Selfishness and elections

If your interest doesn't fit anywhere else, leave it here.
Iris
Posts: 508
https://cutt.ly/meble-kuchenne-wroclaw
Joined: Mon 08 Dec 2008 14:09
Location: Netherlands

Selfishness and elections

Post by Iris »

This discussion was split off from this topic
panacea wrote:
Mr. PC wrote: I think the diet's been particularly hard for me this week as well, because I started work at the music camp, and I don't want to eat all the time because I discourage the kids from eating everywhere (making a mess) and I hate to be the person who tells them they can't do something I'm doing. Some days I don't have time for breakfast or to bring much, so I end up starving most of the day, as well as being exhausted from that job. My co-worker is also bipolar and as much as I like her, is often taking breaks or showing up late. Also her boyfriend is abusive which I find to be very emotionally stressful. When I come home I have my dying uncle, who to be honest is often a jerk to my mom. And my mom and aunt are constantly crying from stress and their inability to cope with death. My mom is also going through work problems and has worn out her knees (I don't know if the wai diet would help with that, I have a feeling it would though; she wouldn't listen to me anyway. she hates my diet). Although I think TBH none of this really affects me too much; I think it's just sheer loneliness, which is probly because the love I'm looking for is just a fairy tale, which could possibly mean it's more my nihilistic life view bringing me down. In that case I guess Buddhism would be my only path to end suffering.
I guess the main problem with all of that concerning diet is that I don't want to eat anything when I'm down, and after starving myself it's much harder to resist SAD food.
Worry about only yourself for now - unless helping others is a form of your stress release. But realize that once you have yourself 'together' you will be able to help others more. Most importantly though, you are number one, which means you should feed yourself even if the kids can't eat with you because they haven't learned to not make a mess, or whatever. I'm not sure what your exact situation is but for me, when I'm late for work I'll cut people off on the road to get there on time, not because it's morally right or O.K. but because animals kill each other in the wild to get ahead and I'm not going to pretend to be a saint and be stressed out inside from letting 5 people infront of me or w/e. The animal food, increased fruit also, increased sleep, increased self centeredness, increased stress release outlets, less masturbation, and more efficient excercise (dont excercise for no purpose, if it doesnt serve you, it will only discourage you from excercising), then you will get your life in balance and not need someone, but eventually someone will come along that likes you (because you're happy it will be natural trust me) and you will find a benefit shark-hunter/wolf pack relationship rather than a vampire relationship sucking off eachother psychologically (or even worse, just you sucking) for emotional stability or curing 'loneliness'. The truth is people are like pets, they will love you, if you treat them a way they like, but not for any other reason, they are just pets to make your life better, and you make theirs better, but they can never be your sole drive, because it's a self destructive fallacy to think someone else will like that you have absolutely nothing going for you but your lust/love for them. You need to be fun, enjoyable, happy, etc, which can only come from genuine enjoyment of life by yourself and not by clinging onto their ego.
Wow :shock: I agree with you we are selfish in nature, so there's nothing wrong with putting yourself first (although I find it hard to do so). I also agree you have to take care of yourself first before you can take good care of others. But Putting yourself first doesn't mean you have to be aggressive! (Animals are not for sure!) Your freedom ends where someone else's begins, in my opinion. Imagine what a world we would live in if everybody would behave that way....
Just my two cents :wink:
Last edited by Iris on Sat 10 Jul 2010 21:33, edited 1 time in total.
panacea
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed 23 Jun 2010 22:08

What is selfish?

Post by panacea »

Everyone does behave that way, everyone is intrinsically selfish if you aren't you wouldn't have survived natural selection - the world is a limited resource, and although there is enough for more people than we have now by using technology (sun as sunpower) we haven't employed it to a great enough extent yet. So until that happens and population doesn't keep pace, we will be the same intrinsically selfish for a long time. To show this, even the most charitable people, like mother teresa, or whatever.. people who give their whole life seemingly to others - do so because it makes them feel either good, complete, morally right, going to go to heaven, or what have you. These all give them an emotional paycheck, and while this form of paycheck is best for the world, not everyone can be like this all the time because there are those who will take a physical paycheck and noone is going to give up greed all at once without sufficient technology to make life more effortless (sunpower for example, food for everyone, etc). So it's still a dog eat dog world, and psychologically, even the saints are selfish so expecting people not to behave like that (people are just trained animals after all) is a bit far fetched.
panacea
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed 23 Jun 2010 22:08

