Misanthropes: I don't get you.

[BiscuitTrouser]

Erm, Life is nicer if you have a positive outlook? Knowing something would be nicer or easier doesn't make you compelled to run about the place wearing a shit eating grin. Seeing an optimist is like watching someone with a lobotomy. It's great that they look so happy, but they're really gross and you wouldn't want to trade places.

People who are happy have shit eating grins and are gross? Well sorry for smiling. I dont mind people who want to sit in dark rooms and cut themselves while listening to "LET THE BODIES HIT THE FUCKING FLOOR" for the billionth time but dont hate on people who are happy. We just found the way to win at life and you apparently didnt. We are not delluded. Or stupid. We just like stuff? Is this a crime? Are the only two options for misanthropes sadness or idiocy? Cant we be happy and not retarded?

Im going to take a deep breath. And ask a few honest questions. Maybe im wrong about misanthropes. Can you help me a bit here?

1: Humanity has to prove themselves. You or i or anyone hardly has a global view of all good/bad occuring in the world at any given time (dont you dare mention the media >.> faux is in that category) how do we jugde that they failed your supreme test?

2.What is the arbitrary unit/jugdement on how much we suck/rock? Who decides this? Why is your jugdement on humanity any better than anyone elses? Is it a purely personal experience? Is it stuff you see online? Can you REALLY REALLY, look at 7 billion people ALL AT ONCE and make such a snap jugdement on if they are worthy or not worthy in your eyes? Is that really fair?

3. Isnt the whole idea insanely counter intuative. I mean people hardly act nicer because they are misanthropic... surely the realisation the world sucks would drive someone to try harder to improve it? Are these people lazy? Entitled? Do they want to sit on their golden thrones while the filth peasents improve the world for them and they watch and jugde if they are worthy yet? I dont understand at all, and that wasnt aimed at you tbh, funny image. I mean i figure if you dont wanna be part of the solution why complain?

4. Isnt to assume the worst in people horrifically jugdemental? Isnt that like asking the time from someone and having them scream in your face about how terrible you are? Arnt all baseless broud assumptions always wrong and ignorant? Why is this an exception?

I hope you can answer these. Im confused. Can ANYONE answer these?

I'm a misantrope. I hate people because for the most part they're stupid, greedy, backstabbing and annoying. I approached life seeing it differently, it didn't work, now I approach it with the above philosophy. Don't get me wrong, life it...awesome...sometimes but people suck.

You openyl admit to being a misanthrope. Can you answer my questions?

 

[Fynik]

You know, I did not think I was a misanthrope. For me, it was simply a small neurotic collection of agrophobia and insanity, but then, oh then, I had to click the Red Button and now Justin Bieber's strange, lucid eyes and curiously sickening half smile is beaming at me from the place of every single avatar and frankly it just makes a man hate. Hate. Hate. Haaateeee.

Much more to the point, the problem is you (for any given value of you) boil "misanthropy" down to a simplistic idea that "Misanthropes = hate humanity". Never mind the fact some people might have a reason to hate the world, nevermind the idea that someone just isn't very happy because of a chemical defeciency in their brain, no possibility of some vitamin shortage causing an emotional overlay.

Misanthropy, however you really classify it, is a very easy position to take, because it means you don't have to worry so much about all the other possibilities. If you just assume everyone sucks, you're free to carry on with your own business with as little mental strain as possible, because, hey, EVERYONE elses is a moronic fool with no capacity for self awareness, the murdering, betraying sheeple, and that solves that. Single mother? Asshat. Addict? Fool. Charity worker? Monster in disguise.

But, OP, what you're actually getting at isn't misanthropy. Misanthropy is the hate of humanity or human nature. A misanthrope can still love, say, birds, epistomology, Warhammer mineratures, samurai swords or making souffle. A misanthrope can live a long, happy and very, very fulfilling life with many pleasures. The hate of life would be misvita, I guess. I don't know, I don't speak Latin. Maybe the people you speak off are simple misogelastic, ie, they hate laughter? Or maybe you've run into misoxenists, people who hate strangers?

Anyway, I normally explain the mindset by invoking the monkeysphere.
What is, indeed, the monkeysphere?

http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html

Find out.

It'll all make so much more sense, then!

 

[DarkRyter]

From a utilitarian perspective, not much good comes from hatred, even if it's justified.

