I don't respond to "actual images". I can see pictures of mutilated children and whatnot and there is simply no response from my mind. No emotion. There has been a very vague response once or twice with animals. Quite a lot of the moral highgrounding on twitter recently. "You should watch the videos of x or the images of y to support my position" and I'm thinking: "You want to bet on that, champ?" I recall in my political degree going through detailed reports of genocides while eating dinner and not being phased.
I get what you are saying though about the confused sociology of those with unexamined lives. However, I have no naivety or delusions that have been challenged during this period. One thing that I have thought about recently, thought about quite a bit actually, is envy and jealousy. It is something that I do not experience or at least, that I do not experience to an extent that troubles me. I would like to play guitar like Damian Salazar; and now I am balding I saw a women with lovely hair on a youtube video the other day.
But the crab in a bucket mentality of people and their jealousy has been a little weird for me in my life. As I have said here before I have a disability (physical and invisible) that was previously very deleterious to me and has recently got better with technology. So my life was pretty bad in the past due to this disability subtly undermining me. I had no idea why I was so unproductive and got so stressed. I was not self aware.
But even in that broken state people, and I'm mostly talking about guys, were extremely unpleasant due to jealousy. I get so much pushback when I talk about the gym and it's like, from me to them... "If you want to go to the gym just go to the gym what is the issue?" Another one is just any little positive thing I have. Intelligence or creativity. I once tried to talk to a so called musician, a co worker, about scales, guitar scales, and he got angry at me "I'm not the kind of person that practices scales"... Wait... What?
I know, I can identify that ex friends of mine feel jealousy as a passionate all consuming emotion. I can identify when someone is deliberately doing this to another to cause pain and I can undo this by revealing things held back; things like, "that guy got buff through steroids". But I can't understand it or get any real insight into it. Beyond the structural understanding of "that is jealousy".
It seems that this war is going to escalate and we will likely see a lot of behaviour from people that would not have been revealed in quieter times. Should be interesting. But I don't think it will be that unpredictable.
I know what you mean. I have often seen that sort of reasoning when seeing people put someone down. It is a common thing among women, actually. The notion that disparaging someone will place them in a higher social position seems contrary, but there is something to it, or the inclination wouldn't be so hardwired into so many people.
You going to the gym shows to others that they too could do the same thing in order to improve their lives, but they don't want to have to do that, so it is easier to downplay your choice to do so. You are the tall grass, and you must therefore be cut.
Yeah, also if you don't cut the tall grass it might take your women. I've had an instinct that's what it is about sometimes. They don't want the guy who doesn't drink, or do weed, and is always wanting to have intellectual discussions, to meet the girls they are interested in.
Yes, women also can get placed into a higher social position by claiming to be stalked because they are so 'attractive'... cue, narcissistic women. A key benefit to women in socialising is to have something to natter to her friends about and if there is drama or abuse of some kind she has that. When you phrase it in social heirarchy form like that it does make a little sense.
It seems risky though since if the person does not benefit from joining you in your putdown, you have an opponent where there might not have been one.
However, just because I'm unbothered at these images in general if they come through the news or social media. Doesn't mean I am actually motivated to seek them out either. I also don't have a VPN.
You're welcome, I don't get enjoyment out of it, I just like to see hidden things, I like to see reality without having perception and reality manipulated by intentional psychological framing, what i sent you shows "Real violence". Typically, the majority of people don't understand what real violence looks like, real violence is ugly, real violence is not what most people want if they are familiar with it.
I did check it out. But I don't agree with you that the 'real violence' shown is that surprising. The videos I watched on Hamas killing Jews was not that different to a John Wick show. I've thought before that there must be some meaning to those shows being so violent and being bestsellers.
I do not believe that anyone that watches John Wick can then engage in violence. I have heard a lot people go into shock when faced with real violence even if they have been a martial artist their whole lives. But I think that the movie directors have done well in simulating the whole thing. The pinch of redness and then a dead person is on both that website and some action films.
I actually saw some pretty distressing stuff when I went into the QAnon stuff. This was on facebook. About what happens to children when they are raped before the age of six months. Not the actual rapes, that would be illegal. But the physical damage done to said children.
I never said it was surprising, only that it was real. I prefer to watch real murders taking place, accidents, suicides, ect.. I like watching people taking their last breath and their eyes glaze over,I find it interesting, there's also the suicides jumping off of buildings. I rather watch the real thing opposed to humans pretending to have human experiences on TV.
If you didn't find interest in any of those fine videos then that's fine not all people do.
Thank you for your perspective, as always, Athena. I have noticed this trend for a long time, each time stressful world events polarize people. Instead of responding with compassion, or a desire to reach understanding, people lash out. It happens in the U.S. over polarizing topics such as racism, LGBTQIA+ issues, gun policy, abortion, social programs, etc. It happened during Obama’s presidency. It happened during the pandemic. It happened during Trump’s presidency. And it’s happening now.
In every case, people behave as if anyone that doesn’t agree with them is The Enemy. Anyone that transgresses their non-universal sets of rules (as well as those who do transgress universal sets of rules) is The Enemy. They also act as if anyone that they have deemed The Enemy has become irredeemable and should at best be stripped of all autonomy and freedoms, and at worst, killed. This scorched earth approach baffles me, especially because of the inherent hypocrisy. An integral part of the human condition is both our limitless capacity for making errors of judgment, and our equally limitless capacity for growth and change. If such an extreme response were to be applied in reality, rather than in theory, there would be nobody left standing.
The answer is painfully simple (painful because it requires more of people than they seem willing to give)- acknowledge that behavior should be addressed on its own merits and don’t “cancel” someone when they behave badly. Acknowledge that differences of beliefs and values exist, and that those differences can be valuable rather than a threat. If instead, we behaved rationally, with rules and guidelines that address unwanted behavior with appropriate consequences and boundaries (i.e. let the punishment fit the crime), our society would actually begin to heal and improve. But in the current social climate, wise voices are drowned out and silenced with ridicule and malice. Understanding isn’t the goal for most; instead the goal seems to be elimination of dissent.
I don't know if it is that they are unwilling, but rather they are incapable due to emotional noise overriding logical thinking. I have heard that hearing something that contradicts a very rooted belief is literally painful to consider, and people would prefer to avoid that pain, or perhaps are wholly unable to tolerate it.
Emotion is nearly impossible to reason with because it isn't, by definition, reasonable, it's emotional. If one thing feels better than another, it isn't all that surprising that a person is going to be drawn to what feels better. I would think this is especially true if the person is largely ruled by negative emotional experiences in their lives. The better something feels, the more of a departure it is from their general day to day.
Very astute observation. It takes a great deal of effort to build a tolerance for the discomfort of entertaining an idea or belief that is foreign or even has been accepted as “wrong.” I can understand how a psychopath would be able to so clearly identify how emotions cloud judgment.
