Sociopath Community

Buttered Toast said: 

Turncoat said: 

Okay, lets for the sake of argument accept the premise that you can sympathize without it being about weakness. 

How does one sympathize with strength? 

Are you suggesting that there's a trap of making sympathy an acknowledgement of some kind of weakness?  I think it would look something like peer-camaraderie?  Respect?  The recognition your brother-at-arms faces the same struggles with the weak that you do?

Definitionally speaking, I question how one can "feel sorrow, compassion, or pity for someone else's misfortune" over a strength or virtue. 

'Oh that poor man, he's just so buff, sexy, and amazing. The weight of his success must be so difficult for him.'

Turncoat said: 

Buttered Toast said: 

Turncoat said: 

Okay, lets for the sake of argument accept the premise that you can sympathize without it being about weakness. 

How does one sympathize with strength? 

Are you suggesting that there's a trap of making sympathy an acknowledgement of some kind of weakness?  I think it would look something like peer-camaraderie?  Respect?  The recognition your brother-at-arms faces the same struggles with the weak that you do?

Definitionally speaking, I question how one can "feel sorrow, compassion, or pity for someone else's misfortune" over a strength or virtue. 

'Oh that poor man, he's just so buff, sexy, and amazing. The weight of his success must be so difficult for him.'

 It does sound insincere, almost a backhanded compliment.  I suppose the weak can't sympathize with the strong.  It either looks like awe/envy when weak->strong, or pity/contempt strong->weak.  It might only have some possibility at peer-level.  Horizontally.

I'd say I could see it apply for a celebrity who doesn't want to be hounded by paparazzi, but even then... while it is their strengths that are drawing people in, it's still the weakness present in their attitude over paparazzi that elicits sympathy rather than their success doing so. 

While some people might find it easier to sympathize with successful people, it's still not their success they're sympathizing with, but rather their success that they're relating to. 

Sympathy is supportive. It induces strength for those who appreciate it. I don't sympathize with just anyone who stumbles. For those I don't sympathize with, it's mainly because I don't want to fuel whatever cycle keeps them in an unfortunate state of being.

I'm very empathic. Negativity stabs me with sharp pains , like a needle piercing from my back through my heart and out my chest. It's the muscle by my left shoulder blade and the nerves in those areas I feel it. It hit harder the more excited the negative energy is. It demands action while I'm passive agressive. One time on a road trip, I had 3 options when my ex's obnoxious nagging damn near killed me. We took her car. 1. I could've boxed her silly, wanted to but that wouldn't work out well. 2. I could've ditched her and the car and walked until I could get a ride. 3. Is what I did, which was to breathe deeply and calmly tell her I feel like I'm having a heart attack. Rest of the ride went smoothly and we banged in a lake.

I can be sympathetic even toward a loser, and I think I am even in cases where I won't seek to comfort them while utter nonesense triggers them into a rage.

In person when someones anger management fails. I'll match their energy, show them I understand first by expressing anger, then take the lead by lowering my tone. They'll follow along while we discuss solutions.

I once spotted my Brother's friend among them bugging out. He was hiding it as he mingled, trying to stay cool. I saw it in his motions, speech, body language, his eyes. His presence alone was like a cry for help, his boys who were all normal. I asked him, what's wrong. His eyes bulged at me and he's like "You can see this !? Naw man can't talk about it". I later found out his GF got a 2nd abortion and it was tearing him up.

I offer my sympathy where there's no choice but to stray toward strength in a downed state. Where hard lessons are learned and I see motivates to change for the better. It's not just a lack of wisdom, but when the subject leaves no room for wisdom while freaking out over something small, or something they got themselves into.

We were young. Some guy we kinda hung out with comes over scratched up, battered and bleeding. He's huffing and puffing. He said he broke into a house. People came home, he got into a scrap in the house. Slipped out the back and over the fence.

We're like. Don't bring that shit here, we don't know you. Get outta here. 

Some might sympathize. Say he needs guidance, but in my opinion, he got it. If he had the audacity to beg for help, then he would've reeled in my sympathetic side simply for showing he wants to be better. Without the motivation to change for the better, I can't be around them, cause it will physically irritate me in ways that'll force me to get away, if not silence them.

Nobody should sympathize with bad actions.

Do you ever sympathize with a person, as opposed to an action, or is this not something you think is possible?

For example, if you feel pity for a bully, would you say that you must necessarily be supporting his bullying?

If you feel the two concepts are inseparable then it explains much of your interactions with people.

Im curious about the Japanese researcher you posted. The researcher in me says I shouldnt listen to what hes saying because his results were not reproducible, but another side of me resonates with what hes saying intuitively.

Jada said: 

Nobody should sympathize with bad actions.

Do you ever sympathize with a person, as opposed to an action, or is this not something you think is possible?

For example, if you feel pity for a bully, would you say that you must necessarily be supporting his bullying?

If you feel the two concepts are inseparable then it explains much of your interactions with people.

