I've been thinking recently about the different ways that people value human life. From LDS President Dieter Uchtdorf on how God values human life:
Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you.
God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn’t care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely.
He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God’s love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.
What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us.
Apart from being a reminder of the impossibly high standard that many religious people are meant to hold themselves to when tasked with loving their fellow man as God loves them (and the great chasm from that expectation to their actual performance), I think this represents an interesting alternative to valuing human life than what has become the fad of late: prestigious job, fancy house, and attractive significant other being the baseline indicators for success, with additional money, celebrity, talent, or power being the true distinguishing characteristics to lift one above the masses of mediocrity. I have been in all sorts of cultures, from where Porsches are considered wannabe striver cars to where owning a bike is the envy of the village, but no matter where you are or what criteria you are using people always manage to find some way to think that they're better than other people.
I'm not suggesting that people stop judging others -- that's for them to reconcile with their own personal beliefs. I just think it's telling to see the different standards the people use to judge themselves and others. I thought the video below was an interesting perspective that happens to be very counter the majoritarian view -- so much so that I imagine many people assume she feels this way just because she does not rate high on attractiveness herself (sour games?). Her view: "I never want to get into this place where I feel like what I look like is more important than what I do . . . . Being beautiful is not an accomplishment." I especially liked the part where she compared humans to how other animals look: "It's absurd when you waste too much time on it, when you look at the perspective of being part of this kind of silly looking species on this planet in this solar system in this universe that is huge and contains life forms we haven't even encountered yet and that are completely foreign to us."
But what is the sociopathic angle to all of this? Maybe that sociopaths also sometimes get judged according to standards that they feel are arbitrary or silly? And if you can see some absurdity to the way that many people value human life, maybe you can better understand how sociopaths feel about adhering to seemingly silly and arbitrary things like social norms? Maybe to let the people know who write to me to tell me, "get your life together and establish a legitimate career" or opining that what I have done with my life is "wholly insignificant" that my value system for the worth of a life is probably a little different from there's? And that's ok. I'm glad some people love their middle class lifestyles because they stabilize society and pay into the welfare coffers for the rest of us bottom feeders. Or maybe I am setting up a pity play -- trying to trigger an emotional response in people who read this in order to promote more tolerance as part of a desperate ploy to prevent further legally sanctioned prejudicial treatment of sociopaths?
Or maybe I've just been thinking about this because it seems like our transition from consumer culture to information culture has made us all connoisseurs and critics of "content," including the people that populate our lives. But I'm not sure that most people enjoy being the subject of other people's scrutiny. Nor could you really say that everybody is fair game, if fair is something you believe in. Because I don't remember asking to be born, much less born the way I am and I can't imagine that most people do/did either. And yet there is such a temptation to become an amateur critic of the humans we encounter. But what a dim view of humanity to believe that there is any morally sound and unbiased basis for sorting people out according to value, ranking something so unknowable as the human soul according to such superficial criteria as "our 'riches' and our 'chances for learning.'" Because out of all of the wonders of this world, humans are the most amazing to me. I guess that's why I like the Mormon doctrine on this point: "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God".
Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you.
God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn’t care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely.
He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God not because of our résumé but because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken. God’s love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.
What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us.
Apart from being a reminder of the impossibly high standard that many religious people are meant to hold themselves to when tasked with loving their fellow man as God loves them (and the great chasm from that expectation to their actual performance), I think this represents an interesting alternative to valuing human life than what has become the fad of late: prestigious job, fancy house, and attractive significant other being the baseline indicators for success, with additional money, celebrity, talent, or power being the true distinguishing characteristics to lift one above the masses of mediocrity. I have been in all sorts of cultures, from where Porsches are considered wannabe striver cars to where owning a bike is the envy of the village, but no matter where you are or what criteria you are using people always manage to find some way to think that they're better than other people.
I'm not suggesting that people stop judging others -- that's for them to reconcile with their own personal beliefs. I just think it's telling to see the different standards the people use to judge themselves and others. I thought the video below was an interesting perspective that happens to be very counter the majoritarian view -- so much so that I imagine many people assume she feels this way just because she does not rate high on attractiveness herself (sour games?). Her view: "I never want to get into this place where I feel like what I look like is more important than what I do . . . . Being beautiful is not an accomplishment." I especially liked the part where she compared humans to how other animals look: "It's absurd when you waste too much time on it, when you look at the perspective of being part of this kind of silly looking species on this planet in this solar system in this universe that is huge and contains life forms we haven't even encountered yet and that are completely foreign to us."