 

[xitel]

Meh, for some people like me it's not actually a choice. Some of us just have fucked up brain chemistry. But I've rationalized it. The way I see it, being a misanthrope is a win-win. If I expect the worst of people, one of two things could happen: 1) They live up to my expectations, and while they're a shit person, I'm at least right about it. So I get the little boost of being right. 2) They exceed my expectations, and I'm pleasantly surprised.

Really though, in the long run I just can't understand how you WOULDN'T hate people. They're scum, for the most part. But hey, to each his own. World wouldn't be able to function without optimists like you.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Meh, for some people like me it's not actually a choice. Some of us just have fucked up brain chemistry. But I've rationalized it. The way I see it, being a misanthrope is a win-win. If I expect the worst of people, one of two things could happen: 1) They live up to my expectations, and while they're a shit person, I'm at least right about it. So I get the little boost of being right. 2) They exceed my expectations, and I'm pleasantly surprised.

Really though, in the long run I just can't understand how you WOULDN'T hate people. They're scum, for the most part. But hey, to each his own. World wouldn't be able to function without optimists like you.

Thanks for helping. Can you try and answer my questions in my earlier post? I wanna know what the answer is to my questions... i cant see how you CAN hate people. Stinks or arrogance to the extreme, jugdementalism and a very simple rationalisation for people too slow to realise people vary from bad to good.

The worst part is you are right. If the world ran on optimism it would be a much better place. Surely a logical solution would be to ask all misanthropes to live together like a leper colony so they can share their coolness and mutual hate for everything with others who think like them while the world trundles on a slightly happier place?

awwwww

This is ok. I can live with this kinda misanthropey. Where the determination to improve it stems from the view that all people inherently suck until proven other wise. This person has the drive to make the world a better place and i respect that above my natural distaste for misanthropes. Good for you. Continue to change my view about misanthropes.

 

[Mischa87]

"My hate is general, I detest all men;
Some because they are wicked and do evil,
Others because they tolerate the wicked,
Refusing them the active vigorous scorn
Which vice should stimulate in virtuous minds." ~Molière

Some people seem to be thinking that misanthropes are always looking on the gloomy side in general, no, it's only regarding people, humanity.

I am a textbook example of a misanthrope, but that doesn't mean I don't have friends, it doesn't mean I hate on everyone I meet, it just means, that I distrust people, and assume they are capable of wicked, hateful things, until proven otherwise.

This is not a choice, and this can stem from real experiences.

In my case, it stems from intolerant surroundings, and just shitty luck. I'm the only openly transsexual woman in my backwards, overly-religious town. I assume most of you have never heard of the 4/44/444 stat for transwomen (I'd cite my sources on this one but it's been years since I originally read it, you could probably find it online if you looked hard enough, sorry) We're 4~ times as likely to be the victim of a violent crime versus ciswomen, 44~ times more likely to end up homeless than ciswomen, and are 444~ times more likely to be the victim of sexual assault in comparison to ciswomen. We've also got a 70% suicide rate by age 30, and are the 2nd hardest group to get into a healthy relationship, only beaten by the severely physically handicapped. All of this is because of the hatred, and bigotry of other people, people so ignorant, and hateful, they will instantly shove aside, hate on, or otherwise kill anyone different than their narrow world views. You thought generic-bullying-because-some-ass-thinks-you're-a-nerd was bad, think of how hard, and how proving of my distrust for humanity the regular beatings, harassment, hate letters, death threats, and the wrongful rape accusations were/are. By all rights, I should be pretty hetero/cisphobic, but that's just not me.

The biggest obstacle in a transsexual's life, other than their own body, is other people.

This doesn't mean I haven't tried to do something about it. I've co-founded a LGBT support group in my town, organized our school's first GSA, played a pivotal role in my backwards little town's first pride parade,and highhandedly ran a transsexual support group online. I've swayed my bigoted family's views, including much of my extended family, who are such hateful people, they started race riots in my town.

I may be a misanthrope, but the way I live my life, is to try to have the largest positive impact on the world, and it's people, before I pass.

 

[cthulhumythos]

Oh, sure, on a higher level, I do. Humans suck, life is pain, etc. But on a more practical level, you just make no sense to me, and heres why: Life is so much nicer if you have a positive outlook! Just go out into the world, be a nice person, and do something fun. What's the point of hating humanity? Wheres that going to get you?

EXPLAIN YOURSELVES!

because morals are boring. how can i achieve my life goal of becoming a mad scientist if my SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS! are shackled to the ground by feeling bad about what im doing to people.

everyone needs to laugh about something, and whats more hilarious than turning annoying people into hideous abominations and using them to TAKE OVER THE WORLD.