I don't sympathize with bullies. If I did I think something would be wrong with me. 

I've been bullied in elementary school. In Highschool I beat bullies. Even beat 2 bullies that bullied one of my elementary school bullies. I bumped into one of my elementary school bullies at Walmart once. I looked over at him, and he looked away really fast.

I know a guy who admits to being an ex bully. I'm glad for him. Good friend, we love to jam on the guitars. He likes jamming with me cause of my style, and ability able to handle a beat while playing. 

If I did sympathize with a bully, I would still weigh my options in how I would handle them, and I still think the only thing that would help them, is a cold dose of what happens when you overstep boundaries. 

Im curious about the Japanese researcher you posted. The researcher in me says I shouldnt listen to what hes saying because his results were not reproducible, but another side of me resonates with what hes saying intuitively.

 Look for the rice experiment on youtube. There are countless people doing this experiment and its successful again and again. 

We were talking about this before with Alice. I posted this image. 

I had this plant for years. I did the rice experiment on it. Every time I watered it, I would have a loving conversation with it. Thanking it for the oxygen it produces. I would also say I love you. 

Bruh.

For the first time ever.... This plant spawned those white things, and the house had a pleasant aroma that was coming from these things. I repeat.... This tree..... For the first time in all the years I knew it, filled the condo with the fresh scent of spring.

Gemini, what is this plant called ? I did the rice experiment and it spawned these aroma looking balls. 

Gemini said:

Your plant is a Dracaena fragrans, which is most commonly known as the Corn Plant or Fortune Plant.

The sweet, pleasant aroma you are experiencing is perfectly fitting, as the species name "fragrans" literally refers to the intense, honey-like fragrance released by these blossoms. Blooming indoors is a highly rare and special event that usually only occurs when a plant is mature, completely healthy, and thriving under excellent care. While scientists usually attribute blooming to specific environmental triggers like subtle shifts in light or temperature, many cultures celebrate these rare blooms as a sign of good luck and positive energy entering the home.

 Yes. It was like a sweet perfume honeycomb scent. 

Before I would just water it. For the experiment I spoke to it with good intentions, it all of a sudden it fell into some "excellent care" category and did what these plants rarely, if ever, does indoors. No plant food, no UV lamp, just plain water with love. While I'm shocked with the results, no one believes me. You show people succeeding with this experiment, and still they're like "The researcher in me says I shouldn't bother trying this, cause someone said it cannot be reproduced. 

In highschool, one tried to bully me, getting the class on his side. He then jumped on a chair and started kicking me. 

Later on one of the geeks said to me how it looked cool how I grabbed his leg and flipped him backwards, the back of his head got smashed on a desk in the next row.

Guy started tearing up, I moved to the blackboard anticipating his attack. He came with the fire extinguisher, then dropped it, when I stayed my ground, dude did a downward punch I dodge it and he broke his hand on the blackboard rail. 

While he was in a cast, he ignored me and still kinda treated me like a chump. Meanwhile I'm bigger stronger smarter faster and would destroy him if I put any effort into beating his ass. 

I don't sympathise, I empathise. This doesn't mean I'm going to be nice. With empathy we experience current energy and intentions. I felt him and understood it on a deep level. It disgusted me and I handled it with the same energy he was putting out. 

I also think what I did helped him more, than trying to bro out with some abusive asshole.

Another one I smashed in history class, and another in the cafeteria. The whole damn school went nuts, the news of a fight spread through the halls fast, the halls were flooded. That school was like that. I only pinned the guy on the wall with my weaker arm, and gave him a shiner, the way his head bounced off the wall, Damn, never seen anything like it. Makes a rather loud thud sound. To me it was like boom boom, really fast 2 hit combo from my fist and the brick wall which is a dead stop from the kinetic energy from the first impact. I then had a don't fuck with Tony reputation that spanned to a neighboring school.

I feel bad about the cafeteria bully. Many years later I bumped into him at a bar, and he introduced me to his beautiful fiance. He said he understands it, and he deserved it. 

A bully lacks sympathy to begin with, but when they change, they're worthy of it.  

Jada said: 

Nobody should sympathize with bad actions.

The motivations that led to such a point are often relatable, it's what has led to so much story writing, especially within the realm of tragedy. 

Do you ever sympathize with a person, as opposed to an action, or is this not something you think is possible?

Their actions define them, as speaking is an action in itself. 

It becomes harder to not speak as urgency arises. 

For example, if you feel pity for a bully, would you say that you must necessarily be supporting his bullying?

Sympathy is not support, inherently. it's relatability, but you can still say they did something wrong. 

Turncoat said: 

Sympathy is not support, inherently. it's relatability, but you can still say they did something wrong. 

 It's inherently supportive. 

I have a soft spot for old women pushing a stolen shopping cart loaded with aluminum cans. I think in general people do. 

I think old woman rake in the most of all beggars. They might have a natural gift in terms of inducing sympathy in others, and the majority who pity them really can't relate.