Why are so many on this board so misanthropic?

I guess it's one of those things.

I know several people 'in real life' with whom I can have the type of deeper, intellectual conversations had here, even more so, in fact. Also, I've worked as a waiter for awhile and I have to deal with about a hundred strangers every day. I tend to find that most people are generally good - understanding, easy to communicate and socialize with, nice... many, even rather intelligent. But every day you get that impatient idiot, and one person out of every so many is going to be annoying, and brutally self-centred. You accept that, and move on.

A person can be intelligent. People are stupid.

Every time I write the bulk of humanity off I'm pleasantly surprised, someone shines through and indicates depth and intellect, and my skepticisms are calmed. If I look at each person as an individual it's not so bad. When grouped together as "people", the lowest common denominator effect comes into play, and "people are stupid" comes across my mind once again.

It's not that bad - and shutting yourself off just keeps you away from the good people. Don't get upset with the stupid, just accept them as thus and expend mental energy accordingly ("Ah. You are stupid. Excuse me.") There are a lot of them out there, but that's no reason to hate people. Just pity them.
 
Lack of compassion will bring out misanthopic tendencies in people. We all get in these situations every now and then, but in hard times you just have to move on instead of wallowing in misery and making it worse. Finding yourself superior or finding each one of us inferior is of no value. If you want to point and find out faults in us, that's easy. What's the point in the end?

I don't value intelligence per se...for example intelligent people without a sense of humour can be irritating to deal with. There are people with whom you just click. Human relations are a mutual thing, so you can't judge others if you don't make an effort yourself. Misanthropes like that have no right to speak if you ask me...

Another thing, all of us don't have to be fit for each other. Carve your own little niche and that's enough.

Excuse me, I guess the little humanist in me found its way out. ;)
 
Originally posted by Vortex
Lack of compassion will bring out misanthopic tendencies in people. We all get in these situations every now and then, but in hard times you just have to move on instead of wallowing in misery and making it worse. Finding yourself superior or finding each one of us inferior is of no value. If you want to point and find out faults in us, that's easy. What's the point in the end?

I don't value intelligence per se...for example intelligent people without a sense of humour can be irritating to deal with. There are people with whom you just click. Human relations are a mutual thing, so you can't judge others if you don't make an effort yourself. Misanthropes like that have no right to speak if you ask me...

Another thing, all of us don't have to be fit for each other. Carve your own little niche and that's enough.

Excuse me, I guess the little humanist in me found its way out. ;)

Thanks for the delightful read. Couldn't have written it better myself. (which isn't saying much but just to say it )
 
Personally, when I talk about the inherent idiocy/evil of humanity, I do so in a matter-of-fact kind of way, not a hateful one.

I don't dislike people because they are dumb any more than I dislike animals because they are dumb. People are people, animals are animals and that's fine with me, I have no problems with it. But if we are discussing something where the relative intelligence of a person/animal is important then I feel it is my obligation to point this out.

Lately, in real life (at work and some extended social gatherings), I'm noticing many more instances of hatred and intolerence coming from others, some comments are even of a racial nature, something I am not used to and find quite shocking. I am deeply disheartened by this and it has been weighing on my mind. I don't have any dislike or resentment towards those responsible for such comments however, I just think of it like this: people are idiots and they can't help but act as such, so I forgive them and accept them for who they are - and hope that my subtle disapproval will enact some sort of change in their frame of mind.

Satori
 
Originally posted by Vortex
Lack of compassion will bring out misanthopic tendencies in people. We all get in these situations every now and then, but in hard times you just have to move on instead of wallowing in misery and making it worse. Finding yourself superior or finding each one of us inferior is of no value. If you want to point and find out faults in us, that's easy. What's the point in the end?

I don't value intelligence per se...for example intelligent people without a sense of humour can be irritating to deal with. There are people with whom you just click. Human relations are a mutual thing, so you can't judge others if you don't make an effort yourself. Misanthropes like that have no right to speak if you ask me...