I’m sure that you, Athena, have seen emotions override judgment over and over again in your observations of neurotypicals. As an empath who is literally flooded with hormones that mess with my emotions like crazy on a regular basis, I can both confirm that emotion can’t be reasoned away, and also refute the idea that we are therefore slaves to those unreasonable emotions.
Based on my own personal experience, we don’t have to resign ourselves to being ridden roughshod by our fickle feelings, nor should we expect to be immune to the effect of our emotions on our reasoning and judgment. Reality is somewhere in between. With patience and practice it is possible to learn coping strategies to mitigate irrational tendencies.
I would posit that upbringing and expectations are one influence, and probably necessity and survival would be another. At a certain point in human history, it became apparent that attempting to channel one’s emotions into positive social outcomes was a worthy endeavor.
In my opinion, it comes down to strength of character and a willingness to make the effort required to build habits of self-awareness and self-control. Emotions cannot be controlled, but actions can be. The success of therapy and CBT attests to this. But whether or not someone succeeds in therapy (or in any area of self-improvement) depends on how badly they want their lives to change, and whether they believe it lies in their power to change it.
Anyway, these are just rambling thoughts, I get pretty frustrated with the ways people treat one another. But I don’t have the power to change others, only myself.
If I knew you, I would know how old you are: About 5 years ago, age 60, I realized my hormones reduced to where I could think more clearly. I realized MANY decisions, mostly bad ones, were made based on my hormones guiding me to sexual experiences. I don't mean everything is (sex) hormones but to include in the mix. LOL.
In my astrology system I talk about (the human design chart) which references "chakra's". It is understood that 50% of the population is, what is called "emotionally defined" in that they produce a lot of emotional energy. The strategy in said system that such people are meant to use is to wait three days to make a decision. Because the emotional highs and lows don't give good information. But if the emotionally defined person waits it out they can see whatever the issue is from many different angles.
James Fallon, whose birthday is publicly available, has no centres active on his emotional centre. Like, he has the least activity there a person can have.
In those communities, the emotional centre is commonly felt to have some relation to BPD.
I wanted to add that in order to reach a consensus on how to address differences, it would require a willingness to treat each human being as inherently valuable, and an open and humble exploration of how to establish basic rights and protect them. Work has historically been done to this effect, so it’s not unrealistic. Treaties, usually reached as an outcome of warfare, generally address this question of “how can we peacefully coexist?” It seems that people have stopped asking this question, and instead have decided to ignore the reality that people on an international scale would benefit from a reassessment of what global values can and should be given priority or precedence. When there is unresolved conflict, it is almost always because there has been a significant breakdown of effective communication. A refusal to hear the “other side’s” concerns, wants, needs, etc. results in the heightened emotional response that switches off our rational brain and leaves our “lizard brain” to run amok.
Sorry, one more addendum! A huge part of the current tensions is the idea that there even *can* be global consensus on values. The U.S. was, in part, founded on the idea that people could group themselves into discrete regions (states) that allowed for a certain amount of tribalism and a regional set of values and expectations to reflect that discrete group. The advent of the internet has resulted in an unprecedented level of global connectedness that has brought into sharp relief the varying- and often conflicting- values from culture to culture and region to region.
The question, then, is which is more pragmatic- should a global council establish new, globally applied values and parameters? Or should people be permitted to relocate and group themselves by value systems? Both proposed solutions require significant sacrifices, but both would arguably result in more overall peace and less conflict.
I’m sure those aren’t the only solutions, but my point is that people can and should try to think about it. How can we improve? Emphasis on we, an inclusive term that holds the self accountable, as opposed to “how can *they* improve?,” which shifts the responsibility outside of the self.
I agree, there has to be an ability to understand that not everyone will or should share the same values. I can certainly say that there are value systems that I am not interested in living under, but so long as those value systems aren't violating human rights, or they aren't insisting that I join them, often I am a very live and let live. However, it seems that many times agreement is a part of the fundamentals of many value systems, and if you don't agree, you will be made to.
Even more power is abusively employed by the "for profit nature" of clicks and likes: Completely idiots and buffoons make decent living on YouTube and other platforms bc they can.
I have seen "motivation blindness" across the entire spectrum of neurotypicals and neurodivergents. It takes a lack of fear or 17 pounds of courage to do the self-examination necessary to learn who one really is. I did it as a lazy approach to self-preservation, unable to understand why I was a target for bullying and desiring to become less of one, so I got a bonus or three. I know people don't think the same and their motivations are not mine, but can be inferred by their behavior in most cases.
I know many neurotypicals have a larger amygdala than I do. I know that because I am a lifetime learner possibly due to my Asperger's position on that neurodivergent spectrum and because nih.ncbi is a pretty good information source. Further, I know that oversized amygdala predisposes vulnerability to fear. My studies to understand behavior of others suggested to me that fear is a generator of many emotions, including anger, and hatred for folk unlike oneself. This is interestingly summarized in a book by Bob Altemeyer and John Lisanti https://theauthoritarians.org/options-for-getting-the-book/ which is available for the downloading and written so that one doesn't need to be a mathematician or actuary like me to understand the data but still has the rigor developed in an appendix (as rigorous as social psychology can get, closer to chi-square than t-test).
Good/Bad I have never really understood except through the filter of my own goals, so I can look at the folk who once held to the veneer of civilization (on their terms) who could slide away from that veneer to dance with glee at the roasting of a few babies of the hated "them" category who are not in their minds even human beings. Compartmentalized thinking is a wonder to behold. I personally could shoot someone, watching the pink spray appear in my scope that said I performed a central nervous disconnect, and then finish my sandwich. Since that is not quite what most consider "civilized", I had to find a really challenging goal to buil;d my own personal code of conduct to protect.
Such things can be simple because it is (almost?) impossible to achieve. My first try was something out of a science fiction short story, "Do what you can for yourself. (try to) Leave things a little better for the next guy." I removed the "try to" because trying is a negative goal, a contract with oneself to increase ones own stress level because something is not accomplished. Ah well, I was young, foolish, and grandiose. The goal eventually evolved into designing and organizing funding for a survival enclave for homo sapiens on this earth which would emerge at the other end of Earth's Sixth extinction with preservation of most of the species (as DNA sequences) and the enormous riches of knowledge and technology ready to be employed because we won't have the resources to clomb that technology tree again for millions of years if ever. After Yale's 2017 experiment on a thought exercise that could shield large amygdala holders from fear if practiced daily, the question mark dropped off the almost.
I have found dream interpretation useful to gain insight into myself. People will not tell you I don't believe plus, their insights won't be as deep as dream interpretation.
