A very interesting article, explaining the nature behind everyday evil.

"... But the team then set up a computer game that would allow the participants to “punish” a competitor with a loud noise through their headphones. This wasn’t compulsory; in fact, the volunteers had to perform a tedious verbal task to earn the right to punish their competitor – but, to Paulhus’s surprise, the everyday sadists were more than happy to take the trouble."

 

I like it!
Studying, "the flavors of everyday evil".
I wish somebody had taught me these things before I discovered them in person.
I have actually met people that were bi-polar, complete narcissists, sociopathic, multiple personality disorder, or diagnosably paranoid schizophrenic. For the wiseacres here, that was 5 different people, except for the multiple personality disorder; she was 6 different people!
Is life the adventure of meeting and learning about these variations of people?
Would I have been better off to know about them before I met them?
That would have saved me a lot of time, but would that saving have come right out of my wisdom account?
Thanks Martinez. Very thought provoking article.

 

I'm mostly just anti social. Too lazy to be anything else.

Actually I am considered highly social by my coworkers. It's when I am not at work that I tend to prefer peace and quiet by myself.

 

The best thing about my house is the silence.
That doesn't mean I'm anti-social, and I can swear you don't have anti-social personality disorder.
It is literally impossible for a regular contributor to have that diagnosis. They simply aren't wired to act benevolently unless they have a co-morbid like Machiavellian motives, and that $h1t doesn't fly here.

 

Human nature is one of my favorite subjects. If you ever get a complete understanding of it (I know I still haven't) then grasping things like company policies, national sentiments and tribal wars become simpler... Look at what Mr Putin is doing right now, for instance. (I'd rather not say "the russians", since I've learned to separate countries from their own governments when making an argument) He's harassing his neighbors (and even non-neighbors) with petty provocations, sending "reconnaissance" flights too close to their borders, among other things... all because his enormous ego has been hurt. He's very smart, and acts like a chess player, but I doubt his primary concerns are the citizens of his own country.

 

You say this:

... all because his enormous ego has been hurt.

Then you say this:

He's very smart, and acts like a chess player...

How do you know that he is not playing an impassionate game of chess?

Edit: I meant "unimpassionate".

 

You say this:



Then you say this:



How do you know that he is not playing an impassionate game of chess?

Edit: I meant "unimpassionate".

Good point... I have no idea of what that man is thinking... he's like a machine sometimes... but then I see pictures of him riding horses bare-chested and showing off his martial arts skills and I can't help but conclude that he has a big ego... To me at least, he complies with every requirement sated in Machiavelli's "The Prince"...

 

Good point... I have no idea of what that man is thinking... he's like a machine sometimes... but then I see pictures of him riding horses bare-chested and showing off his martial arts skills and I can't help but conclude that he has a big ego... To me at least, he complies with every requirement sated in Machiavelli's "The Prince"...

Personally, I think he is simply an old Cold Warrior...he knows nothing else.

But it's for your benefit too. If you don't have to rely on human feeding, the war would be over.

Perhaps. But then what would we do? Who would we be?

 

...he knows nothing else.

Kind of sad... it sort of reminds me of Max Plank's quote “A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.”
I think the same is true with economic and political ideas

 

If you enjoyed that article, maybe you'll find this one very interesting too... kind of long, but worth reading it

 

Too late. I already know how extreme isolation warps the mind. (90 days in traction and 13 months in a cast.)

Can't you tell from my posts?

 

Too late. I already know how extreme isolation warps the mind. (90 days in traction and 13 months in a cast.)

Can't you tell from my posts?

I've had a glimpse... but I don't know your whole story...

 

I've had a glimpse... but I don't know your whole story...

I'm mostly sane now, but I have some reactive responses that need to be controlled, like saying, "I can tell by your lame excuses that you have never known real hardship."

 

I'm mostly sane now, but I have some reactive responses that need to be controlled, like saying, "I can tell by your lame excuses that you have never known real hardship."

In cases like yours, people normally react in one of two ways: they become bitter and resentful, or they become more compassionate and empathic... it seems clear to me that you belong to the latter group

 

Until some lame Dick whines about how he didn't bother to look before asking for help.

(That's, "Ricardito" in Mexican.)

 

Until some lame Dick whines about how he didn't bother to look before asking for help.

well... one doesn't have to go through great trauma to dislike that sort of people!

 

Thank you.

The problem is that when I say that, it comes out like spit in your eye.
Pure resentment.
With a side order of disgust.

Kind of like TCM's, "shit or get off the pot" approach to life, but with venom.

 

Thank you.

The problem is that when I say that, it comes out like spit in your eye.
Pure resentment.
With a side order of disgust.

Kind of like TCM's, "shit or get off the pot" approach to life, but with venom.

We all have to fight our own demons... or keep then tightly trapped in jar... until some idiot blows the lid off...
Nah, that's blaming someone else for our weaknesses, we're all human and have our moments, I guess

 

I keep mine in a jar.

No, seriously, my control mechanisms are manifested by avoidance of some people. I say I don't suffer fools well, but it's much deeper than that. I resent them. I consider them of little value. I, "delete" them from my world. I consider them to be parasites. They have nothing to offer but neediness, self-inflicted uselessness.

My presence here is testimony to my willingness to help people that want to help themselves, but I've suffered all the wastrels I can stand in this life. They can waste their time, but I won't let them waste mine.

One of my favorite slurs is, "I'm a drop-dead beautiful, world famous, multimillionaire, and my life is so difficult". When that comes on the TV, it changes its own channel in fear that I will throw something at it.

 

Here's an idiot who couldn't keep his demons in a lid...