But what is the sociopathic angle to all of this? Maybe that sociopaths also sometimes get judged according to standards that they feel are arbitrary or silly? And if you can see some absurdity to the way that many people value human life, maybe you can better understand how sociopaths feel about adhering to seemingly silly and arbitrary things like social norms? Maybe to let the people know who write to me to tell me, "get your life together and establish a legitimate career" or opining that what I have done with my life is "wholly insignificant" that my value system for the worth of a life is probably a little different from there's? And that's ok. I'm glad some people love their middle class lifestyles because they stabilize society and pay into the welfare coffers for the rest of us bottom feeders. Or maybe I am setting up a pity play -- trying to trigger an emotional response in people who read this in order to promote more tolerance as part of a desperate ploy to prevent further legally sanctioned prejudicial treatment of sociopaths?
Or maybe I've just been thinking about this because it seems like our transition from consumer culture to information culture has made us all connoisseurs and critics of "content," including the people that populate our lives. But I'm not sure that most people enjoy being the subject of other people's scrutiny. Nor could you really say that everybody is fair game, if fair is something you believe in. Because I don't remember asking to be born, much less born the way I am and I can't imagine that most people do/did either. And yet there is such a temptation to become an amateur critic of the humans we encounter. But what a dim view of humanity to believe that there is any morally sound and unbiased basis for sorting people out according to value, ranking something so unknowable as the human soul according to such superficial criteria as "our 'riches' and our 'chances for learning.'" Because out of all of the wonders of this world, humans are the most amazing to me. I guess that's why I like the Mormon doctrine on this point: "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God".
she keeps misspelling LSD
ReplyDeletethat should appeal to all the dope fiends here
Deleteugly girleugly girls (and fat once) are better in bed
ReplyDeletethey make an effort
and they are more grateful
and usualy more interesting
(and they trigger my predator reflex)
It's all about chemistry. When the sparks fly, and the brain smells the pheronomones it likes, your body thinks you have found a magical genetical match for your offspring. When that happens, entering her kingdom will be more then just a wet experience.
DeletePersonally I prefer that experience in combination with good looks. That experience together with terrible looks is nothing more then a good experience. Wouldn't want to walk down the street with a cage owl.
I prefer a man with a bit of fat. I will look better to him, which makes him feel he need to earn me, and when I eat him after sex he will be tastier than the taught lean ones...yigh
DeleteThere is more protein for the effort in a leaner man per 100 gram of goods. However, if you just want the calories, I would guess more fat is the way to go. Fat has approximately double the amount of chalories per gram then protein.
DeleteI prefer sthg which tastes delicious after sex. But you make a good point. Perhaps a fat guy who can bench press me.
DeleteCheers!
Deletecharm > looks
ReplyDeleteE.g. if there's a god and he loves some of us more than others, that's his business, not ours. E.g. I genetically engineer some monkeys. Being opinionated, I like some monkeys more than others. Should particular monkeys feel ashamed if I like them less? Should they feel proud if I like some more? No - because my feelings aren't up to them. And they didn't choose to be whichever monkey they are; I did.
ReplyDeleteTake "Bladerunner". Should the replicants feel bad about being replicants - they are sociopaths? If they do feel bad about doing bad things, that's them feeling bad about something the humans did: engineering a bunch of sociopaths to do their dirty work.
If a monkey, created by me, was running around, obsessed about how good-looking he was, or how many bananas he had, you'd think, "that monkey is missing the point. He doesn't understand his place in the universe. He's ignorant. He might as well kick back and marvel at the fact that he's alive and enjoy whatever he's doing, instead of being a self-absorbed jerk, because he'll never be doing this again."
If a flower could see itself and think, "I don't look as pretty as the other flowers," we'd think, "that flower should just do its job and relax."
If there's no god and the universe is just stuff interacting with stuff, there's even less reason to care about silly externals. We might as well all be glad to be alive and content with whatever the universe has chosen to give us.