When I first got into it one of the biggest messages was just absolutely slagging me off right down to the bone. Recently I've got something else about how things I believe myself to be much better than I am in certain areas. When you rarely interact with the outside world you can convince yourself that you have more social skills than you do. I.e. if I can engage well with checkout staff, a supremely casual interaction, doesn't mean I can when working with others as an example.
As you said there is a tendency for grandiosity that I pray against, often multiple times daily, and find I can never be too cautious against. Perhaps it is testosterone linked but then, women are no less vain.
"so I can look at the folk who once held to the veneer of civilization (on their terms) who could slide away from that veneer to dance with glee at the roasting of a few babies of the hated "them" category who are not in their minds even human beings."
Is this reference to 40 beheaded babies? I'll assume it is.
What surprises me about this is that the reason they 'aren't human beings' is words off a screen usually related to conspiracies. I think I could make a good case that the Muslims loyalty to certain texts, (Quran, Sura 3, 127: [Allah]... might cut off a part of those who disbelieve, or expose them to infamy, so that they retire frustrated). Inclines them in a different direction to most of the Western world. Which is why they do things like throwing Gays off buildings. But the Jewish civilians are not that different to us. They are basically Westerners with weird top hats and obsession with academics and money. The only opposition that comes towards them, that justifies some of all this, comes from words on a screen.
It shows how someone like David Icke can put out things and have such an effect on the world.
Interesting path to your point. I always enjoy your writing. I am always amazed at how the oppressed become the oppressors. I am fascinated by how people compartmentalize their actions in their mind. In our current world, I wonder how different things would be if there was no profit (of money or power) motive for a certain class of people. We are constantly being told that the people of a country are not the government of the country, so we are essentially all in the same boat regardless of sides. Yet the narrative of war and division is largely controlled by the government and the media. I increasingly wonder what the planet would be like if everyone was willing to work things out. You know, like teachers in grade school used to force battling children to do. I think John Lennon was on the right track when he wrote “Imagine.”
For what i know from the world, and people in general... its not good (including myself). So, its refreshing to read your thoughts about people's motivations and their actions regarding those motivations by negative feelings, knowing that someone might try to use your post to know themselves better and have a different and more open perspective over their feelings and reactions. I thought too you may appreciate for comments, as you have spent time and effort to write about it. Cheers!
This was a lovely piece. I found your blog because I am investigating my own personal relationship with psychopathy. It’s not fair or helpful to diagnose another person, but my father — who had an enormous negative impact on my life — presents with a certain amount of behavior that has brought me here. He was an absolutely terrible member of society; by contrast, I have always had a strong sense of values and integrity. I am definitely not a psychopath or a sociopath but I do have a lot of his personality features — and they weren’t necessarily learned because frankly he was hardly around enough to instill them in me — stubbornness, at times an emotional coldness that others find alarming or strange (and yet most other times when I am not being a Vulcan, having very very deep emotions), thrill-seeking, etc.
I say all of this because I’m attempting to evaluate and study the various cross-sections of human behavior — cross-sections I often find myself standing in the middle of.
Take for instance the concept of dehumanization and desensitization. We know people become desensitized to violence and the human effects of violence after being frequently exposed to it. But there are also people in the world who are seemingly naturally insensitive to violence. I say seemingly because without understanding their early environment, one cannot actually know if someone is “naturally insensitive” to violence or has become desensitized due to exposure. The average person would be inclined to view anyone who is insensitive to violence as psychopathic. And perhaps the initial instinct to do so is minimally correct — insomuch so they equate that level of callousness with psychopathy. But if in fact the person is insensitive to violence but neurotypical — where does this lack of sensitivity arise from? And is it always consistent?
Giving a personal example — I have been exposed to quite a lot of violence up close — and have, at times, been able to view violent imagery totally unbothered. I noticed now after 3 years of psychotherapy that images I had looked at previously were much more immediately disturbing to me and I was shocked by the callousness of other people around me who seemed unbothered, despite the fact that I had also once been quite unbothered. But sitting here now, I am also certain that if I were to view some of those same images once again that I would not find them nearly as disturbing as I had the last time I saw them. Anecdotally, this speaks to me about how context, frame of mind, and present ambient emotional vulnerability may influence people’s behavior. And how once a precedent is established, how it is easier to repeat it. I suppose this would be basic conditioning.
Anyway, I’m just noticing as I go along that the answers are just never very simple — not about the world and not about myself. And I can tolerate that level of uncertainty — but that uncertainty also continues to drive me to find answers, even if the answers only arrive in the form of more questions.
It is difficult to know how a person becomes insensitive to such things, but I do believe that there are neurotypicals that come to it naturally, though many times it is through exposure, either from others, or intentional exposure and the development of compartmentalization.
You made it three episodes farther than I would have dear god that sounds lame. I’m noticing you watch anime often though you’ve mentioned it a few times that’s awesome. As a 37 year old grown ass man it’s not as cool to say I do to. May I suggest if you’d like to watch a god tier anime watch Elfen Lied. It would be a thousand times better if you had a full emotional pallet to feel the intensity of the story but I think you’d still like it. Samurai Champloo Akira Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop are a few more awesome ones. This ends my comment which in no way pertains to your post.
Okay Athena, I just have one simple question and of course like yourself I don't give a damn about which side of the line people are on what politics they agree with and who wants to celebrate which mass murderer genocide in the world. None of that s*** really matters to me because it doesn't change my day today and it doesn't keep me warm at night or fed. My question is this: where in the actual hell are you finding these animes you keep referencing. And as a related question when are you going to start writing reviews for more of these animes?
All right, thank you for the referral athena. In the interest of of research purposes I suppose, I think I'll head over to those two sites and watch some of that stuff. It sounds kind of entertaining honestly. Like I remember way back when watch anime now was the thing back in like 2005 I was watching like try again and berserk and Fullmetal alchemist and Inuyasha and all of those kids eat type ones back then. And then of course I absolutely loved cowboy Bebop that was my jam back in the day
The single _weirdest_ thing about being 25-ish is the way I can just feel my brains easing off with the ”gotta share my pain” thing. Granted, I’ve never really been one to take my anger or hurt fee-fees out on others. Sometimes, of course, because I’m not pretending to be that great, but often I’m able to suck it up and just be nice and normal. Except.. for online spaces. Now, I want to emphasize that I’ve never one left mean comments or bullied people, but the temptation to be mean to people I disagree with online has been great at times. And yes, I’ve ended up in more than a few internet arguments because I’ve left a less-than-polite (even if never outright mean) comment, and the person’s replied in the same vein. In a way, understandably so. But over the last few years, it’s changed for me. Feels like something actually shifted in my brain, and now, I just roll my eyes and move on (or get pissed and move on if it’s more severe). I do still comment on things, but it’s never from a place of getting pissed. Actually, if I write a heated comment because I get pissed and want to release it somehow, I’ll start regretting it before I post it and erase it. I only go into chats with people of differing opinions when they’ve entered it respectfully and I feel calm about it all.