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahaaaaaa

 

[Rin Little]

Most of my personal misanthropy comes from being too observant of people. I'm a watcher, I like to watch people (in a detached way, not a creepy stalker way) and most of what I found is that people are in general stupid, arrogant, narcissistic fucks who are utterly incapable of giving two shits about anything other than themselves when it comes right down to it. Granted I know having anxiety/depression doesn't help this outlook on people. For the most part people just annoy me, they talk too much about stupid things and most can't have an idea of their own if it came up and slapped them in the face.

 

[xitel]

Thanks for helping. Can you try and answer my questions in my earlier post? I wanna know what the answer is to my questions... i cant see how you CAN hate people. Stinks or arrogance to the extreme, jugdementalism and a very simple rationalisation for people too slow to realise people vary from bad to good.

Well, I think I can answer most of your questions in one answer, so I won't enumerate them. Now, I can only speak for myself, but I don't actually DECIDE to hate anyone. I just have absolutely zero respect for anyone right off the bat. I can't judge based on appearance, and I can't judge based on hearsay, I can only judge based on actions and words that I myself witness. So basically, my opinion of someone is zero when I first meet them. And when my opinion of someone is zero, I automatically expect the worst, so as not to be disappointed when it actually happens.

There's also the problem that, as the sample population size increases, my expectations decrease in turn. A single person could be the best person you've ever met, or the worst. It can vary wildly. But two people, the potential for good decreases, as far as what I expect. As you increase in size, the potential decreases, to the point where, when you consider all 7 billion people, considered solely on potential, we're a stagnated race. We do nothing but damage the things around us, through one way or another.

Then you take human nature into account. Humans are animals, despite all of our sentience and evolution. And as such, we have animalistic instincts common to all such creatures. Namely the desire for survival. And as such, all people, with a few exceptions, are inherently selfish. People will do what benefits them, no matter what. Even if the benefit is intangible, just a boost to their self-esteem or whatnot. And when you consider that, even charities and whatnot is tainted in their motivations. Yes, they're helping people, but for the most part they're helping people so that they can feel better about themselves. Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, but the fact that those exceptions exist proves that the rule holds true, to me. Basically, I'll admit that there are people that are great examples of humanity, but by being so they are actually suppressing their human nature, thus making me question whether they even count as examples of humanity anymore. To use a metaphor, some people are beautiful roses, but those roses are growing in a bed of shit.

 

[Sangreal Gothcraft]

We hate everything and everyone..plain and simple really...

 

[bakan]

Meh, for some people like me it's not actually a choice. Some of us just have fucked up brain chemistry. But I've rationalized it. The way I see it, being a misanthrope is a win-win. If I expect the worst of people, one of two things could happen: 1) They live up to my expectations, and while they're a shit person, I'm at least right about it. So I get the little boost of being right. 2) They exceed my expectations, and I'm pleasantly surprised.

Really though, in the long run I just can't understand how you WOULDN'T hate people. They're scum, for the most part. But hey, to each his own. World wouldn't be able to function without optimists like you.

Thanks for helping. Can you try and answer my questions in my earlier post? I wanna know what the answer is to my questions... i cant see how you CAN hate people. Stinks or arrogance to the extreme, jugdementalism and a very simple rationalisation for people too slow to realise people vary from bad to good.

And you could read a bit about misanthropism - as I said on the first page misanthropes don't have to be arrogant, or wholeheartedly hate humanity - these are extreme cases and you obviously only aim at these extremes.

A lot of misanthropes are even altruistic and try to help others - you know, misanthropy is, despite the etymological appearances, conceptually not unlike the related notion of philanthropy.

The hedgehog's dilemma is a nice analogy how a lot of misanthropes see humanity.

 

[Magicmad5511]

Main reason I am in anyway against most of humanity is that a large proportion of them are looking to either screw you over or laugh at your expense.
Looking at it brightly will not stop people screwing you over though. If anything it will make you a more obvious target to be taken advantage of.

I am a misanthrope because I need evidence as to why I shouldn't.

 

[Doclector]

I can be quite the misanthrope. For one thing, I'm alot funnier being negative than positive. For another, I do plan on actually trying to do something about this supposedly "crappy" world.

And another, just because you think that humanity can generally be cruel, does not necessarily mean you think every last one is.