Post by panacea »

and my point wasn't to needlessly hurt others by being aggressive - it was to put yourself first when it's either you or the other guy - there is no direct harm in cutting someone off on the road, or telling kids they can't have their snack in class.. even though it may be psychologically stressful to them, these kind of psychological stressors are so common that you can't factor them in and be a sane person without hurting yourself in the process..

relentless thoughts like these would cover your mind: "I musn't upset the people here by sneezing in the movie." or "I can't cut that guy off or he will hate me."
panacea
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed 23 Jun 2010 22:08

Post by panacea »

Also, animals are very aggressive, they fight over food, mates, territory, everything there is to fight about, they do it. Stress and fear and anger all play an important role in the animal word, even in ours to a much lesser extent (although I hope it won't always have to be that way). And if people or animals aren't aggressive, it is either because there is no need, or for people because they can't get away with it. Think about how many people would kill you if you had a million dollars in your hand and they could kill you, take it, and get away with it as long as your dead because there was a 100% guarantee they wouldn't be caught. That proves our collective intrinsic nature, whether it's been suppressed or aggregated or not by social training doesn't deny the fact that that situation is 'logical' to us.
Iris
Posts: 508
Joined: Mon 08 Dec 2008 14:09
Location: Netherlands

Post by Iris »

Like I said, I agree we are selfish in nature :wink: Aggression is something different, though. I don't think animals are aggressive. Sure they fight/attack sometimes and sometimes even kill, but always with one purpose; protect their genes. This way, the strongest genes survive and these genes breed. When animals are frightened, they flight when they can. This is also self preservation (and thus putting theirselves first).

You used the example of dogs. A common made mistake is that when dogs behave "aggressive", it obviously is dominant. In fact, "dominant dogs" are not "aggressive" at all. They don't need to for starters. But they'd be stupid if they where. It makes them vulnerable (and the whole pack with 'm!), and they can't lead their pack when they're injured. It's the leaders task to keep stability in the pack. If the leader gets hurt, THEN chaos originates and pack members test one another to see which one is the strongest. When stability returns, the leader guards the group's interest, not his own.
A dog is only aggressive when he has a tumor in it's head, or he is f*cked up by it's handler (self preservation as a consequence of conditioning, so not natural behavior)

And I personally don't think everyone behaves that way. Some do indeed. For me, it's not a reason to behave the same. And no, that is not because I'm afraid of what people might think, at all. I don't care to much about that. But it's just I don't feel the need to behave arrogant, like I am more important then others, aggressive. It simply doesn't bring me anything... I'm important to myself, but I'm also aware others feel the same about theirselves. And we are all right. To stick to your examples, you don't have more right to be on that road then others. Everybody wants to be home asap. But ofcourse this is just my opinion :wink:

Personally, I think a lot of such behavior wouldn't be present if people would just eat right :roll: For the rest, I stick with what I said earlier. Guess we just disagree. That's ok with me :wink:
panacea
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed 23 Jun 2010 22:08

Post by panacea »

Like I said, I agree we are selfish in nature Wink Aggression is something different, though. I don't think animals are aggressive. Sure they fight/attack sometimes and sometimes even kill, but always with one purpose; protect their genes. This way, the strongest genes survive and these genes breed.
And neither are healthy people aggressive when there is absolutely no need, unless stressed by a tumor or being fucked up, as you mentioned. For example, there is no logical reason to be aggressive and punch someone in the face if they're nice to you. There is a reason (and I'm not arguing it's morally correct or not) to punch someone who raped your girlfriend, or sister, or friend, or whatever. And this has nothing to do with the preservation of your own genes. Also, in a herd fleeing away from a predator, the weak ones often get trampled over, because the other animals are thinking about themselves first, which is very similiar to cutting someone off on the road. Of course the weak and slower animals deserve to flee too, but nature works this way that the ones that are not aggressive and don't push their way through often die. Very similiarly, those people who drive like nice grandma's and don't leave early enough often don't get to work/school as soon as the aggressive ones do. Also, animals kill not just for self survival, but for self-advancement, such as a male animal killing another male in a mating contest, or for territory, or what have you. Aggression is just an energetic or forceful pursuit of your goals, by definition. And if everyones goals are largely selfish, then it is not much of a stretch to be passionate or forceful about them, in fact it's natural (not saying it's best at all times).