Another thing, all of us don't have to be fit for each other. Carve your own little niche and that's enough.

Excuse me, I guess the little humanist in me found its way out. ;)

I tend to disagree, at least from my own "misanthropia." I think that its because I have too much compassion that I end up being enraged at the bulk of society. If I lacked compassion, I wouldn't care that most people are wasting their potential. The fact that people do things damaging to themselves, to others, and to this planet enrages me because I know all of them are capable (in some degree or another) of being more productive. But as most people continue to waste their lives, I will continue to be misanthropic.
 
Originally posted by dune_666


I tend to disagree, at least from my own "misanthropia." I think that its because I have too much compassion that I end up being enraged at the bulk of society. If I lacked compassion, I wouldn't care that most people are wasting their potential. The fact that people do things damaging to themselves, to others, and to this planet enrages me because I know all of them are capable (in some degree or another) of being more productive. But as most people continue to waste their lives, I will continue to be misanthropic.

Wow! are you so noble?, your urine so golden? your shit so rich and earthy (heh) that you feel you can afford to fuss over the short-comings of others? Don't throw stones unless....

I await a reply....
 
Originally posted by Xtokalon


Wow! are you so noble?, your urine so golden? your shit so rich and earthy (heh) that you feel you can afford to fuss over the short-comings of others? Don't throw stones unless....

I await a reply....

By no means do I consider myself perfect, if that is what you are alluding to. I have flaws just like everyone else. But what I do think I have that many of the "masses" don't is perspective. I recognize my flaws, although I don't always have the wherewithall to address them. It is my belief that most people have no perspective on their lives, don't recognize how they fit in the greater scheme, and don't see how they affect others. This is the root of my misanthropic nature. I consider myself no more important than anyone else, and from this perspective I try to live in such a way that I respect, at least to some degree, those I encounter. Those I detest most are without perspective and act selfishly, only keeping their interest in mind. To me this is the biggest catalyst for the continual degradation of society (at least where I live, I can not generalize more than that).
 
just because you can see flaws in people and in society doesnt mean that you are in fact any better, for instance you criticize other forms of music and yet get so angry when others criticize the music you like, what makes you any better than they? just because in your own mind you are right? in their mind they are right and maybe they are...i dont hate other people, i hate myself for being so weak, for being just like them, why should i have any emotions about people who i have no desire to know or spend time with, we only hate that which we care for, you can shake your fist and shout at the sky all you like, you can vent your rage on someone or something, but the source of that rage is ourselves, feeling angry that we let ourselves care and get drawn in, but if we didnt care, didnt hate what would we be? mindless, emotionless, automatons, is that really what we want to be, a society of mindless slaves, blindly following, perhaps not far from what we already think of society, but then society is only a concept in our minds, its easy to stare at a crowd and not see the faces, to not see that everyone else is just like you, deep down we all have the same emotions and the same desires, only some of us keep them locked away, out of sight, out of mind but forever present, for we are only human, no more no less
 
Originally posted by dune_666


By no means do I consider myself perfect, if that is what you are alluding to. I have flaws just like everyone else. But what I do think I have that many of the "masses" don't is perspective. I recognize my flaws, although I don't always have the wherewithall to address them. It is my belief that most people have no perspective on their lives, don't recognize how they fit in the greater scheme, and don't see how they affect others. This is the root of my misanthropic nature. I consider myself no more important than anyone else, and from this perspective I try to live in such a way that I respect, at least to some degree, those I encounter. Those I detest most are without perspective and act selfishly, only keeping their interest in mind. To me this is the biggest catalyst for the continual degradation of society (at least where I live, I can not generalize more than that).

Wow! you know how you fit in the greater scheme of things? How do you determine based on peripheral appearances who has 'perspective' and who doesn't?

