So there you have it. Because I know who and what I am, I now know what I want: power, which equals freedom. Pursuing power/freedom would also provide the opportunity to play the game and a challenge. And it starts within. I see how important it is to focus on self development, to take command of myself. And to command myself, I must inevitably command my circumstances. None of this necessarily involves getting to the top of any ladder unless I decide that’s the game I wish to play. None of this need involve anything huge or historical unless I want it to. And it certainly doesn’t need to involve society’s definition of success unless it helps me achieve my objective. I want to experience the inner essence of these goals in the present and I am free to do just that. There’s also a whole world of tastes and locales and literature that I have yet to sample. I don’t have to do the so called ‘big things’. Self development, meeting and exceeding self chosen challenges and enjoying what life has to offer on its own terms really can be enough for now. I’m excited about my future, for the first time in a long time. That’s thanks, in part, to your insightful blog and the email exchanges. Even now, I don’t know if every professional would agree that I am a sociopath. What I do know is that it doesn’t matter. The label isn’t relevant; the underlying characteristics are. My detachment from emotion, including and especially moral ones, my lack of conscience, my flexible personality, my ability to manipulate at will and the profound impact these traits have on how I experience life, all of this I now understand in a way that is both illuminating and coherent, and I have your blog to thank for that.
I’m going to go play now, so to speak. Don’t worry. I won’t hurt anyone unless I’m crossed or unless I have to, so you haven’t unleashed a monster. You’ve liberated a wolf.
Thanks again!
I’m going to go play now, so to speak. Don’t worry. I won’t hurt anyone unless I’m crossed or unless I have to, so you haven’t unleashed a monster. You’ve liberated a wolf.
Thanks again!
Actually discipline is freedom. Power always entails an everlasting chain of people to interact with ( sometimes fun, sometimes not). Ultimately its boring. Discipline over and with yourself is less boring and gives greater freedom.
ReplyDeleteDiscipline over one’s self is only half the story. Power is practical precisely because one has to deal with an “everlasting chain of people”. In many ways it is sometimes useful to be able to compel other people to do things your way.
ReplyDeleteAs for the boring part... hmmm, I don't know. I do know that "the game", as the reader in the post puts it, isn't.
How natural killers fit in the military:
ReplyDeletehttps://notes.utk.edu/bio/greenberg.nsf/0/bd7eed04567bfe2b85256e3b002f29c1?OpenDocument
"The natural killer is an aggressive athlete", "lacks social emotion, is a later son... is an extrovert, has above-average intelligence and a caustic sense of humor".
Seems natural killers excel at leading troops up a hill, but don't do well at peacekeeping missions (no surprise there).
Fascinating.
--lurker
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ReplyDeletehow is that relevent?
ReplyDeleteCommented on wrong post. Apologies.
ReplyDelete--lurker
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes Daft, thats it, dont become a slave to yourself. Thats the hardest part for sociopaths...well actually to most human beings. But I would say sociopaths in particular since theyre often driven by more enslaving matters.
ReplyDeleteI wanna stress again that power does not mean being almighty since it is always depending on other people and thus a changeable and nearly uncontrollable thing. Unless you use violence or try to become a dictator. Both means you'll be either in prison soon or it will just be a matter of time till you have to ask your bodyguard to shoot you and than burn your body.
And DB: I think you are referring to temporary influence on the people around you to get what you want? Yes thats practical sure, but also just for instant gratification. If you wanna establish something more or lasting, people will need to see a consistent image of you. And that means, you guessed it, self discipline ( among other things).
Right Disney. I don’t think we’re saying different things per se. It seemed that your original comment was positing a false dichotomy between self discipline verses power, as if you had to choose one over the other. That’s what I was responding to. Self discipline and power can complement rather than oppose each other.
ReplyDeleteDB
ReplyDeleteI never mentioned any dichotomy. I was saying selfdiscipline can give a sense of freedom. If that doesnt ring any bell and one would still want to pursue power as a means to achieve freedom than please realize if you want not just temporary power than discipline is certainly still needed.
lurker said, “Commented on wrong post. Apologies.”
ReplyDeleteOf course lurker, you might have made the argument that this article is an example of the connection between self discipline and the freedom to fulfill one’s true desires, in this case, blood lust. The soldiers in question would be highly trained and their propensity for violence channeled in ways society finds useful, i.e., killing the enemy. In this way, they are free to be who and what they are. They are even appreciated in fact by a grateful public. All they have to do is disguise their will to kill in patriotic lingo. Then you could have connected this point back to the article by noting ‘the reader’s’ “freedom to be a wolf” comment. The psychopathic soldier gets to be a serial killer, with society’s complete blessing. All he has to do is know who and what he is, become highly disciplined with the government’s help and on the tax payer’s dime, then go a huntin’. I imagine there's nothing quite like the power of life and death.