Honestly, people being dumb and ruled by their emotions is so childish. Feeling emotions is fine, but that’s usually _your_ problem, not theirs. And if it’s an issue that you’re actually right about and the other one is just being racist/a bigot/whatever, approaching it with anger and frustration and resentment won’t do any real good anyway. An internet conversation isn’t going to un-racist a racist anyway (not that their viewpoints should go unchallenged, but like, at least roast them calmly and lethally, lol, without sounding like a raging toddler).
Anyway, side note, god I love redemption/big positive arcs from shitty people to ”better but still flawed” people. The protag of the novel I wrote starts off not wanting to save the world from the looming apocalypse due to Tragic Backstory And Edgy Hurt Feelings, but he goes on the path to save it anyway because he wants revenge on the man behind his misery and it just so happens to be the same man who wants to end the world. My protag wants to personally kill him, that is, not just let him die in an apocalypse. He is highly frustrating at times for the first half of the first book, super stubborn about his viewpoints and thinking of nothing but his pain, but he was fun to write BECAUSE he was so frustrating. Also, it makes the positive arc so much sweeter when he finally starts to realize the error of his ways and accepts that 1. he’s been a dick to everyone who cares about him and 2. he wants to try being happy instead of wallowing in old misery forever. By book three, he’s still making mistakes, but he puts conscious effort into being good to the people around him (even if he never quite starts liking strangers or the world in general. He just doesn’t outright hate them anymore. My slightly selfish little man<3)
If you do a rewrite, consider making it less direct: the man behind his misery is not the same man to end the world.
Did you publish it? A niece of a friend of mine wrote a time traveling 3 book series: I loved it and she gave me an autographed edition.
Since she is a young girl, it was so much fun to see her characters reflect her values and her assumptions and thoughts. I learned alot about young girls (who live in USA?) by seeing through her eyes. Her characters think like she does. Maybe yours do the same?
Oh, congrats to your friend’s niece! Writing isn’t easy, so that is quite the accomplishment. Also, the whole ”learned a lot about group X by seeing through their eyes”, to me, is the best thing about literature. That’s awesome if she managed to create such a well-written character, that was your experience.
I think my character could show new experiences to readers too. I mean, he’s very extreme in his emotions (more so than most people) but he does stem from my own struggles with depression, which is a very real struggle to a lot of people. I had a betareader who said he was super relatable, so the opposite should be true too, even if he is ”more extreme” than most real people.
And yes, I published it recently. Not much ”turning out” yet haha, book one has barely any sales, book two is in editing, and I’m struggling to make the first draft of book three work. But so is writing (especially for a no one with a zero-budget). The plan right now is to finish book two while saving up, and then do some advertising for both books when I publish the second one. People should be more likely to pick it up if there’s already more of the series out than just the one book.
And maybe! Though, book one has quite a lot going on, including magical talking stones manipulating the protagonist (it’s a secondary villain) and the big emotional arc of the protag getting to know his new friends and changing, so I’m worried making the villain and the person behind the misery two separate people would potentially make the book have too much going on. But I do like the suggestion. It does have potential to it!
Hi, Rosa. Thank you for your kind words. Yes, the process is very difficult (though it gets easier!)
Her books are on Amazon and maybe others (I do not use those services) She got a TON of support from friends and family. Enough to generate a live author signing in a local mall. She got the photos in locals papers and social media.
And the books are very good. Now, when I say "saw with her eyes"- you do realize I know it was "crap"!! hehehe. Right? "Oh, he really does love me. I can tell by the way his eyes smile at me." In Real Life, the guy wanted sex with her since he saw her and has a wife and two other gfs on the side.
Reading was still delightful. I didn't think once about meeting her and giving her the slanted eye trick. Not once, I tell you.
But this is the sort of "ultimate coincidence" that I personal will put a book down and never finish.
Yet, this: Weary and dedicated warrior princess, seeks more responsibilities at work. Quest after quest is thrown at her: She survives and prospers building a loyal team dedicated to her and her success. Just as that comes together, she meets with her father who will introduce her to highest ruler in the realm.
It is there she learns while she had but lead to believe she was fighting to lead "lost souls" to heaven, the ultimate ruler is Satan and she has taken souls and dashed them to the fury of an eternal hell.
Hehehe. Now that is a "coincidence" I can live with. Also, it cracks me up and leaves me wanting the TV version!!
You have to consider your values, why you believe what you do, and see if those things can be manipulated by emotion. A value is not a considered one if you are willing to sacrifice it because someone makes an emotional appeal or manipulates them to do what it is they want you to do. An example would be:
I will never allow for people to be loaded up and taken away to concentration camps or execution.
All right, that's a value statement, but what happens if someone or a group of people come along and engage in a prolonged campaign that emotionally appeals to you and does a very good job of framing those people as evil or an enemy. If you would shift your position because you dislike or hate those people, it was never a value to begin with, just something that made you feel good. It is only a value if you know that behavior is wrong and will never stand for it, regardless of your feelings on the matter.
TY for the kind explanation and your time to consider and post.
From you, this is very interesting and I hope everyone can read it and consider that you wrote it!!!
Because I do not want people to ask, I have a value, but I believe only one: If you are with me, physically, if you are attacked? I will protect you at all costs. This is anyone without respect to race, creed, etc. Beyond that, I have no conscience values.
I don't respond to "actual images". I can see pictures of mutilated children and whatnot and there is simply no response from my mind. No emotion. There has been a very vague response once or twice with animals. Quite a lot of the moral highgrounding on twitter recently. "You should watch the videos of x or the images of y to support my position" and I'm thinking: "You want to bet on that, champ?" I recall in my political degree going through detailed reports of genocides while eating dinner and not being phased.
I get what you are saying though about the confused sociology of those with unexamined lives. However, I have no naivety or delusions that have been challenged during this period. One thing that I have thought about recently, thought about quite a bit actually, is envy and jealousy. It is something that I do not experience or at least, that I do not experience to an extent that troubles me. I would like to play guitar like Damian Salazar; and now I am balding I saw a women with lovely hair on a youtube video the other day.
But the crab in a bucket mentality of people and their jealousy has been a little weird for me in my life. As I have said here before I have a disability (physical and invisible) that was previously very deleterious to me and has recently got better with technology. So my life was pretty bad in the past due to this disability subtly undermining me. I had no idea why I was so unproductive and got so stressed. I was not self aware.