I fully sympathize with your views. But it's like when I see a person who is clearly devoid of conscience roaming around the street I might dislike him- I'm careful not to judge him and cast him in stone nonetheless- but nowhere does this dislike of individuals transcribe itself into the persistent and over-arching purview of misanthropy which I am here questioning.

I'd say you have a grievance, but perhaps 'misanthropia' would be a poor (misleading) word to describe it.
 
Wow! you know how you fit in the greater scheme of things?

I only know as much to know that my actions affect others directly and indirectly. Surprisingly enough an idea as simple as this seems to be lost on most.

How do you determine based on peripheral appearances who has 'perspective' and who doesn't?

I suppose the same way you determine if someone is clearly devoid of conscience. I observe, both from afar and up close and personal.
 
well personally i dont like it when people judge me, and so i will not judge them, how can you possibly judge people who you dont know, do you let people in to find out who you trually are? i doubt it, and i expect others do the same, so how can you possibly tell what they know, think or feel, to think of yourself as special or chosen, and depict the rest of society as braindead zobified masses says more about you than those who you attempt to categorize
 
Originally posted by dune_666


I only know as much to know that my actions affect others directly and indirectly. Surprisingly enough an idea as simple as this seems to be lost on most.



I suppose the same way you determine if someone is clearly devoid of conscience. I observe, both from afar and up close and personal.

Dune,

As I said, I sympathize with your views. But there is a difference between being grieved- ie. recognizing a problem and dealing with it as a condition of life- and being hateful in the dramatic sense of misanthropy, where you (antagonistically) posit yourself on one side in sharp contradistinction to the rest of human kind on the other.
 
hmm... looks at text above his pic...

I didn't realize it was a trend on this board, I just put that there because I thought it was a good word. It does reflect how I feel at times when I'm surrounded by people who annoy me. Not that I hate everyone... or even anyone... but I do prefer to be alone than around (those I percieve to be) idiots.

I don't find many people that I really like talking with for too long. It's frustrating.

Anyway, there is that, and I also used the word, because that pic of me reminds me of a lich, and I thought "misanthropic lich" would fit above that picture well.
 
Originally posted by moonchild
well personally i dont like it when people judge me, and so i will not judge them, how can you possibly judge people who you dont know, do you let people in to find out who you trually are? i doubt it, and i expect others do the same, so how can you possibly tell what they know, think or feel, to think of yourself as special or chosen, and depict the rest of society as braindead zobified masses says more about you than those who you attempt to categorize

I find that I am able to tell how a person is by talking to them, observing them talk to others, and sometimes by appearance. Obviously assumptions can turn out wrong, but more often than not, my initial feelings about a person, determined by the above criteraia, are validated when/if I make the effort to get to know them more personally.

As to your assertion of me thinking that I am special or chosen, I made no allusions to either, nor do I feel that way. If you read one of my previous posts in fact, I explicitly state that I think that I am no better than anyone else. However you are right about one thing, the fact that I think the masses are zombified and brainwashed does say something about me, it says that I have perspective and the masses do not, which I have said all along.
 
Originally posted by Xtokalon


Dune,

As I said, I sympathize with your views. But there is a difference between being grieved- ie. recognizing a problem and dealing with it as a condition of life- and being hateful in the dramatic sense of misanthropy, where you (antagonistically) posit yourself on one side in sharp contradistinction to the rest of human kind on the other.

Perhaps, but then we wouldn't have engaged in any discussion, and that wouldn't have been any fun :lol:
 
Originally posted by Satori
[BLately, in real life (at work and some extended social gatherings), I'm noticing many more instances of hatred and intolerence coming from others, some comments are even of a racial nature, something I am not used to and find quite shocking. I am deeply disheartened by this and it has been weighing on my mind. I don't have any dislike or resentment towards those responsible for such comments however, I just think of it like this: people are idiots and they can't help but act as such, so I forgive them and accept them for who they are - and hope that my subtle disapproval will enact some sort of change in their frame of mind.[/B]


It seems to me that people of today are tolerant of only those they see as being tolerant.
 