In any case, there's no reason to worry about death - when we get there (whether there's a God or no), we'll deal with it, just like we deal with things from moment to moment: we try to do the best we can given our options. Read Marcus Aurelius's if you want more on this.
Being alive is tragic because it a lot like being stuck in a ship with a bunch of people. Many of them are nice, but some of them are miserable. The miserable ones blame you for their unhappiness, and think that messing with you is right, just and what will make them happy.
It is possible for reasonably content sociopaths to get all this and feel love and compassion for all people, because they don't tend to favor their family over strangers so much.
M.E. a sociopath? In a pig's eye!
ReplyDeleteShe is a warm, caring human being who began this blog as a gimic
to enrich herself and promote her book.
But that's hardly evil. She HAS helped many to a point.
She IS courting danger even with her limited fame. It is up to us to
keep an eye on her and stand ready to help, just in case it all spirals
out of control.
duh...
DeleteSome people really should read the book. She has a copy of a letter from a professional that clearly spells it out. It's also at the very beginning of the book. You can even see the name of the psychologist and where he works. And in truth, Dr. Phil's evidence - which he states as "...having insight, self-discovery, and things, it is not consistent with sociopathy." But that works under the assumption that she doesn't fit 100% of the DSM definition. Which even non-supporters of sociopathy agree is in itself flawed. That being said, Dr. Phil didn't actually say she wasn't a sociopath, just not a pseudo-prototypical one readily accepted by professionals.
DeleteAlso as to everyone citing the website reports of "she's a scam, Dr. Phil said so." it was misconstrued. It was, actually, spun. If you actually watch the Dr. Phil segment, he refers to the "scam" in the context of what as talked about as a "cultural accent", or from what he was witnessing regular readers would recognize as "the mask".
She wasn't scamming, in that she isn't a sociopath. The scam was in reference to what she projects to people. As for everyone else the internet has been spinning on the topic? Misinterpretation, a refusal to accept, and blind compliance to previous blind compliance of a false quote. To give an analog, it started as a childhood game of "Telephone" where the first word/message (to paraphrase) was "What the world sees of me is a scam". You can see how it devolved after that.
As an aside after watching the segment, if you read the microexpressions on her face, you can tell if you know what you are looking for.
DeleteBy the way, if she really "isn't" a sociopath, then she has fooled at least one actual sociopath. Add up all of the blog posts, the book, and the interview (all coupled with everything "in-between" with what is unstated), I have concluded she is.
What real sociopath did she fool?
DeleteThe lack of insight they talk about isn't what it seems.
DeleteA sociopath knows that they are cold and callous and that they hurt their family - they just don't feel bad about it in a way that gets them to act differently. People don't normally associate indifference with insight, so they use the phrase, "lack of insight."
ME knows she's impulsive, manipulative, cold, callous and calculating. She's still doing things that are impulsive, manipulative, cold, callous and calculating - in fact, if she thought it'd make you like her or get you to do her a favor, she might tell you about something impulsive and anti-social she did.
This is why some people use the phrase "morally insane."
"What real sociopath did she fool?"
DeleteMe. As in one particular anonymous commenter.
And yes, there is actually a profound level of personal insight as a sociopath. The emotionally detached nature of it can heighten it.
Also, people mistake not caring for something as indifference, as far as the word is utilized in common usage, which is a lack of being capable of coming to a decision. The reality is quite the opposite. Since they don't care for something, they choose not to choose. If the person they are with cares, they let them choose *because* that person cares. For example when I go out for food with people, and they ask me whether I would like Indian or Japanese, my answer is "it doesn't matter to me", because it really doesn't - I like both, so I'll let you choose. Since those people may have preference of one over the other, I am more than willing to let them choose. Because as far as I'm concerned, I like either anyways. Invariably, I always get approached with "you must like something", which a misnomer. In truth, whichever nationality of food a restaurant is, I almost always find something on the menu that I like. So when I respond with "Go ahead, you choose", it is not because I am bending myself over to appease or be overly courteous. I am also not really being indifferent. I have just assessed my choices available, and have come to the conclusion that both restaurants have menu items I like and will eat.
That of course doesn't mean I don't get a craving for some sushi once in a while, but when going out in a social setting I actually don't care.