But even in that broken state people, and I'm mostly talking about guys, were extremely unpleasant due to jealousy. I get so much pushback when I talk about the gym and it's like, from me to them... "If you want to go to the gym just go to the gym what is the issue?" Another one is just any little positive thing I have. Intelligence or creativity. I once tried to talk to a so called musician, a co worker, about scales, guitar scales, and he got angry at me "I'm not the kind of person that practices scales"... Wait... What?
I know, I can identify that ex friends of mine feel jealousy as a passionate all consuming emotion. I can identify when someone is deliberately doing this to another to cause pain and I can undo this by revealing things held back; things like, "that guy got buff through steroids". But I can't understand it or get any real insight into it. Beyond the structural understanding of "that is jealousy".
It seems that this war is going to escalate and we will likely see a lot of behaviour from people that would not have been revealed in quieter times. Should be interesting. But I don't think it will be that unpredictable.
I know what you mean. I have often seen that sort of reasoning when seeing people put someone down. It is a common thing among women, actually. The notion that disparaging someone will place them in a higher social position seems contrary, but there is something to it, or the inclination wouldn't be so hardwired into so many people.
You going to the gym shows to others that they too could do the same thing in order to improve their lives, but they don't want to have to do that, so it is easier to downplay your choice to do so. You are the tall grass, and you must therefore be cut.
Yeah, also if you don't cut the tall grass it might take your women. I've had an instinct that's what it is about sometimes. They don't want the guy who doesn't drink, or do weed, and is always wanting to have intellectual discussions, to meet the girls they are interested in.
Yes, women also can get placed into a higher social position by claiming to be stalked because they are so 'attractive'... cue, narcissistic women. A key benefit to women in socialising is to have something to natter to her friends about and if there is drama or abuse of some kind she has that. When you phrase it in social heirarchy form like that it does make a little sense.
It seems risky though since if the person does not benefit from joining you in your putdown, you have an opponent where there might not have been one.
I think you would like my favorite website theync.com
You will also be able to see unedited footage with Hamas and Isreal.
Thankyou Cage,
However, just because I'm unbothered at these images in general if they come through the news or social media. Doesn't mean I am actually motivated to seek them out either. I also don't have a VPN.
You're welcome, I don't get enjoyment out of it, I just like to see hidden things, I like to see reality without having perception and reality manipulated by intentional psychological framing, what i sent you shows "Real violence". Typically, the majority of people don't understand what real violence looks like, real violence is ugly, real violence is not what most people want if they are familiar with it.
I did check it out. But I don't agree with you that the 'real violence' shown is that surprising. The videos I watched on Hamas killing Jews was not that different to a John Wick show. I've thought before that there must be some meaning to those shows being so violent and being bestsellers.
I do not believe that anyone that watches John Wick can then engage in violence. I have heard a lot people go into shock when faced with real violence even if they have been a martial artist their whole lives. But I think that the movie directors have done well in simulating the whole thing. The pinch of redness and then a dead person is on both that website and some action films.
I actually saw some pretty distressing stuff when I went into the QAnon stuff. This was on facebook. About what happens to children when they are raped before the age of six months. Not the actual rapes, that would be illegal. But the physical damage done to said children.
I never said it was surprising, only that it was real. I prefer to watch real murders taking place, accidents, suicides, ect.. I like watching people taking their last breath and their eyes glaze over,I find it interesting, there's also the suicides jumping off of buildings. I rather watch the real thing opposed to humans pretending to have human experiences on TV.
If you didn't find interest in any of those fine videos then that's fine not all people do.
Thank you for your perspective, as always, Athena. I have noticed this trend for a long time, each time stressful world events polarize people. Instead of responding with compassion, or a desire to reach understanding, people lash out. It happens in the U.S. over polarizing topics such as racism, LGBTQIA+ issues, gun policy, abortion, social programs, etc. It happened during Obama’s presidency. It happened during the pandemic. It happened during Trump’s presidency. And it’s happening now.
In every case, people behave as if anyone that doesn’t agree with them is The Enemy. Anyone that transgresses their non-universal sets of rules (as well as those who do transgress universal sets of rules) is The Enemy. They also act as if anyone that they have deemed The Enemy has become irredeemable and should at best be stripped of all autonomy and freedoms, and at worst, killed. This scorched earth approach baffles me, especially because of the inherent hypocrisy. An integral part of the human condition is both our limitless capacity for making errors of judgment, and our equally limitless capacity for growth and change. If such an extreme response were to be applied in reality, rather than in theory, there would be nobody left standing.
The answer is painfully simple (painful because it requires more of people than they seem willing to give)- acknowledge that behavior should be addressed on its own merits and don’t “cancel” someone when they behave badly. Acknowledge that differences of beliefs and values exist, and that those differences can be valuable rather than a threat. If instead, we behaved rationally, with rules and guidelines that address unwanted behavior with appropriate consequences and boundaries (i.e. let the punishment fit the crime), our society would actually begin to heal and improve. But in the current social climate, wise voices are drowned out and silenced with ridicule and malice. Understanding isn’t the goal for most; instead the goal seems to be elimination of dissent.
I don't know if it is that they are unwilling, but rather they are incapable due to emotional noise overriding logical thinking. I have heard that hearing something that contradicts a very rooted belief is literally painful to consider, and people would prefer to avoid that pain, or perhaps are wholly unable to tolerate it.
Emotion is nearly impossible to reason with because it isn't, by definition, reasonable, it's emotional. If one thing feels better than another, it isn't all that surprising that a person is going to be drawn to what feels better. I would think this is especially true if the person is largely ruled by negative emotional experiences in their lives. The better something feels, the more of a departure it is from their general day to day.
Very astute observation. It takes a great deal of effort to build a tolerance for the discomfort of entertaining an idea or belief that is foreign or even has been accepted as “wrong.” I can understand how a psychopath would be able to so clearly identify how emotions cloud judgment.
I’m sure that you, Athena, have seen emotions override judgment over and over again in your observations of neurotypicals. As an empath who is literally flooded with hormones that mess with my emotions like crazy on a regular basis, I can both confirm that emotion can’t be reasoned away, and also refute the idea that we are therefore slaves to those unreasonable emotions.
Based on my own personal experience, we don’t have to resign ourselves to being ridden roughshod by our fickle feelings, nor should we expect to be immune to the effect of our emotions on our reasoning and judgment. Reality is somewhere in between. With patience and practice it is possible to learn coping strategies to mitigate irrational tendencies.
I would posit that upbringing and expectations are one influence, and probably necessity and survival would be another. At a certain point in human history, it became apparent that attempting to channel one’s emotions into positive social outcomes was a worthy endeavor.
In my opinion, it comes down to strength of character and a willingness to make the effort required to build habits of self-awareness and self-control. Emotions cannot be controlled, but actions can be. The success of therapy and CBT attests to this. But whether or not someone succeeds in therapy (or in any area of self-improvement) depends on how badly they want their lives to change, and whether they believe it lies in their power to change it.