It's not that bad - and shutting yourself off just keeps you away from the good people

There isnt good people to keep away from. If you realize that your point makes no sense. If you realize but belive im making a mistake i could understand that. Hope was once my way and in some ways it still its. Its not easy to stare into nothingness and not shake in fear, its not easy to give up in live and not have second thoughts, its not easy to fail in life and accept failure without self destructive thoughts, its not easy to have nothing to offer but endless agony and dreams of stability; yet all this things its what makes me a flawed stupid human being. The fact that i have second thoughts about my ideologies, than i try to hide from my ideas in love that maybe was never there to begin with, the fact that, that is what keeps me sick of myself, and everyone else, its what makes me misanthropic


Human relations are a mutual thing, so you can't judge others if you don't make an effort yourself

From making the efford and failing, from finding a person and realizing she went to a huge efford of overcoming guilt to tell me that it might be over, from having trown myself blindly in the arms of a person inlove with another and myself at the same time, for going against impossible odds and gettting away with it for 2 whole months i found that the efford cant be made. There is no such thing as a selfless thought in the human mind that just cannot happen. All that time i was selfish not considering her fears and worries and feelings ( wich make her human nothing more nothing less ) and growing up in selfishness, demanding that other person overcomes her flaws, instead of overcoming my flaw of seeking to blame others and not myself. If there is one thing i learned from making an efford myself is that making an efford myself its a selfish thought not a selfless one, its wanting impossible things to happen and running over someone's heart to get yours healed, its the single most discusting thing ive done in my life and it will forever haunt me until the day i die. You think that is worth trying? giving up to your fear of accepting your lonleyness and dragging an innocent person into your nightmares just to deny the fact that you are affraid of being alone? BE ALONE AND ENDURE YOUR FLAWS i say, embrace them let them tear you appart and save yourself the trouble of ever trying anything or having a thought of trying.

As I said, I sympathize with your views. But there is a difference between being grieved- ie. recognizing a problem and dealing with it as a condition of life- and being hateful in the dramatic sense of misanthropy, where you (antagonistically) posit yourself on one side in sharp contradistinction to the rest of human kind on the other.

dealing with it as a condition of life? that is truly what makes someone like me and others sick of humans. The only thought that you THINK you can deal with it, that you can overcome any obstacle you can think of, that you do not understand there are things that will be forever beyond your reach and you will never understand. How do you expect to improve something you will never understand like the human mind? Can you honestly tell me you can think of a way of changing your nature and the one of every living human on the planet? that only makes you arrogant on top of everything else.

And hateful yes, but what makes you think every misanthropic person posits himself on one side in sharp contradiction to the rest of human kind? i mean ive took the time to read some of the things you have been saying, you are asuming that Dune thinks he its better than everyone else. He is aware that people are a nightmare and can see that. He is aware of his Misanthropy and as he stated it doesnt means he its in any way better. Yes lack of vision and running away from misanthropic nihilistic views its a sign of weakness, but in the end it does not matter. Its just the top of the iceberg. If for a 10th a Misanthropic person belives himself better than everyone else because he accepts his flaws and views the other people's flaws, that 10th of a second he was selfish, being no better than everyone else in the world. If i wanted everyone else to be misanthropic it wouldnt be to improve themselves, such a thing as improvement its far beyond the reach of the current state we are in, the current state evolution ( well devolution ) lived us in, if i wanted them to be misanthropic ( as some misanthropic persons want them to be ) it would only be to make their life's easier, to give them a break so they stop running away to religions, love, moral values, and generally positive philosophies. Yet probably the reason of wanting others to be more aware of themselves its probably flawed, because it wouldnt make any difference. Accepting you are selfish doesnt stops you from being selfish, as we are all and we are destined to be. Maybe it would make life easier for me and for everyone then again that is a selfish thing to wish for
Do you see where im going?....