Although there are some whiny angsty teens who practice misanthropy and never even bother trying to think of ways to fix what is wrong with the world, and that's...annoying, to say the least, even destructive in extremes. If everyone who ever saw anything wrong with the world simply whined and never did anything about it, human progress would slow down significantly, or even stop altogether.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Because people expect me to explain myself to them when I say something really simple, I'd rather not talk to them for the most part.

 

[Smithburg]

Oh, sure, on a higher level, I do. Humans suck, life is pain, etc. But on a more practical level, you just make no sense to me, and heres why: Life is so much nicer if you have a positive outlook! Just go out into the world, be a nice person, and do something fun. What's the point of hating humanity? Wheres that going to get you?

EXPLAIN YOURSELVES!

I swear I saw this exact thread about a week ago...

Ok, it's not really exactly the same, but still...

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.313619-You-know-what-I-hate-Misanthropes

I'm not really a misanthrope. I'm about the closest thing one can be to a misanthrope without actually hating people. I just don't trust them. Anyone walks up to me and asks me about myself, I'll answer vaguely, because I don't know who the fuck they are, and I don't know why they're talking to me.

Sure, some people out there are perfectly nice, it's just that others are douchebags who have ulterior motives, and those people can fuck off.

Hello Son, Would you like to join the CIA?

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Thanks for helping. Can you try and answer my questions in my earlier post? I wanna know what the answer is to my questions... i cant see how you CAN hate people. Stinks or arrogance to the extreme, jugdementalism and a very simple rationalisation for people too slow to realise people vary from bad to good.

Well, I think I can answer most of your questions in one answer, so I won't enumerate them. Now, I can only speak for myself, but I don't actually DECIDE to hate anyone. I just have absolutely zero respect for anyone right off the bat. I can't judge based on appearance, and I can't judge based on hearsay, I can only judge based on actions and words that I myself witness. So basically, my opinion of someone is zero when I first meet them. And when my opinion of someone is zero, I automatically expect the worst, so as not to be disappointed when it actually happens.

There's also the problem that, as the sample population size increases, my expectations decrease in turn. A single person could be the best person you've ever met, or the worst. It can vary wildly. But two people, the potential for good decreases, as far as what I expect. As you increase in size, the potential decreases, to the point where, when you consider all 7 billion people, considered solely on potential, we're a stagnated race. We do nothing but damage the things around us, through one way or another.

Then you take human nature into account. Humans are animals, despite all of our sentience and evolution. And as such, we have animalistic instincts common to all such creatures. Namely the desire for survival. And as such, all people, with a few exceptions, are inherently selfish. People will do what benefits them, no matter what. Even if the benefit is intangible, just a boost to their self-esteem or whatnot. And when you consider that, even charities and whatnot is tainted in their motivations. Yes, they're helping people, but for the most part they're helping people so that they can feel better about themselves. Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, but the fact that those exceptions exist proves that the rule holds true, to me. Basically, I'll admit that there are people that are great examples of humanity, but by being so they are actually suppressing their human nature, thus making me question whether they even count as examples of humanity anymore. To use a metaphor, some people are beautiful roses, but those roses are growing in a bed of shit.

You have never done a kindness to someone for no selfish reason ever? Really? Ever? People who do are not as rare as you want to think. I know ive done a few in my time, maybe less than i should. But i know i have. As have many others. I dont believe for a second you never have. Or are you an exception? One of these icons of humanity? Am i? Are all people who for some unknown reason just wanna be nice to people?

when you consider all 7 billion people, considered solely on potential, we're a stagnated race

You cant. This is just fallacy and attempting to sound all wise and omnipotent. You cant consider all those people. Assuming to know them is just baseless assertions to to jugde them all as well us just lunacy and a waste of time. You dont know everyone. Dont pretend to.

You cant talk about "our race" or "humanity" like some overseeing god, its stupid. You cant have such a view over all those people. People are people, and im not going to talk all that la de da talk about how awesome we are and shit, i dont know these people and i never will so fuck it. I know the people i do. I like them. I see stuff im proud of my fellows for doing. I decide to focus on that rather than media fear mongering and scares. And maybe improve my immediate surroundings. People have no idea how flippant these arguements sound.

 

[AlloAllo]

I don't like people as a generalized idea, let's say. When I see the news on the telly, my first idea is "of course you would do that. Now let's wait for the moron to make the situation worse. Oh, and don't forget the crowd of people that just can't help but annoy those who are suffering... yeah. That's about right. Fuck off, I'm going to play video games now."