I'm not trying to protect the idea of aggression or anything as some morally acceptable trait, only that the fact remains those who are mildly more aggressive end up on top, rather it be psychologically (being more stress free) or otherwise. Especially in my example, cutting in front of others gets me to work on time when I need to be, and therefore I'm not stressed about always being late, but rather happy. The other guy might be upset he was late, or cut off, but thinking about him would be a mistake as it's either his happiness or mine, it can't be both, and obviously yourself is more important than others in a logical sense. The barriers here are not to do things that hurt them and yourself, as killing someone would have repercussions such as guilt, going to jail, and a great loss to society, etc...
You used the example of dogs. A common made mistake is that when dogs behave "aggressive", it obviously is dominant. In fact, "dominant dogs" are not "aggressive" at all. They don't need to for starters. But they'd be stupid if they where. It makes them vulnerable (and the whole pack with 'm!), and they can't lead their pack when they're injured. It's the leaders task to keep stability in the pack. If the leader gets hurt, THEN chaos originates and pack members test one another to see which one is the strongest. When stability returns, the leader guards the group's interest, not his own.
A dog is only aggressive when he has a tumor in it's head, or he is f*cked up by it's handler (self preservation as a consequence of conditioning, so not natural behavior)
actually I just said it was a dog eat dog world, not referring to the actual dogs but the culture of the world in that, one persons gain is anothers loss (most of the time). For example, me cutting infront of you on the road would yield me a gain and you a loss. Whether dominant dogs are aggressive or not doesn't change the fact that animals and humans will be aggressive for their own selfish interests and if they are not they will lose compared to their peers who are (in the big picture). The whole idea of the leader thinking for the pack and not himself is trying to transcend the law that all things are selfish or they don't survive, thinking for the group is obviously in that individual dogs best long term interest as determined by evolution, not for some noble moralistic god-given commandment that it should be that way.
And I personally don't think everyone behaves that way. Some do indeed. For me, it's not a reason to behave the same. And no, that is not because I'm afraid of what people might think, at all. I don't care to much about that. But it's just I don't feel the need to behave arrogant, like I am more important then others, aggressive. I'm important to myself, but I'm also aware others feel the same about theirselves. And we are all right. To stick to your examples, you don't have more right to be on that road then others. Everybody wants to be home asap
behaves what way? everyone is aggressive at their core - think back to being a child and being jealous of your siblings stuff so you cry to get it, steal it, manipulate, or whatever. Or how about when you like someone a lot but someone else competes for him/her, and you do things to win them in favor by maybe, preventing that person from seeing the other person, or whatever. I'm not too good at examples right now but humans manipulate every day to serve their interests and it's just a suppressed form of aggression (going after what you want to gain by forceful actions, or deep planning, preventing others from gaining it)
Also behaving as if you are more important than others doesn't have to mean arrogant, because by definition each individual is individually more important than all others at their core. Expecting others to realize this about you however is arrogant, and that's not what I do. I don't expect the other driver to bow down and say yes, cut in front of me, because you're worth more than me, I expect him to be angry, just as any person would be, but that doesn't change the fact that it serves my best interest. Not saying my best interest is more important than his, just that it is more important to me. And there is nothing wrong with that as every healthy animal in the world follows the same principle. While I don't have more right to be on that road, or the right to cut in front of them, there is no repercussions for doing so, and rather than let imaginary morals bind my interests and bundle up as stress, I choose to serve myself so that I'm happier. When I'm already happy and able to help others, I do so. It's just an exagerrated form of, if world war 3 happened and everyone had very little to survive on, and less and less food was available, obviously you'd serve you and your loved ones first, even if it meant others starving eventually, we don't do it out of cruelty, but out of logic.. just as I don't cut people off out of rudeness, but out of logic... they see it as rude, all of society will see it as rude, but the motivation wasn't to be rude and smile at their anger, but to get to work on time. What you're arguing is that it's rude anyway because I ignored their feelings by doing it, and what I'm arguing is that the benefit of getting to work on time and being less stressed, and exhanging some of that stress to the person I cut off, helps me and hurts them, not enough to be a crime to them, but enough to be a benefit for me. Selfish? Yes, that's what I've been saying all along, we are all like this inside we are just trained to behave it, and because of this people who realize it's just a monkeys gym can exploit it to succeed or be happier, eventually these little things add up until you get someone who succeeds in the workplace, school, what have you, because they aren't doing the status quo let everyone else go first kind of mentality.

