Do you ever feel like a lab rat or zoo animal?

Unfortunately I do know what you are talking about. There have been many times in my life that I have been laid open under the microscope. A few times in my youth when my family was going through transformations and regrouping because of abuse it was I who was looked at, studied, and in my studiers eyes I could see one of 2 things pity, and misunderstanding. Another time I was in the lime light is when my second Son was struggling at being a teenager, we ended up having to involve the court system and DCS, Oh my gosh what an experience and from friends we were judged either as being incompetent parents(not the case we asked for the judges help) or just plain out right stupid. The questions that we were bombabared with got to a point that I could not even answer them because of their redundancy. No one seemed to understand we made that move with many long hours of tears and pain. that we loved our Son and wanted what was best for him and to keep him safe. My Point to all of this is that I squirmed, and felt naked as if I were in a fish bowl with the whole world looking in and I had not place to run for cover.

This is very strange... I have never been in your shoes before. I was never interrogated like a lab rat or zoo animal. :P Why would people treat you this way?

I only feel like a guinea pig whenever I felt pain and a sudden sadness. I feel like someone is testing me on how I deal with my everyday life and how I will let myself learn the value that I need to learn from that sudden sadness and pain. For me life is a big laboratory, we are the guinea pig and life itself is the scientist. oh this reminds me of my blog entitled "my laboratory of pain".

When I was in my late teens, I used to find that some people would try to "suss me out" - ie analyse me as a person, in order to find out how to handle me. I learned pretty quickly that people who are manipulative like that aren't really worth sharing your innermost self with freely. I blame Sun Tzu's Art of War being popularised by the expanding Sales industry, and all of those self-help books on "Power Relationships" which are basically about how to manipulate people. Nowadays more than ever, it's best to be choosy about who you're good friends with, and to some extent keep your distance from those you're not. It's not rude to say "I don't feel comfortable about answering that" when people are prying, or over-familiar, or ask questions which are personal. Being assertive isn't the same as being rude, although there are people who will try and make you feel it is. Just remember that's their problem, and you've every right not to answer, especially if they're treating you like that. That's what I think, anyway - how you choose to handle people who treat you like that is up to you, and will depend on your personality. Just as long as you know it's not rude to refuse to go along with that sort of thing! All the best, and who cares what they think anyway :-)

I have felt that way so many times over. People look at you for so many reasons but personally I feel that they look at me like a zoo animal because they want to compare their lives with mine. A friend of mine said that I lead a "colorful" life and many people can't seem understand why I get those opportunities and they don't. They have a lot of questions and most of the time I don't bother to answer for the very simple reason that I feel those opportunities opened up because I fought for them, I found them, I researched them and I was driven enough to follow them and make them my own.

I have noticed that as well and experienced it quite often. Although I hate to admit that I "give" more than I "get" in this department. I've worked in sales for a while and pretty much have to examine a person and figure them out (sooner rather than later) if I want to eat, or do something worthwhile like see a movie. I've noticed in general it is usually the younger folks who ask me question after question trying to figure out who I am. Most older ones don't care, or have me figured out already..I guess. (cynical of me no) I think that age does play a factor however, as those just coming into adulthood are trying to understand the world and their place it in. Or it could just be all in my head...

*Reads sign "DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS"* I dont really understand what that feels like, because im one of those people who look too boring for others to want to know anything about me, not that id tell them if they asked (id rather keep myself to myself) But still if they did bring out the book, id would be a big hit =p