36 Comments

For those of you who like "sauce" al a reddit, this article (in korean, but the Google Translate seems to be doing a good job) will give the context for this story.

https://unreadbook.com/gangnam-coegoyi-cohohwa-baeghwajeom-geu-ireumeun-sampungbaeghwajeom/

Opa Gangnam Style!

Also, in Wikipedia, it looks like the owners came to their senses, and gave their entire fortune to the victims, including the construction of a monument remembering the disaster.

Expand full comment

Likely that came from enormous social pressure. They wouldn't have been able to live in the country had they not taken drastic action.

Expand full comment

They also had prison sentences and served time even after giving their fortune away.

Expand full comment

Yes, indeed they did. It seemed like a rather light sentence to me.

Expand full comment

The son going on to become a preacher is total bullish*t come on...why do the most terrible people always get a chance to teach others? Like those stories of a woman who honey traps an innocent man, makes a big deal out of being ridden with guilt, and then starts running a therapy group or something

Expand full comment

I have thought that the son becoming a preacher was most likely a ploy to save his eternal soul, so for selfish reasons. Seems to me that wouldn't be a very good motive when it comes to judgement.

Expand full comment

Well, as someone already said "I am always surprised how many people avoid listening to experts just to save money." this was terrible accident but i can't say that im suprised, because things like this happen very often everywhere. But yeah, this was great example and this thread did good job explaining human greed, but im sure we're all very familiar with this, and this can also be very annoying because their job would be much more profitable if they invisted some money to fix the problem. Anyways, it was interesting to read, good job.

Expand full comment

I'll never understand why humans are so greedy.They never think about the consequences.They only think about themselves and their money.

My grandfather died when I was fifteen years old and as soon as the funeral was over,my aunt called my mother and told her that she will sell her part of the apartment,and that she already found the buyers.When my mother asked her if she could wait for at least two months,becouse she needed to find new apartment,my aunt said that she can't wait and we only got two weeks to move out or she will call the police.The only reason she wanted the money was so she could renovate her apartment.I really didn't understand why she needed so much money for renovation,when she already has high salary,and she also lives with her dauther and brother,who is a scientist.

Ps.: I just want to thank you for what you wrote about self-blame.You really helped me realise how much I blamed myself.

Expand full comment

That's pretty egregious.

You are quite welcome, I am glad that it was helpful

Expand full comment

That sounds awful. But I don't think the police could use force against your mother, it seems like a civil matter not a criminal situation.

Expand full comment

It likely depends on the jurisdiction.

Expand full comment

I can imagne that if this is her default attitude and she believes she has the salary she has and all else thanks to being consistently ruthless and opportunistic like this, it is about maintaining that consistency. Never easing on anyone. Doesn't make it less nasty.

Expand full comment

You mentioned to me once that you are writing a book. How is that going? I ask because I believe your perspective offers a great deal of insight into the workings of the human brain. As you often point out, there are millions and millions of people who, when thrust into a survival mode, are capable of doing every depraved act so often linked with psychopathy. I also see that the primary difference between neurotypical individuals and those who are considered psychopaths is that the behavior of the latter is not affected by feelings of guilt, shame, regret and emotions of that sort. It just so happens that emotions like guilt, shame and regret (as torturous as they are to experience) keep people from acting on our species worst impulses. I suspect that’s why we evolved those emotions; civilizations would never have survived if everyone was wired like a psychopath. But that’s the nature of all types of neurodivergences; they make one less fit for survival than their neurotypical counterpart.

And, as I like to qualify—without free will, no one can be blamed for the ways they are neurodivergent. You appear to understand that about yourself—which is one reason why you are so exceptional at strategizing how to function reasonably well in a neurotypical world.

Expand full comment

The book is on pause for the time being as I have been incredibly busy.

You are likely right about that. People have to be willing to learn to work within their own wiring to the best of their ability, but there is a large swath of the population that sees no reason to bother with such a thing. Psychopaths are no different in that regard.