Not saying that's what will happen for me, but for aggressive (when they need to be) people in general...

I agree about the eating right part, our behavior is linked to food more than I think anyone understands yet.
Iris
Posts: 508
Joined: Mon 08 Dec 2008 14:09
Location: Netherlands

Post by Iris »

Hmm, so you're saying being aggressive is natural, but you also believe our behaviour is influenced by the foods we eat? So what would be different according to you when people ate natural foods, then (regarding behaviour)?

And why is it that people and animals are aggressive in your view? What does it bring them that makes it worth endangering injury, and thus their own self preservation?
behaves what way?
aggressive ofcourse.

Again, I emphasize we are selfish by nature. Animals included (and yes, it's in the pack leader's best self interest to put the pack's interest first. It would have been more clear if I said he/she is not pursuing his/her own short term interest). But, again, aggression is something different in my view.

The comparison you made (a fleeing herd and car drivers on a highway) is far stretched in my view. You are not fleeing, you can't measure fitness by the speed you drive or the size of your car :? It seems to me the ones who "drive like grandma's" actually DO leave early for work/school. Else they couldn't afford to drive that slow :wink: Survival of the fittest doesn't apply here. Maybe you are just incapable of dealing with stress in traffic when you behave that way. But you do have a choice. It's not like you are forced to cut of someone or else you get killed (on the contrary). To me it seems like you have found yourself a reason why you do what you obviously feel like doing. You can't help it, it's in your nature? :roll:
Not long ago some researchers looked into taxi driver's behaviour (in the UK I believe). They behaved very aggressive in traffic. But when a group of taxi drivers ate some fat fish every day for some time, their behaviour changed dramatically (while behaviours in the control group stayed aggressive). They could deal with stressful situations much better, and consequently behaved far less aggressive.

Also, I don't think children are aggressive by nature and therefore we (adults) are too. Children are, just like adults, selfish. The behaviour that you described children display is just selfishness from my point of view. Empathy develops later on in children (normally).
just as I don't cut people off out of rudeness, but out of logic... they see it as rude, all of society will see it as rude, but the motivation wasn't to be rude and smile at their anger, but to get to work on time. What you're arguing is that it's rude anyway because I ignored their feelings by doing it, and what I'm arguing is that the benefit of getting to work on time and being less stressed, and exhanging some of that stress to the person I cut off, helps me and hurts them
I'm saying it's not logic, because you are endangering yourself (but that's your problem, you can do with your life what you want ofcourse) and others. And that is where I have a problem with. Everybody is free to do whatever they like, as long as they don't restrict the freedom/space of others. You seem to like making it others people's problem you are in lack of time, but it isn't their responsibility. If you are afraid you are going to be late, I'd say just leave the house earlier...

I believe aggression in animals and people is a disability/abnormality. Another example. Elephants in some part of Africa who behaved aggressive towards human for seemingly "no reason". After some time, researchers discovered what the reason was. The elephants who behaved that way were all young bulls, who where (often brutally) separated from their family at a young age. Those young bulls where put together in a group with some females. After the researchers discovered this, they decided to place the young bulls in a group with also older elephants, who naturally are in charge of a group. The aggression immediately stopped...
Last edited by Iris on Sun 11 Jul 2010 02:55, edited 1 time in total.
panacea
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed 23 Jun 2010 22:08

Post by panacea »

