Does no one else think Amanda sounds Ummm….familiar?
It doesn’t immediately align with Athena “conferring with several people to ensure she got things accurate” part but still.
Unlikely coincidence? One can only guess.
On the side note - great writing. The less emotions-describing style you typically use rings slightly more “you”; but it’s interesting to see how a neurodivergent person tries to directly convey the perspective of a neurotypical. Reminds me slightly of AI art but definitely a more advanced version than what we currently have.
I had the exact same thought, it reads just like an AI piece. But I normally find AI writing really boring - as soon as I realise the words didn't come from a human mind I tend to lose interest (although still mildly interesting from the point of view that AI's learn from humans, so what they have to say is like ourselves being reflected back to us).
But Athena's story is far from boring, and the psychopath-conveying-NT-perspective angle just makes it even more fascinating. It's weird how the writing styles are so similar, but (to me at least) AI writing is dull as dishwasher because it's just a machine programmed to imitate humans, whereas Athena's writing is endlessly fascinating because it comes from a human with a differently-wired brain, who's learned to imitate other humans.
I do see what you mean about Amanda too, very calm, very logical and rational, not emotional, very cool in stressful situations, interesting!
Can't wait for part 3, I have a feeling by the end of this story it's going to seem pretty ridiculous that it's psychopaths that have the reputation for being dangerous!
I like the “ourselves being reflected back to us” definition. AI to me is like fun house mirrors - the reflection part is present, yet reality is distorted. The thing is, even if you know what you see is an illusion, you can never be sure what the original image was.
As for the reputation psychopaths’ have, well, everyone can be dangerous or harmful regardless of how their brain is wired. It’s a matter of choice. Or sometimes necessity; we all have survival instincts that can make us a threat if need be. But then psychopaths experience the world in a significantly unusual way. They act and react differently. And for most people different equals Unknown, Unknown equals danger.
People like Joan are so contradicting. What they say never matches what they do.
1. Why would she complain about Leanne when she is the one who insisted she go over to stay in her house?
2. Why would she want anything to do with Leanne's finances if she is oh so wealthy?
3. Why would she want control over Leanne if that implies investing time and energy in her? Especially after she made it so clear Leanne was a burden to her.
It just seems like a lot of pent-up resentment between everyone in this family from unaddressed issues showing itself between the cracks.
There was a crucial line here it seems to me... "So what's Joans phone number". You have to have a strong streak of disagreeableness available to you to actually say "I'm not giving you that womans number".
I had this same thing. My cousin used to talk about suicide a lot and he is abusive towards his mother. I had a friend I've previously mentioned that was suffering from mental health problems and suicidal. I thought for some strange reason that they would get on fine, be mutually supportive and would not make each other worse, that the three of us would go out bowling together.
But it's so easy to just kind of go with the flow and not be aware of the potential dangers, and she asked to contact him so I let her and didn't think anything of it.
Yes, but you would also have to have no sense of respect for the relationship. Jess may be the niece, but Joan is the older sister. Is Jess someone that can tell her Aunt not to speak to her sister? Also, in doing so, she would have done exactly what Joan goes on to do to Leanne.
I suppose ultimately, Jess can't say 'no'. But she can be disagreeable and debate it with Leanne. Try and ask her if there are other options and such.
I think that is having more respect for the relationship, or at least the person. Of course rigid social rules are one element of relationships and respect of the social heirarchy. But you are also dealing with a human being, and people make bad decisions sometimes. Some people have very naive moments. They keep things secret from pride that need to be told to others and such like that.
I mean, I wasn't there. But that's just an element of the situation that if it shows up in my own life again I will be more careful with.
I wish this were totally fictional, but there are just too many Joans in this world.
There really are too many, I agree
Does no one else think Amanda sounds Ummm….familiar?
It doesn’t immediately align with Athena “conferring with several people to ensure she got things accurate” part but still.
Unlikely coincidence? One can only guess.
On the side note - great writing. The less emotions-describing style you typically use rings slightly more “you”; but it’s interesting to see how a neurodivergent person tries to directly convey the perspective of a neurotypical. Reminds me slightly of AI art but definitely a more advanced version than what we currently have.
Personally, I think there is probably no shortage of successful psychopath authors… But we (maybe even they) will never know.
Quite true
I had the exact same thought, it reads just like an AI piece. But I normally find AI writing really boring - as soon as I realise the words didn't come from a human mind I tend to lose interest (although still mildly interesting from the point of view that AI's learn from humans, so what they have to say is like ourselves being reflected back to us).
But Athena's story is far from boring, and the psychopath-conveying-NT-perspective angle just makes it even more fascinating. It's weird how the writing styles are so similar, but (to me at least) AI writing is dull as dishwasher because it's just a machine programmed to imitate humans, whereas Athena's writing is endlessly fascinating because it comes from a human with a differently-wired brain, who's learned to imitate other humans.
I do see what you mean about Amanda too, very calm, very logical and rational, not emotional, very cool in stressful situations, interesting!
Can't wait for part 3, I have a feeling by the end of this story it's going to seem pretty ridiculous that it's psychopaths that have the reputation for being dangerous!
I like the “ourselves being reflected back to us” definition. AI to me is like fun house mirrors - the reflection part is present, yet reality is distorted. The thing is, even if you know what you see is an illusion, you can never be sure what the original image was.
As for the reputation psychopaths’ have, well, everyone can be dangerous or harmful regardless of how their brain is wired. It’s a matter of choice. Or sometimes necessity; we all have survival instincts that can make us a threat if need be. But then psychopaths experience the world in a significantly unusual way. They act and react differently. And for most people different equals Unknown, Unknown equals danger.
People like Joan are so contradicting. What they say never matches what they do.
1. Why would she complain about Leanne when she is the one who insisted she go over to stay in her house?
2. Why would she want anything to do with Leanne's finances if she is oh so wealthy?
3. Why would she want control over Leanne if that implies investing time and energy in her? Especially after she made it so clear Leanne was a burden to her.
It just seems like a lot of pent-up resentment between everyone in this family from unaddressed issues showing itself between the cracks.
Indeed, I had all of these questions myself. The answers to those questions are pretty wretched. They will be addressed in the following installments
There was a crucial line here it seems to me... "So what's Joans phone number". You have to have a strong streak of disagreeableness available to you to actually say "I'm not giving you that womans number".
I had this same thing. My cousin used to talk about suicide a lot and he is abusive towards his mother. I had a friend I've previously mentioned that was suffering from mental health problems and suicidal. I thought for some strange reason that they would get on fine, be mutually supportive and would not make each other worse, that the three of us would go out bowling together.
But it's so easy to just kind of go with the flow and not be aware of the potential dangers, and she asked to contact him so I let her and didn't think anything of it.
Yes, but you would also have to have no sense of respect for the relationship. Jess may be the niece, but Joan is the older sister. Is Jess someone that can tell her Aunt not to speak to her sister? Also, in doing so, she would have done exactly what Joan goes on to do to Leanne.
I suppose ultimately, Jess can't say 'no'. But she can be disagreeable and debate it with Leanne. Try and ask her if there are other options and such.
I think that is having more respect for the relationship, or at least the person. Of course rigid social rules are one element of relationships and respect of the social heirarchy. But you are also dealing with a human being, and people make bad decisions sometimes. Some people have very naive moments. They keep things secret from pride that need to be told to others and such like that.
I mean, I wasn't there. But that's just an element of the situation that if it shows up in my own life again I will be more careful with.