Anyway, these are just rambling thoughts, I get pretty frustrated with the ways people treat one another. But I don’t have the power to change others, only myself.
If I knew you, I would know how old you are: About 5 years ago, age 60, I realized my hormones reduced to where I could think more clearly. I realized MANY decisions, mostly bad ones, were made based on my hormones guiding me to sexual experiences. I don't mean everything is (sex) hormones but to include in the mix. LOL.
In my astrology system I talk about (the human design chart) which references "chakra's". It is understood that 50% of the population is, what is called "emotionally defined" in that they produce a lot of emotional energy. The strategy in said system that such people are meant to use is to wait three days to make a decision. Because the emotional highs and lows don't give good information. But if the emotionally defined person waits it out they can see whatever the issue is from many different angles.
James Fallon, whose birthday is publicly available, has no centres active on his emotional centre. Like, he has the least activity there a person can have.
In those communities, the emotional centre is commonly felt to have some relation to BPD.
That is very insightful.
I wanted to add that in order to reach a consensus on how to address differences, it would require a willingness to treat each human being as inherently valuable, and an open and humble exploration of how to establish basic rights and protect them. Work has historically been done to this effect, so it’s not unrealistic. Treaties, usually reached as an outcome of warfare, generally address this question of “how can we peacefully coexist?” It seems that people have stopped asking this question, and instead have decided to ignore the reality that people on an international scale would benefit from a reassessment of what global values can and should be given priority or precedence. When there is unresolved conflict, it is almost always because there has been a significant breakdown of effective communication. A refusal to hear the “other side’s” concerns, wants, needs, etc. results in the heightened emotional response that switches off our rational brain and leaves our “lizard brain” to run amok.
Sorry, one more addendum! A huge part of the current tensions is the idea that there even *can* be global consensus on values. The U.S. was, in part, founded on the idea that people could group themselves into discrete regions (states) that allowed for a certain amount of tribalism and a regional set of values and expectations to reflect that discrete group. The advent of the internet has resulted in an unprecedented level of global connectedness that has brought into sharp relief the varying- and often conflicting- values from culture to culture and region to region.
The question, then, is which is more pragmatic- should a global council establish new, globally applied values and parameters? Or should people be permitted to relocate and group themselves by value systems? Both proposed solutions require significant sacrifices, but both would arguably result in more overall peace and less conflict.
I’m sure those aren’t the only solutions, but my point is that people can and should try to think about it. How can we improve? Emphasis on we, an inclusive term that holds the self accountable, as opposed to “how can *they* improve?,” which shifts the responsibility outside of the self.
I agree, there has to be an ability to understand that not everyone will or should share the same values. I can certainly say that there are value systems that I am not interested in living under, but so long as those value systems aren't violating human rights, or they aren't insisting that I join them, often I am a very live and let live. However, it seems that many times agreement is a part of the fundamentals of many value systems, and if you don't agree, you will be made to.
That is a nonstarter with me.
yes to your whole post:
Even more power is abusively employed by the "for profit nature" of clicks and likes: Completely idiots and buffoons make decent living on YouTube and other platforms bc they can.
I have seen "motivation blindness" across the entire spectrum of neurotypicals and neurodivergents. It takes a lack of fear or 17 pounds of courage to do the self-examination necessary to learn who one really is. I did it as a lazy approach to self-preservation, unable to understand why I was a target for bullying and desiring to become less of one, so I got a bonus or three. I know people don't think the same and their motivations are not mine, but can be inferred by their behavior in most cases.
I know many neurotypicals have a larger amygdala than I do. I know that because I am a lifetime learner possibly due to my Asperger's position on that neurodivergent spectrum and because nih.ncbi is a pretty good information source. Further, I know that oversized amygdala predisposes vulnerability to fear. My studies to understand behavior of others suggested to me that fear is a generator of many emotions, including anger, and hatred for folk unlike oneself. This is interestingly summarized in a book by Bob Altemeyer and John Lisanti https://theauthoritarians.org/options-for-getting-the-book/ which is available for the downloading and written so that one doesn't need to be a mathematician or actuary like me to understand the data but still has the rigor developed in an appendix (as rigorous as social psychology can get, closer to chi-square than t-test).
Good/Bad I have never really understood except through the filter of my own goals, so I can look at the folk who once held to the veneer of civilization (on their terms) who could slide away from that veneer to dance with glee at the roasting of a few babies of the hated "them" category who are not in their minds even human beings. Compartmentalized thinking is a wonder to behold. I personally could shoot someone, watching the pink spray appear in my scope that said I performed a central nervous disconnect, and then finish my sandwich. Since that is not quite what most consider "civilized", I had to find a really challenging goal to buil;d my own personal code of conduct to protect.
Such things can be simple because it is (almost?) impossible to achieve. My first try was something out of a science fiction short story, "Do what you can for yourself. (try to) Leave things a little better for the next guy." I removed the "try to" because trying is a negative goal, a contract with oneself to increase ones own stress level because something is not accomplished. Ah well, I was young, foolish, and grandiose. The goal eventually evolved into designing and organizing funding for a survival enclave for homo sapiens on this earth which would emerge at the other end of Earth's Sixth extinction with preservation of most of the species (as DNA sequences) and the enormous riches of knowledge and technology ready to be employed because we won't have the resources to clomb that technology tree again for millions of years if ever. After Yale's 2017 experiment on a thought exercise that could shield large amygdala holders from fear if practiced daily, the question mark dropped off the almost.
Be that as it may, the thought of roasting babies is not a new concept though this old concept paper embraced somewhat different thinking: https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5QaeGFB3pisDE8B4Y_URZLUDwDmbEYduTfnzCQ7XyAAHFx0nVEPHYOs3nEEK2KLiXVysm3X55C_13gW_KwO2x9fu47du1GL0XB_IKl8gj7auCpRrg-tQZ7nyrwLi7SZNYjtNQ_RuJ7AOPBaYLdpOm1OgjgD0mZVZyX8ibaF0TVcCpT2Hfh3ewOU-uPNr_5dzXMxLKEzUL-3hi7qvUcw3DwV4q-ttwFDqpGbJ8a-Fd_zJGIS1C86pnvtBKY43UhSQvFOVnJ7S7cSLLjXljDQdBMGWlZ6QUTjVU1AxIBtL77cedjqLGxUs. Maybe Gulliver should have stayed home?
I have found dream interpretation useful to gain insight into myself. People will not tell you I don't believe plus, their insights won't be as deep as dream interpretation.