Hmm, so you're saying being aggressive is natural, but you also believe our behaviour is influenced by the foods we eat? So what would be different according to you when people ate natural foods, then (regarding behaviour)?
People would be less agitated by bodily stressors such as lack of certain nutrients on a better diet. They would also be less agitated by bodily stressors from addictive chemicals or anti-nutrients in bad diets because the bad diets would be gone...
And why is it that people and animals are aggressive in your view? What does it bring them that makes it worth endangering injury, and thus their own self preservation?
people and animals become aggressive because aggressiveness is just the heightened pursuit of what animals/people want, and sometimes this form of going after what an animal/person wants makes logical sense, such as when you want to retaliate when someone hits you, or an animal needs to kill something to eat, or for territory acquisition, or for mating competitions... the list goes on. It brings them a reward, and regarding endangering self preservation, normal healthy animals and people don't have the stand-offish types of danger assessment you're implying, for instance cubs play together and wrestle even though they could poke an eye out and cause severe pain, people cut off people in traffic even though it could cause an accident, so could talking on the phone, or opening some mail is dangerous because of potential anthrax, or walking outside because a meteor could hit them.. risk is in everything, which is why we don't naturally develop paranoid behavior unless pushed by stressors. Generally, people and animals only use aggression when the benefit outweighs the risk, such as, cutting someone off isn't that risky because it's just as likely someone isn't paying attention and rams into you as it is you cutting someone off and them getting angry or not paying attention and crashing into you, or that the risk of being seen as socially inadequate in a mating competition amongst animals is a greater risk (no reproduction) than risking your life in the match... If animals and people weren't driven to risk things in this way, we would still be far back on the evolutionary scale.
Again, I emphasize we are selfish by nature. Animals included (and yes, it's in the pack leader's best self interest to put the pack's interest first. It would have been more clear if I said he/she is not pursuing his/her own short term interest). But, again, aggression is something different in my view.
It's a very basic principle of selfishness to be long term, for instance if charitable activities only made people feel good for a few seconds, then everyone forgot about them and it was socially normal to think of it as no big deal, there would be a lot less charity. Instead, it stays with people for a long time and is therefore more of a reward. The same with animals, if they can prolong their life substantially longer by thinking for a group, it's a no brainer for them.
The comparison you made (a fleeing herd and car drivers on a highway) is far stretched in my view. You are not fleeing, you are probably just incapable of dealing with stress in traffic when you behave that way. And you do have a choice.
It's the only real comparison that can be made between animals and a modern human situation of highway driving... The relation between the two wasn't about the fleeing, but about the priority of who gets where first. The animals are trying to reach safety, because that's whats important to them in that situation, and I'm trying to reach my destination whether it be work or school, because that's what's important to me in that situation. Both parties are willing to put themselves first, me and the animals, because it makes the most sense. The stakes are different, but it doesn't change the logic. The stress in traffic has nothing to do with it for me, although I'm sure it is so for many people, I simply am stressed about being late, and I'm not incapable of dealing with it, I just choose not to if I have the opportunity... The animals also have a choice to not run and just be eaten, just as I have a choice not to cut someone off, the stakes are higher but it doesn't change the logic. Just as 2+2=4, so does 2+2+2+4=10, it's a higher degree, a different situation, but the logic remains the same. For instance if you could murder someone with a million dollars in their hands and get away with it, many people would, if you lowered it to 500,000$, less people would because of less reward, but the logic is still there, if you lower it to $1, almost no one would because the effort of murdering someone, the guilt, etc, is not worth the reward. To most people, getting to work on time may not be as important, but I can get away with it and I value it as enough to let someone else dislike me for a few minutes, and the logic is the same.
It's not like you are forced to cut of someone or else you get killed (on the contrary). Survival of the fittest doesn't apply here.
As we have already covered, self preservation isn't the only driving force behind animal and human actions, for instance, there is also self-advancement, or stress release, or any gain of some kind, or prevention of any kind of loss. An example of this in the animal world that happens often is in a pack of animals, often the most dominant animal will take the largest share of a kill, like in lions, even if he didn't kill anything or provide any service except being the strongest to stand up to. He doesn't 'need' the extra food, but it does give him an edge to stay full longer, to build stronger muscles, etc.
To me it seems like you have found yourself a reason why you do what you obviously feel like doing. You can't help it, it's in your nature, right?
As everyone does everything for some sort of reason, this is technically correct. However, this action I 'feel' like doing isn't just because I feel it but because it makes logical sense, and doesn't hurt any of my moral beliefs. If I just found reasons to do what I felt like doing and for no other reasons I would probably be in jail by now, as would any person that wasn't taught to control their feelings at a young age. What you're implying though is that anyone can be rude and make up excuses that it's in their nature and that's not right by you, and while I agree with that, I've been showing you that the example of cutting people off to get to work on time is not an intrinsically rude behavior, as the motive isn't rude. It's perceived as rude yes, in a perfect world would it be O.K? No. Do we live in that kind of world? No. Like I said, it's still a limited resource, dog eat dog world, and I don't need to make excuses for doing what is logical, I just need to have logical reasons. The logical reason for cutting people off on the road when I'm late is this:
It's not harming anyone past psychological, temporary stress, maybe.
It's relieving my stress, and self-advancing behaviour.
It's not going to give me any kind of loss.
It's not going to give a substantial loss to society.