By the way, self-denial is lessened as a sociopath. Hyper-rationality and reduced emotionality helps to dispel it. A sociopath is more willing to accept these features, because they see it and it makes sense. They are less likely however, to admit it externally.
DeleteI have a friend who has a paranoid personality disorder. Most paranoids see nothing wrong with themselfes, they see wrong in everything else. They won't go to therapy, in theyr eyes they are seeing the truth while the rest of the world isn't.
DeleteHe also believed his paranoid thoughts until some time after he got diagnosed a few years ago. He spent a few years digesting the information before he realized he actually was paranoid.
When aware of his condition, he is abler to differentiate between mistrustful paranoid thoughts and "normal thinking" most of the time, thus not acting on them.
I mention this because like M.E., ge doesn't fit the standard. Most paranoids don't get to where he is now.
We are all made up of different characteristics that play together and develop over time, evolving the game we play in our lifes. The general assu,ption for a group defined by a diagnosis might be right, but just one or a few of them might have additional characteristics that stand them out.
She has helped me even if it wasnt meant to do so. So I am grateful.
ReplyDeleteIs that accidental love?
Im sorry let me clarify. I meant to put in.
DeleteAn for example:
Say I say she has helped me, and then I feel love , but not necessarily from her, because I do not know her, ofc.
And imagine juat imagine if me is here to say (not that she thinks this...I do not think she thinks this lol)
That my our our comments further her continuation or willingness to keep up blogging, which, I am sure she gets oleasure from , and say she feels love from this pkeasure.
And this is not planned. Is it love?
Because I think that is what god would say love was. This accidental touching of stuff which perpetuates motion which continues the life force.
Is that accidental love?
She, in this case I would guess the author of the book and blog. I would bet her intention is to make money, and if her claims are true, let out what she is.
DeleteYou can draw a paralell from this to any woman(not that men are any better). Is that love? Her brain tricks her into reproductive acts in order to reproduce her genetic material. After wich she will exploit your riches and resources for the benefit of her children. Without these resources and the genetic gift you have to give her (prooven through looks, charm, social status, self-confidence and so on) she won't regard you as much initially. However, one can always get lucky. Is that love or is it just evolution?
MY riches? As a person who reads and makes comments? Huh?
DeleteNevermind, I got it,
DeleteHa, thats funny you say that.
There's nothing wrong making money from all of this. To coin the phrase, that's like the tea calling the kettle black.
DeleteAll the young lady in the video has to do is make a few minor
ReplyDeletealterations in her appearence. She needs to do something about her
limp hair, and lose the glasses.
Being even a "plain" female, she is in posseson of the one item that
most men can't do without.
I don't know her employment or educational history, but there's
no reason to belive she's lacking there either.
She should get down on her hands and knees and thank God, she is
so well favored.
But a little plastic surg might help. That way, she'll have to get down
on her hands and knees a little less.
Plastic surgery is a terrible idea. She is not ugly. She's ordinary. There's a difference. There are women like her all over the place who dye their hair blonde, wear color contact lenses etc etc and they think they're gorgeous. A lot of it is attitude.
Deletethat chick isn't that bad... she just needs to wash her hair.
ReplyDeleteI bet anon 516 would go down on her if she tooker glasses off, put a little bronzer, mascara and lip gloss on.
DeleteNo I zoomed in on her eyes and teeth and they are beautiful.
DeleteIf there are 2 things to chose for vaniry they are eyes and teeth. Her dream reality mythic cocksucking bullshit is fake as a narcissist house of cards.
I mean whoev3r put it in her head is a cocksucker.
DeleteThere's nothing wrong with the girl in the 2nd video. She's a beauty. I can see it. It's evident that beauty is far deeper than the outer appearance. But she is good looking.That's one thing that keeps me going as I age. But I'm different. I think women and men are hotter as they age. I'm attracted to older things. Aging gracefully and having good esteem of yrself is key. Acceptance. Christie Brinkley is shy away from 60. And she's even more beautiful than what she was in her twenties.
ReplyDeleteI am better looking now than when younger too. Youth is wasted on the young.
Delete:-) I like the character of wrinkles too. Just how the body naturally ages, beautiful. I'm 36 yrs old and look forward to each decade there on after. Age just means how many years I've lived on earth. That is all. Day by day we are all getting older, there's no getting out of it, but to accept its wonder. The diversity of various ages , and the human body in any stage of life is captivating to me.