Of course you don't understand the joke. Of course you get offended by it. Of course you can't let it be. Of course you have to scream your idea to everyone that doesn't care. Of course you think that God exists and people who don't believe in Him will burn in Hell forever. Of course you think that everyone that believes in God is a moron.
Of course that you get angry because, holy shit, people don't share your opinion. Of course your ideas are the RIGHT ones.
Why, it would be silly to hope for anything else from you, now, would it.

So I hate the generalized idea of people because, for the love of God, you don't have time to think about it and they're already doing the worst possible thing ever.
But I don't hate people, because... well, I'm not perfect, am I, so why should I expect you to be.
And I don't hate the people I know because, well, I know them. Even if they do the worst possible bullshit in the history of the world, I know them, and I can understand why they would do it- not justify, understand.


So, to sum up: I hate the generalized picture of "humanity", because whatever they do seems to be moved by idiocy. No, not evil or any of that bullshit- idiocy. I don't like the people that I see every day around me because... well, I'm not a very extroverted person. Walking in a crowd makes me almost ill. But I like those I get to know, because at least I can understand what the hell they were thinking when they did what they did.

Plus, what, just because we don't like people we're miserable gits that don't get life? Dude, there isn't only "having friends and love and PARTY" in this life, you know.

 

[SD-Fiend]

We hate humans because we are aware of how badly we mess up at most things, and how we often fail to learn from out mistakes until everything around us is nothing but ash and broken.

To quote a famous authors writings, 'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.' And its true; 9 times out of 10 we will.

So essentially we feel 'aware' of humanitys faults more than others; the greed, the selfishness, the endless, neverending wars with ourselves over mostly trivial matters...it never ends. So we despair of ever evolving in this cesspool of corruption, amorality and savagery. Four million or so years of evolution and all we really are are technologically advanced cavemen, still beating each other over the head for food, shelter, precious metals, or even just because. Only now we do it with bombs and bullets instead of sticks and stones.

well see I have a problem with that, most of you people live in a comfortable environment and have never experienced anything all that bad you've probably never fought in any of those "trivial wars' you were talking about and probably never will you sit there complaining about how bad the world is and not trying to make it a better place like so many others who take time out of their lives to just to make you more comfortable. you people have no excuse to complain if you aren't either sacrificing your life for others in one of these never ending trivial wars or at least making the world better.

 

[xitel]

You have never done a kindness to someone for no selfish reason ever? Really? Ever? People who do are not as rare as you want to think. I know ive done a few in my time, maybe less than i should. But i know i have. As have many others. I dont believe for a second you never have. Or are you an exception? One of these icons of humanity? Am i? Are all people who for some unknown reason just wanna be nice to people?

I never have, no. I have been kind to people, yes, but deep down there was a certain selfish aspect to it. I did it because I wanted to do it, not because they needed it. If you're forced to do it, then it's not a kindness out of your own heart. And if you choose to do it, then you're doing it because it's something that you yourself want to do. I never said that it nullifies the kindness, I said it taints it. A white shirt that's gotten a little stained is still a white shirt. But it's got those stains.

when you consider all 7 billion people, considered solely on potential, we're a stagnated race

You cant. This is just fallacy and attempting to sound all wise and omnipotent. You cant consider all those people. Assuming to know them is just baseless assertions to to jugde them all as well us just lunacy and a waste of time. You dont know everyone. Dont pretend to.

I never claimed to know all of them. And you can't consider them individually, no, the human brain is completely incapable of doing so. But speaking on the realistic potential of them actually working together for the furthering of the race as a whole, it's impossible. There will always be a majority of people who want to twist the situation to further their own goals. It's a fact of life. Hence why I said in terms of potential, not in terms of individuals.

 

[sumanoskae]

Saying an emotion or opinion doesn't have a point is like getting angry with someone because they have cancer. You don't take up emotions on purpose or to work towards a goal, an emotion or opinion is an involuntary reaction.

Why do I think people are shit?, not because it's easy, just look at them. They're rude, ignorant, close minded, selfish, stupid, greedy, evil degenerates. There are exceptions of course, but they're not common and either end up trying to fit in and becoming idiots themselves, or they become misanthropic and lonely, and it takes time to pry them from their shells.

Pretending otherwise won't change anything, and ignoring a problem won't make it go away.

Besides, valuing everyone really just means that you value no one, and I'm not wasting my time on idiots when I could be spending it with the few exceptions.