When I first got into it one of the biggest messages was just absolutely slagging me off right down to the bone. Recently I've got something else about how things I believe myself to be much better than I am in certain areas. When you rarely interact with the outside world you can convince yourself that you have more social skills than you do. I.e. if I can engage well with checkout staff, a supremely casual interaction, doesn't mean I can when working with others as an example.
As you said there is a tendency for grandiosity that I pray against, often multiple times daily, and find I can never be too cautious against. Perhaps it is testosterone linked but then, women are no less vain.
"so I can look at the folk who once held to the veneer of civilization (on their terms) who could slide away from that veneer to dance with glee at the roasting of a few babies of the hated "them" category who are not in their minds even human beings."
Is this reference to 40 beheaded babies? I'll assume it is.
What surprises me about this is that the reason they 'aren't human beings' is words off a screen usually related to conspiracies. I think I could make a good case that the Muslims loyalty to certain texts, (Quran, Sura 3, 127: [Allah]... might cut off a part of those who disbelieve, or expose them to infamy, so that they retire frustrated). Inclines them in a different direction to most of the Western world. Which is why they do things like throwing Gays off buildings. But the Jewish civilians are not that different to us. They are basically Westerners with weird top hats and obsession with academics and money. The only opposition that comes towards them, that justifies some of all this, comes from words on a screen.
It shows how someone like David Icke can put out things and have such an effect on the world.
Interesting path to your point. I always enjoy your writing. I am always amazed at how the oppressed become the oppressors. I am fascinated by how people compartmentalize their actions in their mind. In our current world, I wonder how different things would be if there was no profit (of money or power) motive for a certain class of people. We are constantly being told that the people of a country are not the government of the country, so we are essentially all in the same boat regardless of sides. Yet the narrative of war and division is largely controlled by the government and the media. I increasingly wonder what the planet would be like if everyone was willing to work things out. You know, like teachers in grade school used to force battling children to do. I think John Lennon was on the right track when he wrote “Imagine.”
I've never been a fan of that song...
Lol!
For what i know from the world, and people in general... its not good (including myself). So, its refreshing to read your thoughts about people's motivations and their actions regarding those motivations by negative feelings, knowing that someone might try to use your post to know themselves better and have a different and more open perspective over their feelings and reactions. I thought too you may appreciate for comments, as you have spent time and effort to write about it. Cheers!
Thanks, Tiago
This was a lovely piece. I found your blog because I am investigating my own personal relationship with psychopathy. It’s not fair or helpful to diagnose another person, but my father — who had an enormous negative impact on my life — presents with a certain amount of behavior that has brought me here. He was an absolutely terrible member of society; by contrast, I have always had a strong sense of values and integrity. I am definitely not a psychopath or a sociopath but I do have a lot of his personality features — and they weren’t necessarily learned because frankly he was hardly around enough to instill them in me — stubbornness, at times an emotional coldness that others find alarming or strange (and yet most other times when I am not being a Vulcan, having very very deep emotions), thrill-seeking, etc.
I say all of this because I’m attempting to evaluate and study the various cross-sections of human behavior — cross-sections I often find myself standing in the middle of.
Take for instance the concept of dehumanization and desensitization. We know people become desensitized to violence and the human effects of violence after being frequently exposed to it. But there are also people in the world who are seemingly naturally insensitive to violence. I say seemingly because without understanding their early environment, one cannot actually know if someone is “naturally insensitive” to violence or has become desensitized due to exposure. The average person would be inclined to view anyone who is insensitive to violence as psychopathic. And perhaps the initial instinct to do so is minimally correct — insomuch so they equate that level of callousness with psychopathy. But if in fact the person is insensitive to violence but neurotypical — where does this lack of sensitivity arise from? And is it always consistent?
Giving a personal example — I have been exposed to quite a lot of violence up close — and have, at times, been able to view violent imagery totally unbothered. I noticed now after 3 years of psychotherapy that images I had looked at previously were much more immediately disturbing to me and I was shocked by the callousness of other people around me who seemed unbothered, despite the fact that I had also once been quite unbothered. But sitting here now, I am also certain that if I were to view some of those same images once again that I would not find them nearly as disturbing as I had the last time I saw them. Anecdotally, this speaks to me about how context, frame of mind, and present ambient emotional vulnerability may influence people’s behavior. And how once a precedent is established, how it is easier to repeat it. I suppose this would be basic conditioning.
Anyway, I’m just noticing as I go along that the answers are just never very simple — not about the world and not about myself. And I can tolerate that level of uncertainty — but that uncertainty also continues to drive me to find answers, even if the answers only arrive in the form of more questions.
It is difficult to know how a person becomes insensitive to such things, but I do believe that there are neurotypicals that come to it naturally, though many times it is through exposure, either from others, or intentional exposure and the development of compartmentalization.
You made it three episodes farther than I would have dear god that sounds lame. I’m noticing you watch anime often though you’ve mentioned it a few times that’s awesome. As a 37 year old grown ass man it’s not as cool to say I do to. May I suggest if you’d like to watch a god tier anime watch Elfen Lied. It would be a thousand times better if you had a full emotional pallet to feel the intensity of the story but I think you’d still like it. Samurai Champloo Akira Space Dandy and Cowboy Bebop are a few more awesome ones. This ends my comment which in no way pertains to your post.
Okay Athena, I just have one simple question and of course like yourself I don't give a damn about which side of the line people are on what politics they agree with and who wants to celebrate which mass murderer genocide in the world. None of that s*** really matters to me because it doesn't change my day today and it doesn't keep me warm at night or fed. My question is this: where in the actual hell are you finding these animes you keep referencing. And as a related question when are you going to start writing reviews for more of these animes?
I watch Crunchy Roll and Funimation.
I can, if you would like me to. I watched one recently that was really good, but very very dark, called Goblin Slayer.
All right, thank you for the referral athena. In the interest of of research purposes I suppose, I think I'll head over to those two sites and watch some of that stuff. It sounds kind of entertaining honestly. Like I remember way back when watch anime now was the thing back in like 2005 I was watching like try again and berserk and Fullmetal alchemist and Inuyasha and all of those kids eat type ones back then. And then of course I absolutely loved cowboy Bebop that was my jam back in the day
But some of the ones that you've mentioned sound like somewhat of a fever dream of a madman... Sounds like it might be right up my alley
Depending on the sort of anime you like, I might be able to offer some suggestions.
I am always open to suggestions and fresh perspectives from others.
After all the way I see things is what is this life if for nothing else than to it explore countless innumerable and unlimited possibility
A good way to see things
Thank you again for your work and allowing all of us to share.
When you write "potential for brutality": (fill in here)
My home is in a distant rural area and I stay to myself.
It is actually kind of insane how literal genocidal behaviours are being justified.
yes. And for profit, correct? Those who take a position and have a platform? They are paid in cash.