DeleteYou have a nice amt of time to look beautiful.
DeleteIf you go see the movie August Osage County you will be very upset with the older ladies' dialog lol.
If anyone has seen it here i would like to ask opinion on the Mom pd-wise.
Meryl Streep plays a malignant narcissist, apparently.
DeleteI will have to watch that movie. Thank you
Deletejust saw it. If you are borderline with mal narc relatives I recommend watching with care (or with a flask).
DeleteTo the actual sociopaths it will probably be funny.
To the pretend sociopaths (who don't get triggered and have a BPD reaction) it will be boring as hell.
As you might expect, it was well scripted and acted. It was interesting.
Value is not an intrinsic property of any person, or object for that matter. It's all relative. On a planet made of gold, dirt might be more valuable than diamonds. So, when it comes to people, their value, their worth is determined by what they can do to help me. How I treat people is determined by that value in addition to whether or not they can harm me. The ways I can be harmed and helped are numerous, and so all my social interactions can be explained by these two parameters.
ReplyDeleteMy estimation of who can harm me, and how, is greatly exaggerated. For this reason, I either meekly ignore people or I am nice to them.
Well said
DeleteI'm so glad I found this site while looking for help on all the abuse and projections I was getting on Facebook. As someone who has tried to push myself in all ways as much as I can I try to accept people as they are because I'm done not being accepted myself. Now that I find myself having surpassed the ability to allow my emotions to rule my world and have tried to put a mind over matter approach onto things picking my battles and seeing the bigger picture. This doesn't make me soulless or unable to emotionally relate. I relate to those who feel rejected the most and I relate to those who have confidence as well. I try to be the example I want to see in the world and react to everything even abuse accordingly. Understand the root of the abuse and understand the differences in humanity. I'm not trying to seem better then others but if they seem me that way so be it. Other appreciate and learn and some will make me out to be fake or unpractical in my approach. Discipline doesn't have to be harsh and I've had enough of that too.
ReplyDeleteI'm not religious but spiritual. Still I try to keep being rational at times and not get lost in all the confusion and illusion and paranormal things surrounding that happen to and around me.
Suffice to say that I care too much and perhaps that is why I tend to try to protect and teach and help and share with others so I can grow but also hope to guide to a better place that I have been. If I'm down its not because of who I am but because as a human getting so much abuse and tolerating is hard even if I get stronger. I'm not denying my emotions and I'm not emotionless. Perhaps in some senses the abuses have made me desensitized to low level pain and my threshold is now higher which can seem like I'm bein careless factual intellectual or sociopathic. I wish no harm on others and if I didn't feel then I wouldn't care to help or recognize the signs and need. Which means I have at one point and that is why I can be spot in with certain solutions.
I will keep cheering myself up and brushing things off and moving on and try to not let my experiences taint how far I have come to not push people hurting me but invite them in and ease them a bit.
Although I realize I really people need to help themselves and the synergy of a social group really depends on the whole itself.
Which is why I try to keep my sorrows to my close friends so I don't influence others and project my pain and affect them. I am not lieing to others that everything is peachy I just try to maintain a more concentrated to self rather then exploding on others like i used to. Does this mean I'm a narc a manipulator a sociopath or have a mental disorder, depends on the whole and depends on the perspective of those who have been through hard times and come out of it with a great full experience.
The norms are changing depending on the dynamic of a group and a good balance is having extremes so I would say just as many people are trying to provoke me to react like them I will try to resist reacting the way I used to because it got me nowhere. I would say that in fact narcs play that game and victims role is to defend by not reacting and feeding them the victory of causing pain. And if they fail they project their names on me while making everyone else believe it. That's what normal people fail to understand and hard for victims to explain I would say and specially those to succeed at catching their game in some way.
Yep I feel much better. Keep this site going it has helped me a lot and I'm sure more people will need it as the future generation may need it.
Off to work and responsibilities and hopefully finding a man who can appreciate me for a change.
Good luck to you. And all of us . Happy love day.
DeleteGod is love. Sw is love.
I am love
I am ME.
Beautifully said.