But you didn’t make any of those points, so never mind.
Again, I agree Disney. Discipline is necessary to achieve almost anything, especially power. I misinterpreted your original comment then.
ReplyDeletePower over one’s self and over others can be a potent combination.
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ReplyDeleteDaft:
ReplyDeleteI suppose both, although the “stealthy kind” can sometimes be more fun. Using brute force against others, although effective, lacks imagination.
As an aside, it is my opinion that power can be seen as both a delusion and as real. I believe that no one really has any power over anyone else. It seems impossible as a literal fact. But I also get that most other people believe that others have power and/or authority over them, and so long as they believe that, for all practical purposes power is real.
I couldn't agree more with you on that. I think that the only way to actually have power over someone is by force, but if you can use someone else's thoughts against them, say by doing something that affirms their thought that you are in control, then you can actually control them...at least until they realize that it is a false control, to which it has already become reality and what’s done it done. They can take control back, but it still remains that they gave it you to begin with.
ReplyDeleteSo on those terms, the power you have over someone else is both true and false. Sort of the smoke and mirrors sort of thing and it just depends on how you use the props in front of you.
DB said: Power over one’s self and over others can be a potent combination.
ReplyDeleteYes, but why bother. Ah right; boredom.
DB said:
ReplyDelete"I believe that no one really has any power over anyone else. It seems impossible as a literal fact. But I also get that most other people believe that others have power and/or authority over them, and so long as they believe that, for all practical purposes power is real"
I think we can close this post now cause this is the only all encompassing wisdom on power here. Apparantly I couldnt phrase it this simple, and most people will never ever get this.
Daft said:
ReplyDeleteDaniel, are you referring to power willingly given over by another person or manipulation of that person, that stealthily kind of taking power over/from another?
I fail to see the difference here. Isn't any power an element of both? You cannot have power over anyone without their consent.
Daft, after actually reading the rest of your comments, I think you have a false or idealistic version of what power actually is. Or perhaps I do. When we're referring to power over people, there is a required act of submission by the party overpowered. This can be achieved by brute force, yes, but is mainly their willingness to give up their own responsibility to you. A sociopath in power is a sociopath with willing followers because of a certain amount of control over himself. Sheep, as referred to in the post by the referance to a wolf, are those unwilling to gain control over themselves and willing to sacrifice that control.
ReplyDeleteAnd Disney and Daniel Birdick, you both refer to this idea in that people perceive power in others and so willingly follow. That's not so much the case as they perceive control in others and so follow. People constantly seek someone with ability to relinquish their control to because they perceive it as relieving themselves of the responsibility of self control. If this were the case it would give the one in power the responsibility of their control, which is also not the case. So power over someone is their own laziness for accountability putting them into risky situations. This works on microcosms as well as macrocosms. For example, the government is merely a perception of power. An easy list of guidelines and accepted norms to follow relieving the responsibility from the individual to come up with his own principles. So people who do not have power need others to have power over them. SO no power is ever really taken against anyone's will, but willingly given.
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ReplyDeleteHabits rarely lie.
ReplyDeleteThe author of the "My Story" is too old not to understand major long term changes in direction are realised in hindsight, not announced in advance. The fact he does so tells the real truth - he has given up on any real change, instead comforts himself with 'announcements'.
The regular contributers here who talk about power. They tell the real truth by their very presence here day after day, sitting on their rearends writing long verbose comments. This is the real glimpse of their life and their power.
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ReplyDelete“I now know what I want: power, which equals freedom.”
ReplyDeleteAgain I'll have to disagree with this entire theory, as it's been postured here time and time again. Power LEAD TO RESPONSIBILITY. Which is the opposite of freedom. Control is one-sided, if that's what your after.
But in the end, I honestly think sociopaths get quite bored with control. It's very predictable, and because it's often surrendered, is regarded as an empty victory.
But: Influence, persuasion, coercion ... now, they can be an addictive pastime for a newly christened sociopath.
Sarah just left a comment which was nothing more than word games. Semantics. Verbosity. Which is what all of you do here. You people are pathetic.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to comment on the pros and cons of achieving power until someone can first define what we mean by power. Do we mean responsibility (doubtful), control, influence, or physical coersion? They are all so different. Are we discussing having long term power or just temporary game-type power? The original poster said he wanted power as a means to freedom. Most of the above mentioned powers don't grant freedom, they are just passtimes for recreation. So which kinds of power grant freedom? Because that's the kind I want.
ReplyDelete-a question mark.
I agree anon- it all 'sounds good' but is so very vague.. not only from the reader M.E. is publishing but also the commenters.. Let's be specific here..
ReplyDelete