Humanity and the Sociopathic Mind

[tinhuvielartanis]

A friend of mine and I were discussing psychology and how someone one on a message board, a avowed psychopath, presented flawless logic about the state of humanity. We bantered back and forth a bit about this person's uncanny insight, when I wrote this.

It's always been my contention that, turn off the electricity for three days, and we'll see this civilised mask that humanity wears so smugly, ripped off by the hungry, angry mob.  Within a week, public burnings and torture would become the new entertainment, within a month, slavery would be the norm and a feudal system of rule would be established (if they're lucky).

 

Humanity has always been nothing more than chimps in clothes, carrying clubs and waiting for the next big brawl.  But they don't like to reminded of this, so they label those people who make their true state of existence as being psychopathic, sociopathic, or anti-social.  It's easier to label someone than it is to look in the mirror.

Guess it's time for me to be labeled. Please proceed.

Comments

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Actually this has nothing to do the J, but I agree he'd agree with me. And all the pseudo-sociological studies (human-centric by the way) won't change my mind from years of simple observation of people. Hands-on education trumps education every single time. And, from what I've seen, altruism is conditional in humanity and stops when said human doesn't get what s/he expects back.

As we say in the South, humanity "needs killin'."

[acook.livejournal.com]

Considering that my parents shoveled money into college for the last two years, I feel like I have to defend academia a little bit. I never quoted any "pseudo-science" in my arguments. Everything I referenced is from very well documented anthropological research (I didn't give you a bibliography or anything, but you know what I mean), which has nothing to do with surveys, studies, or even human society for the most part. Trust me, after taking that anthro class I can tell you that there's nothing "pseudo-scientific" about it, it's very cut and dry comparing anatomy and tons and tons of field research. I was just trying to present a scientific point of view by giving examples from millions of years of ape and human behavior. Having also taken my share of cultural studies (which is neck deep in pseudo science and half-truths) I would hope I would be able to tell the difference between a well-documented scientific theory and a load of academic crap.

So. Yeah. Again, I re-iterate the value of academic education. Education is almost inextricably tied to these issues anyway. The reason we would not plummet immediately into a second dark age if the lights were turned off is because, unlike the dark ages, most Americans can read, are reasonably well educated, and don't believe in witches. Mass education is a powerful powerful thing, and that includes good old fashioned book learnin'.

I dunno. I'm very proud of my academics and that comment sort of got under my skin a bit. Sorry.

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

You don't have to apologise. I too absorbed my academia but, over the years, I've found it wanting in the face of actual experience. As I said, you're young and optimistic. I'd say that, with time, you may become as old and jaded as I; however, the Alpaca Lips will happen and you'll never know the joys of sociopathic misanthropy! ;)