Expand full comment

I've experienced local politics that has been affected by the greed of real estate developers. Those people seem to factor in a lot of greed and government corruption. At least those guys went to prison for it

Expand full comment

Agreed. It should happen more often

Expand full comment

Indeed, and real estate developers spend all day every day figuring out how to get what they want, whereas folks in the community who are trying to stop them from building stuff that's taller than code, doesn't have enough parking, is too big for the space, etc etc etc, we have to spend our days earning money and thus only have evenings and weekend available for stopping them. And the "stops" are short term and temporary, because those greedy guts just wake up the next morning and continue coming up with new schemes to feed their greed.

Expand full comment

No amount of $$ is worth prison you said. Interesting comment. I am married to a psychopath and prison is where her behavior will take her to if she doesn’t stop her behaviors.

Expand full comment

That's unfortunate

Expand full comment

Interesting read. It appears that the greed involved in this build would make me come to the reality that perhaps greed drives non realistic like people that may not be in reality. That each worker/contractor just wanted to be paid & didn’t have enough of a spine or individuality to speak up and say “Nope, not contributing to your inevitable disaster or knowingly put lives at risk for death”, would report the building inspectors. Perhaps as you said people warned them this would happen and their denial of realization would maybe not hold them responsible. To add more concrete as the cracks appeared and knowingly filled them when they knew the structural integrity would not be able to hold the extra weight is plain stupidity and purposely negligent.

How they got away without life in prison is beyond me or perhaps their legal system is corrupt.

Athena as a psychopath logic doesn’t escape you.

My question is had you never seen the inside of a prison or truly understood cognitively that this is one of those “Wrong” things that comes with consequences would you have come to the same conclusion or something different?

Expand full comment

It would depend on my life experience and if I had ever had a reason to consider any of this sort of thing.

Expand full comment

I think society as a whole has become far more greedy and self centred. I think perhaps it’s down to the fact that many societies haven’t experienced real hardship since WWII. We have forgotten how to share and instead it’s very much a case of every person for themselves. In many ways you see far less greed in poorer neighbourhoods.

I remember when COVID broke. I had been doing the grocery shopping for my parents for a few weeks before restrictions set in properly. Panic buying was starting to take hold. Another example of greed and selfishness. I walked in to my local supermarket and so many shelves were bare. I remember seeing a really old couple, must have been in their 80’s, they were stood side by side in the middle of an aisle holding hands, empty shelves either side of them. They looked confused, bewildered, just looking about them as if not quite knowing what to do. For some reason, my heart just broke looking at them. It was a mixture of emotion. Fear that they would fall ill. Fear that COVID would separate them. Sadness at what they must have been thinking as they stood there holding hands. Anger at the sheer greed and idiocy of the strong, sparing no consideration for the weak.

Agree. Greed brings out the very worst in humanity.

Expand full comment

It does indeed. Your experience in the grocery store is unfortunate, and it was one that a lot of people dealt with. I am going to be talking about things like this in my next post.

Expand full comment

I’m glad you have decided to look at this further. That image really stuck in my mind. I’m interested to know what you feel are the drivers for behaviour like this. Greed, fear, self preservation, sense of entitlement?

I’ll look forward to your next post.

Expand full comment

Athena being incisive as always with her writing. Made me have a good reflection on greed.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Luiz

Expand full comment

Athena, thank you for educating me with your writings. Very much appreciated. Take care.

Expand full comment

Thank you for reading, Suzanne

Expand full comment

I really love reading your writing

Expand full comment

Thank you kindly

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
September 21, 2022
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

It's funny, living large isn't all that interesting. Everything is too easy. There is no challenge to life.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
September 22, 2022
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

Exactly what I said. Everything is too easy. There is no challenge to life, and a psychopath without challenges to enjoy is going to be bored all of the time. I have had many opportunities for that kind of life and none of it appeals to me.

Expand full comment

Hypothetically, let's say you inherit $100 million dollars. What would you do with the money? Would you continue to live as if you didn't have it just for the sake of the challenge?

Expand full comment

No idea. I wouldn't know until it happened.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
September 22, 2022
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

Perhaps, but those opportunities are not limited to those with money.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
September 22, 2022
Comment deleted
Expand full comment