Of the Fab Four, who is the most evolved as a human being

So I got to thinking, of Howard, Robin, Fred or Gary who is the most functionally and emotionally evolved as a human being?

All four had fucked up childhoods, all four went to therapy and all four have a grip on reality now, but who is the MOST Functional as a human being... My vote is Fred

are you Fred?

I'm kinda surprised anyone would choose anyone but Gary. Fred can't admit when he's wrong and occasionally goes into a weird psycho-fit.

Most evolved? Gary mentally, but not physically.

Gary seems to most aware of the reality of the show: Kiss boff's ass no matter what or go back to working the schwoogie buzzer at the record store.

Gary is easily the most evolved. He has success in the workplace, in his marriage, with his kids, and in his community. The guy is the total package. Howard, Robin, and Fred have probably had more total growth from their starting points, but because Gary was always grounded even in the insane asylum house he grew up in, he had a bit of an starting point advantage over the other three. Fred is next with a pretty well rounded life for a guy who started out on 'Mars'. Howard has Beth, who has had a calming effect on him and who has given him some semblance of a home life. Robin, who has come a very long way, with her charity and her wanderlust is still a single gal without any home stability. They can all be proud of their accomplishments, but Gary is way ahead of the pack on this one.

I've been listening to fight week round 2 this week, and let me tell ya, Robin indeed was crazier than a shithouse rat.
She was involved in 75% of the fighting.

Fred.

jalen rose.

Compared to the others, Gary demonstrates almost normal, healthy functioning when relating to and interacting with other human beings, as a father, husband, friend, work colleague, supervisor, and altruistic citizen who contributes his time to things outside of his own needs. His Achilles-heel is the defensive anxiety and self-doubt he demonstrates when he is stressed/criticized. (His mother was a very disturbed woman.) For example, he feels a strong need to argue and defend himself when often it is better to just get on with things.

Fred would be next as father, husband and friend though he is easy to tweak and is still prone to strong, defensive over-reactions, bordering on maniacal. This has frightened some in the past. He seems quite healthy when it comes to accommodating the needs of others, i.e., he's not normally selfish.

Robin is a complex combination of selfless compassion for others while paradoxically interpreting much that goes on around her as somehow being an extension of her personally reality and beliefs, i.e., a self-centered view of the world. Her traumatizing childhood has left her with many issues, some of which seem to go unacknowledged to this day. She has had no long-term successful relationships with men and may never achieve this though I believe that she has truly come to love Howard as a human being and cares for him deeply. She can almost simultaneously be selfish and caring about others, while also being prone to strong denial and defensive reactions when stressed or challenged. To repeat this in simple terms, she is a two-headed hydra with both narcissistic and caring heads. Her world view is a bit nutty.


Regarding the KOAM (Howard is the least evolved but uniquely talented):
Howard displays pathetically little self-insight and growth for all of his 13+ years of therapy. His most visible traits outside of his talents are selfishness and neurotic behavior patterns, mainly due to traumatized parents that made him feel like a freak on the inside. This is the source of his fascination/identification with an endless list of other freaky people like Tiny Tim, JD and Medicated Pete. He has a short fuse regarding all-things human and constantly adapts a self-serving, quasi-childish set of notions about himself when stressed and criticized/challenged. Everything that Howard claims to care about is conditional. If he's unhappy, everyone he affects knows about it and feels the consequences. This has also resulted in Howard purposefully surrounding himself with weaker, anxious creatures all of whom are financially dependent on him, his whims, impulses and caprices. His unresolved insecurity leaves him with little tolerance for competent/professional/successful people that can credibly challenge his self-view, hence the cult-of-Stern. He must ultimately have leverage or it's a no-go.

In contrast to his youth, he has some awareness of this now but essentially has made no practical changes nor accommodations for others. He does not want to actually change anything unless it suits him. The best example of this stunted, selfish non-growth is the long-term sabotaging of his marriage with Alison, which pained him deeply when he took note of how it affected his children yet, he went backwards when choosing an attractive yet immature/insecure female whom he claims to love deeply. Alison pushed him to grow up and was forced to give up on him and move on, hence her relatively quick, post-divorce, second marriage.

His biggest personal lie since his divorce is that he wants an equal partner. The truth is that his love is conditional, first and foremost. Leverage is paramount. If Beth does not put his needs first, he will pressure, complain and tantrum until he gets his way. He knows intellectually that she is actually another human being but struggles to allow for even the simplest of digressions away from focusing on his needs and pleasures. Beth represents a step backwards regarding his personal growth and maturity. "It's all about Howard" - Beth

Paging Dr. Adam, Dr. Adam! You're urgently needed in the Psychiatric Ward!

Nice work, Doc!

I pick Gary as well, but if I were permitted to go outside these four and to someone who used to be with the show, then I would select Stuttering John. When he was just an intern, he seemed like a puppy eager to please Howard. As he matured, he developed the confidence to challenge Howard and the ability to believe he could make it without him. He started to put feelers out for another job and he prudently accepted the opportunity on the Tonight Show. John recognized Howard's dysfunctional effect on him and distanced himself. However, he threw no tantrums that got him fired or prematurely resigned without another job in place. He waited until he had another job before giving notice. He did what was right for his family.


Man I got the shits tonight. I think I have a stomach virus.

Hot lava ass.

Fred and Gary. Sorry, but these two are even in my eyes so I can't pick just one.

Fred is my call , saw him play live with king norris a long time ago . I have to say the man has skills

Ironically the Monkey is the most evolved.




















PS I mean Gary not Robin,

Robin. Traveling, cookbooks..Howard doesn't even come close.

I'll go with Booey, he is a good father, he can take a joke, he is honest...he became a real man without the aid of therapy.
I have a lot more respect for Gary than I do for Howard....and years ago I respected Howard more than any other celebrity.

John Lennon.

Don't know about evolved, but Gary is certainly the most grounded.