ten people will change.
Turns out their is a German word that embodies just such a concept: "Leidensdruck." Leidensdruck references the suffering of forced change in the face of death or near death.