DeleteA well rounded approach anon 805. You validate yourself while validating others. But within reason for others. You realize that you are the main caretaker of yourself - and you ain't gunna keep taking the punching bags. Don't get sidetracked - stay on your own course - your evolving well and healthy. Trial and error has given you great insight. Your not bitter, but your extremely resilient and bouncing back. I relate - and cheer you on. If ME can comprehend the impact on how this blog has shaped my interactions with others. It's been a huge reward.
How the blog has shaped views and perception is self-evident. Interactions - as in actions - is something to be seen. Because it either is done, or not done.
DeleteYes. I agree. I find my emotions with people are in check more. And i know how to behave with certain interactions i have with them. I'm not as emotionally minded like before. This blog helps me to stay more logical - and to take out emotion at appropriate times. A borderline can get much perspective from a sociopaths angle. That's why aspd can have lots of positives traits to it. Instead of pathologizing their behaviour, I can use it for my benefit. It might not help someone else, but it helps me. That's because I see the positives things about the disorder. But any form of personality disorder can sway to the extreme of abnormal I guess. All always have borderline, but supposedly I'm into recovery. Lol. I don't think so, but that's what I've heard. I still have lots of evolving to do.
DeleteGood blog post today M.E. From reading the book and the blog for a few months now, I do think she's a sociopath. An educated one who's not afraid to think outside of the box and ask questions. She's a trail-blazer. And personally I'm grateful, because every time I read the blog, I usually learn something new, or learn about a new book to read, or movie, or t.v. show, that further educates me in this area of sociopathy/ personality disorders. I have a personal interest in this because it's touched my life and my families life.
ReplyDeleteThe one problem I have with the subject of sociopathy, is how it sometimes gets glamorized on here. (although I do recognize their are a fair amount of positive traits also. For instance, she's clearly very intelligent.) The post today about God loving all of us, love it! And I do see a lot a lot of posts about how to possibly treat/help children and adults alike. (like yesterday's post talked about that.) That's where the heart of the matter lies for me. Helping them, which helps us, because we love them.
This site is intellectually stimulating and educational. Thanks M.E.
In fairness, the book and blog has had an effect on me as well. As a high-functioning successful sociopath, I've found it stimulating to see such a reveal from another high-functioning successful sociopath. Whether it is the parallel (surprisingly more than I continually anticipate) or divergent thoughts and experiences, it is certainly stimulating.
DeleteI have found it a great vicarious experience of self-discovery. There certainly isn't a club (nevermind family) to gain insight through extraspection.
Thank you M.E.
If we're ugly or awkward or any of that, its just data (memories). Any imperfection in us is a memory (it is not who we are). We are created perfect, we are perfect. Perfect means no memories, no opinions, no beliefs no attatchments.
ReplyDeleteAnd then so our problems are our memories. Our memories are our enemies. And we don't resist our enemies. What we resist persists. We love our memories.
ReplyDeleteMemories are subjective and loose. By its very nature, the memory is not recorded or recalled like a camera. It is reconstructive in nature, based on perceptions at the moment you store the memory, and during recall it reconstructs it (again) based on perceptions at the time of recall.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I do not think we were created perfect. Evolution functions on the basis of being able to increase a being's chances for successful reproduction - after you reach a fully developed age it no longer "cares" per se. As long as the first half of life is good, the latter half is unimportant (for those who dispute this claim, based on high school education, I recommend looking at the reality of evolution taught in university). The very universe itself (from a scientific point of view) did not form out of perfection. It actually formed out of imperfection (see Stephen Hawking and his explanation regarding The Big Bang).
For me all of this is fine. Because that is the way reality and life is. Much like how certain areas of buddhism look at it, life is no more harsh than it is kind. Life just "is".
God loves everyone infinitely. That's what separates us from God; our capacity to love. There only has to be a sociopathic view if you make one; it's your choice.
ReplyDeleteMelissaR
Can't the same thing be said as to views about God? That is a choice too.
DeleteOMG sociopathworld!!! I missed you mua mua mua
ReplyDelete"And that's ok. I'm glad some people love their middle class lifestyles because they stabilize society and pay into the welfare coffers for the rest of us bottom feeders." Cracks me up.