Therefore there's no reason not to. So why don't I do it when I'm not late?
There's no need to make another persons day worse if you're not going to gain from it.
If there was, you would have to morally balance the loss/gains, obviously they are equal to you and the other person, so who is more important to you? In any logical person, you are number one... And yes I know it's extremely common for people to think of themselves secondarily, and I think it's pretty sad for their interests, but great for everyone else. Most of these people ride a high horse though pretending they are (arrogantly) better than the honest selfish people because they make sacrifices, when really it's the stupid option according to nature. Sacrifices according to nature are only logical when it benefits everyone and yourself, such as inventing a solar power harnessing device. You benefit from sales or press or what have you, and society does. But letting people cut in front of you in line to maybe make you late or whatever, while it gives you an emotional paycheck, in the eyes of logic it's the same as taking a bullet for a poor innocent child to save their life. You feel good yes, for a while, but in the long run the physical benefit is for the person you sacrificed for and you're the sucker. It's kind of a phenomenon how all the smart people in the world have set up things for people to be generous while the greedy take all the wealth and don't mind being shouted at by the poor masses saying "you're a crook!". They learn to deal with the guilt, until they feel none, and reap the benefits of the wealth... It's been going on a long long time, and until people wake up and realize it's a dog eat dog world, and they have to get angry and aggressive about being taken adventage of, the same greed will always be silently encouraged by those willing to take it. You can't blame anyone for taking a loophole, like the people south of the US border coming to the states when injured to get free medical care and upping the health insurance costs for the US citizens outrageously high, you can't blame them or the hospital, you can only blame the system for being flawed. Nature fills in all flaws to tell us something is fundamentally wrong, not for us to try and constantly patch it up. I am just as excited about a free people economy with limitless supply of solar power, food, etc and happiness as anyone else. And I would do a great deal to help that movement, but I'm not going to lie to myself and live as if that were the reality...
Also, I don't think children are aggressive in nature, and therefore we (adults) are too. children are, just like adults, selfish. The behavior that you described children display is just selfishness from my point of view. Empathy develops later on in children (normally).
An easy way to prove children are aggressive, naturally, whether it happens in any child on the world today or not, is to imagine in your mind that a child could get anything it strongly wanted just by being aggressive. The child would do it, because the child is not stupid and if there was no punishment there is nothing to tell it not to, they are like permeable wax imprints that are taught things it is only the social rules that keep them from being mostly aggressive, the same in nature, it's obviously folded out into such a way as to not be a completely cruel world, by having an efficient system, but it's not perfect, it's always changing, upgrading, testing things out, so there will always be need for aggression until it's perfect.
panacea
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed 23 Jun 2010 22:08

Post by panacea »

I'm saying it's not logic, because you are endangering yourself (but that's your problem, you can do with your life what you want ofcourse) and others. And that is where I have a problem with. Everybody is free to do whatever they like, as long as they don't restrict the freedom/space of others. You seem to like making it others people's problem you are in lack of time, but it isn't their responsibility. If you are afraid you are going to be late, I'd say just leave the house earlier...
I didn't see this part until after I posted -

I totally agree that endangering others is wrong, however just being on the road is endangering others, them having kids in the seat is endangering you, the kid could just leap and grab the wheel and cause a crash and kill you, or anyone talking on the phone, or anyone being sleepy, or maybe they eat a diet of cereal and are lethargic because of it, or maybe they have to go to work but they didn't get enough sleep but left on time, but are dangerous because they're tired. We don't live in a perfect world, to think that cutting people off is any more dangerous that any of these things is ridiculous. 99% of drivers endanger other drivers in some way, by speeding, having those risks I talked about earlier, I mean even not getting your car inspected on the exact date, or whatever. It's a very flawed system, not the people to blame, and I don't like making other people in danger, in fact, cutting people off is no more dangerous in my opinion than just driving normally, the time it took to stop and let someone go or whatever could result in someone crashing into me and hurting themselves or whatever, there's never a safe moment on the road, and while things like dangerous driving does up the stakes, so does a billion other things any individual cannot control. I pass about 500 cars on the way to work, not just the ones going my way (probably more actually). I'm under no illusion that they don't have music going, or a phone on, or tired sometimes, or speeding, etc. You can wish all you want that people would be this way, but people aren't the problem, it's the fundamental auto system, and it won't change until technology does.
Iris
Posts: 508
Joined: Mon 08 Dec 2008 14:09
Location: Netherlands

Post by Iris »

I think we even disagree on the definition of aggression :wink: Killing a prey because you need it to survive is not pure aggression in my eyes.