The single _weirdest_ thing about being 25-ish is the way I can just feel my brains easing off with the ”gotta share my pain” thing. Granted, I’ve never really been one to take my anger or hurt fee-fees out on others. Sometimes, of course, because I’m not pretending to be that great, but often I’m able to suck it up and just be nice and normal. Except.. for online spaces. Now, I want to emphasize that I’ve never one left mean comments or bullied people, but the temptation to be mean to people I disagree with online has been great at times. And yes, I’ve ended up in more than a few internet arguments because I’ve left a less-than-polite (even if never outright mean) comment, and the person’s replied in the same vein. In a way, understandably so. But over the last few years, it’s changed for me. Feels like something actually shifted in my brain, and now, I just roll my eyes and move on (or get pissed and move on if it’s more severe). I do still comment on things, but it’s never from a place of getting pissed. Actually, if I write a heated comment because I get pissed and want to release it somehow, I’ll start regretting it before I post it and erase it. I only go into chats with people of differing opinions when they’ve entered it respectfully and I feel calm about it all.
Honestly, people being dumb and ruled by their emotions is so childish. Feeling emotions is fine, but that’s usually _your_ problem, not theirs. And if it’s an issue that you’re actually right about and the other one is just being racist/a bigot/whatever, approaching it with anger and frustration and resentment won’t do any real good anyway. An internet conversation isn’t going to un-racist a racist anyway (not that their viewpoints should go unchallenged, but like, at least roast them calmly and lethally, lol, without sounding like a raging toddler).
Anyway, side note, god I love redemption/big positive arcs from shitty people to ”better but still flawed” people. The protag of the novel I wrote starts off not wanting to save the world from the looming apocalypse due to Tragic Backstory And Edgy Hurt Feelings, but he goes on the path to save it anyway because he wants revenge on the man behind his misery and it just so happens to be the same man who wants to end the world. My protag wants to personally kill him, that is, not just let him die in an apocalypse. He is highly frustrating at times for the first half of the first book, super stubborn about his viewpoints and thinking of nothing but his pain, but he was fun to write BECAUSE he was so frustrating. Also, it makes the positive arc so much sweeter when he finally starts to realize the error of his ways and accepts that 1. he’s been a dick to everyone who cares about him and 2. he wants to try being happy instead of wallowing in old misery forever. By book three, he’s still making mistakes, but he puts conscious effort into being good to the people around him (even if he never quite starts liking strangers or the world in general. He just doesn’t outright hate them anymore. My slightly selfish little man<3)
how did your three book series work out?
If you do a rewrite, consider making it less direct: the man behind his misery is not the same man to end the world.
Did you publish it? A niece of a friend of mine wrote a time traveling 3 book series: I loved it and she gave me an autographed edition.
Since she is a young girl, it was so much fun to see her characters reflect her values and her assumptions and thoughts. I learned alot about young girls (who live in USA?) by seeing through her eyes. Her characters think like she does. Maybe yours do the same?
Oh, congrats to your friend’s niece! Writing isn’t easy, so that is quite the accomplishment. Also, the whole ”learned a lot about group X by seeing through their eyes”, to me, is the best thing about literature. That’s awesome if she managed to create such a well-written character, that was your experience.
I think my character could show new experiences to readers too. I mean, he’s very extreme in his emotions (more so than most people) but he does stem from my own struggles with depression, which is a very real struggle to a lot of people. I had a betareader who said he was super relatable, so the opposite should be true too, even if he is ”more extreme” than most real people.
And yes, I published it recently. Not much ”turning out” yet haha, book one has barely any sales, book two is in editing, and I’m struggling to make the first draft of book three work. But so is writing (especially for a no one with a zero-budget). The plan right now is to finish book two while saving up, and then do some advertising for both books when I publish the second one. People should be more likely to pick it up if there’s already more of the series out than just the one book.
And maybe! Though, book one has quite a lot going on, including magical talking stones manipulating the protagonist (it’s a secondary villain) and the big emotional arc of the protag getting to know his new friends and changing, so I’m worried making the villain and the person behind the misery two separate people would potentially make the book have too much going on. But I do like the suggestion. It does have potential to it!
Hi, Rosa. Thank you for your kind words. Yes, the process is very difficult (though it gets easier!)
Her books are on Amazon and maybe others (I do not use those services) She got a TON of support from friends and family. Enough to generate a live author signing in a local mall. She got the photos in locals papers and social media.
And the books are very good. Now, when I say "saw with her eyes"- you do realize I know it was "crap"!! hehehe. Right? "Oh, he really does love me. I can tell by the way his eyes smile at me." In Real Life, the guy wanted sex with her since he saw her and has a wife and two other gfs on the side.
Reading was still delightful. I didn't think once about meeting her and giving her the slanted eye trick. Not once, I tell you.
But this is the sort of "ultimate coincidence" that I personal will put a book down and never finish.
Yet, this: Weary and dedicated warrior princess, seeks more responsibilities at work. Quest after quest is thrown at her: She survives and prospers building a loyal team dedicated to her and her success. Just as that comes together, she meets with her father who will introduce her to highest ruler in the realm.
It is there she learns while she had but lead to believe she was fighting to lead "lost souls" to heaven, the ultimate ruler is Satan and she has taken souls and dashed them to the fury of an eternal hell.
Hehehe. Now that is a "coincidence" I can live with. Also, it cracks me up and leaves me wanting the TV version!!
Best wishes. Happy Halloween.
Indeed, a very good quote
Athena: You never cease to surprize me!!
How is we can know what is "good"? How can I know what is "good" and what is "intelligent" if I don't not know the purpose or outcome?
If I claim to serve a "God" or ultimate "goodness" won't you first call me delusional, then not at all intelligent?
Likely I have missed the point entirely!!! Hehehe. Have a wonderful evening and I am looking forward to more of your work!!
You have to consider your values, why you believe what you do, and see if those things can be manipulated by emotion. A value is not a considered one if you are willing to sacrifice it because someone makes an emotional appeal or manipulates them to do what it is they want you to do. An example would be:
I will never allow for people to be loaded up and taken away to concentration camps or execution.
All right, that's a value statement, but what happens if someone or a group of people come along and engage in a prolonged campaign that emotionally appeals to you and does a very good job of framing those people as evil or an enemy. If you would shift your position because you dislike or hate those people, it was never a value to begin with, just something that made you feel good. It is only a value if you know that behavior is wrong and will never stand for it, regardless of your feelings on the matter.
TY for the kind explanation and your time to consider and post.
From you, this is very interesting and I hope everyone can read it and consider that you wrote it!!!
Because I do not want people to ask, I have a value, but I believe only one: If you are with me, physically, if you are attacked? I will protect you at all costs. This is anyone without respect to race, creed, etc. Beyond that, I have no conscience values.