ReplyDeletediode laser hair removal specialists are using FDA-approved technology available for laser hair removal and for permanent reduction of most unwanted hair for all skin tones.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone else read 'People of the Lie' by M Scott Peck? He talks of human evil. That's what most people sense when they get to observe psychopaths at close quarters. Evil. Does God love evil people? I'd like ME to address evil on this blog instead of whinging about psychopaths being scapegoated. Nobody minds if a person looks ugly. But if they perform ugly, destructive deeds, they will be judged, like it or not.
ReplyDelete"The central defect of the evil is not the sin but the refusal to acknowledge it."
ReplyDeleteTrue. It's always someone else's fault with the psychopath. Or they fail to see how or why their behavior could be regarded as problematic.
Actually she has admitted that if you look carefully and have been reading for awhile. I have the sense she doesn't like it, that's why she writes this blog, does research, and reaches out. Many of her posts are about early intervention with ages birth-5. Where a real difference could possibly be made. Also, yesterday she brings her religion into it as a source of strength for her.
ReplyDeleteDo you see any other sociopaths publicly and personally discussing these issues in this format? I don't know what the answer is to evil, or horrible behaviors done by sociopaths, but I'm glad an actual sociopath is asking herself.
Evil unfortunately is a subjective perspective. It is mutable, in that a person can change their views of what is evil (and what is not) by new information and new thoughts. That isn't to say, assuming Evil is real and concrete, that it no longer exists. It just means what people see what is Evil differs from what other people see. Let's take sociopaths out of the equation for a moment.
ReplyDeleteWhat is evil? The core values of what is recognized as evil is fairly consistent wherever you live. Much of it is based on societal and religious doctrine (or you could say the reverse, that societal and religious doctrine is based on the "truth" of Evil). Let's keep that locked in, and accept Evil as factual in reality (like, say, the Sun, or broccoli). Because there is another problem: it's what people see and accept as Evil. In one country, what is defined as being good or evil can be different in another country. What one religion defines as good or evil can be different in another religion.
The geographical differences exist, but only in small deviations, most of which is due to societal differences. What is more pressing is the religious differences. What one religion (more importantly, what one group of followers) see can be different than what another see. The common argument is that one religion is right, while the other religion is wrong. Or to coin of phrase from Stella Gibson from The Fall "Are you saying that your Jesus is better than my Jesus?"
To boil it down, so as not to be bogged by inter-religious argument (because invariably Gibson's phrase ends up overriding the discussion) and focus on the core beliefs of Evil, the root problem with people (not the religion, not God(s), but people) stems from actions. It is one thing to believe something, it is another to do something. Cliches such as "Action speak louder than words." or "You talk the talk, but can you walk the walk?" do apply. It is one thing to believe in something, and profess it open and honestly, but it is another to do something with it.
This is a common criticism by humans in general. A sort of inherent hypocrisy (again, not in say Jesus, but in people). People say one thing, and do another. Does that justify sociopathic behaviour? No. No more than if there was no such thing as evil - it would still not necessarily justify it due to breaching societal laws and values. Remember the issue is about people in their entirety. You can say that nothing is wrong with your religion, or your faith. That's fine. Yet if that is accepted as an invulnerable truth, then what about actions and inactions once you have it?
The problem isn't with Evil. The problem is with people. Assuming those like God and Jesus exist, it is neither of their faults, is it?
I love this post. I have been practicing thinking of every good thing in my life as a gift, not an accomplishment. If I'm really going to adhere to what I say I believe, then everything I have is a gift. I was not granted certain gifts, like an inability to get fat, a love of going out and being with people, or discipline. I can make myself work on those things to the best of my ability, but even that accomplishment was a decision made because of God. I really didn't cause anything good to happen in my life without assistance from him. My very brain is a product of the biological system that he designed. I'm not sure what he does with sociopaths, and I will probably never know, but hating or fearing things is kind of the opposite of love and appreciation. So rather than focusing on the "OMG THEY CANNOT FEEL" fearing kind of things, turning my eyes toward God just makes me curious as to the purpose of your existence - not the objection of it, just a wonder. And then also curious what I am supposed to do about it, if anything. If God wanted to fix a sociopath, it isn't like he is inhibited from doing so, after all. And beyond all of that, if I value God above everything else, then my heart is pretty well-protected from anything any human can do to me, sociopath or not. I'm not feely though, so I guess that's easier for me to say than most empaths.
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