Also, I don't see how cutting people of could make someone feel better :? But thats ok
panacea
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed 23 Jun 2010 22:08

Post by panacea »

agression, by every definition I looked up on the various dictionaries, basically means a heightened pursuit of what you want or need. killing something, is the highest form of aggression I could think of short of maybe rape then killing, or something else tagged onto it.
if you can't agree with with any definition you can find in any dictionary for the word I think you should use a different word ;)

it doesn't make someone feel better directly, it makes you less stressed that you get to work on time, which then makes you feel better.
Iris
Posts: 508
Joined: Mon 08 Dec 2008 14:09
Location: Netherlands

Post by Iris »

neh, agression suits just fine, thank you 8)
User avatar
Mr. PC
Posts: 617
Joined: Sun 25 Jan 2009 05:16
Location: Canada

Post by Mr. PC »

Thanks for the replies.

I already get tons of exercise. I make a point of running everywhere I go. I also go swimming every day, and give kids piggy back rides. I actually do prepare foods standing and use both hands interchangeably. Those are just natural occurrences in my life. On the other hand I do spend hours on the computer every day.

I try to eat as much animal food as I can, but I actually can only take in so much. My body tells me to stop after 3 yolks, and half a fish (unless I soak that fish in lemon juice and cover it with sugar and some spices, although sometimes I still can't eat very much). I also find it's hard to make myself eat fruit. I'm actually not hungry most of the time; it's really just a munch-food craving. That's why I drink juice, I always feel dehydrated so it's easy for me to get my energy from juice. Maybe I just need to dish out for a juicer.
The problem with my sleep is that if I go to bed at 9:00, I'll still be awake until 2am. A lot of the time my parents will be watching a movie or talking and turning on the lights outside my window or in the hallway, but even on nights when they don't do that I can't really sleep. One of the problems is that my hands are so cold, I can't sleep unless they're covered, but if I have blankets the rest of me is too hot. I can't sleep in my gloves for some reason either. I think I'll take your advice on getting an outlet though and start composing again.
The thing is, I really can't do things like, eating when I told the kids they can't. It actually would bother me an incredible amount. I'm kindof like Spike from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', if I do anything to anyone it really actually hurts me. Even if I go to bed and I hate someone, I'll have nightmares. I don't have any delusions of morality; I'm a total nihilist. This is just the way I am. In fact I feel quite incredible every time I make on of them happy, but there's almost always at least 1 discontent person at the end of the day. I think maybe I need to stop working with kids; it's too emotionally stressful. But at the same time every adult I encounter is a selfish asshole who bases half their decisions out of fears they don't even realize they have. The robotic / animalistic behavior you guys are describing is the very reason why I can't really love anyone; I could only love someone who isn't that, and that doesn't exist.

BTW I ended up making rice-noodle spaghetti. I also put a shrimp in my mouth and started chewing it but than I spit it out. Luckily no one saw or they would have accused me of bulimia.
Iris
Posts: 508
Joined: Mon 08 Dec 2008 14:09
Location: Netherlands

Post by Iris »

Sorry for the "little" discussion going on in your diet diary, Mr. PC.

Maybe it would help if you focused more on the kids/people who are happy at the end of the day? It is impossible to keep everybody happy all the time :wink: You are doing the best you can, right?

So candy or a sugar cube isn't an option for you either? What if you took some of those on your way home? Then your blood sugar is up more when you arrive home, making it easier to not fall off the bandwagon.
Don't you have a break all day?
panacea
Posts: 989
Joined: Wed 23 Jun 2010 22:08

Post by panacea »

hey mr. pc you're not the only one - look how popular movies are, now what are they really.. film, actors, lies.. an illusion. everyone wants to be taken down a fairytale illusion, hell we pay to be... and actually I'm a lot like you, when someone cries infront of me or over the phone, even if its not because of me, I actually feel pain.. well, for girls, guys I don't know lol ;) to be honest I can only stand guys over the internet ha ha. which is funny because I used to be bisexual and now I hate my own kind (in person, I like brains any gender)

for the trouble intaking enough food, try not drinking juices or water.. then see how 'thirsty' you get for whole sweet fruits ;) (make sure they're very ripe, nothing turns me off like a sour pineapple for example)
Post Reply