Sociopath Community

The opposite of useful is useless. I don't imagine feeling useless is very pleasant. Isn't it even an insult... "Hey buddy, you're completely useless. A fucking waste of space and oxygen."

Maybe the desire to be useful is another evolutionary thing we developed, so that both the individual and the group has smth to gain... And yeah, usefulness is related to value. When it comes to objects, and when it comes to people.

Useful is not the same as needed.

I think wanting to be useful has a lot to do with wanting to be needed. Like that old lady,who seems to feel useless with old age. Old people often suffer from feeling useless.

by Edvard

I think wanting to be useful has a lot to do with wanting to be needed. Like that old lady,who seems to feel useless with old age. Old people often suffer from feeling useless.

Aw Dawwwwl. You're sure sensitive and sweet. You talk just like a woman. I think y'all know so much 'bout old ladies cause you are one, sugar. I don't buy these supposed "photos" or your martial artist story one bit. 

I'm not a psycho, little guy. I have no problem with understanding and making emotional bonds with people, it has nothing to do with gender. I was close to my late grandma. Before you accuse others of having gender issues, take a look in the mirror. You're the one sporting this ridiculous fake female persona. It's a very shitty, fake puppet, that only makes you look cowardly. Man up, buddy, man up.

by Edvard

The opposite of useful is useless. I don't imagine feeling useless is very pleasant. Isn't it even an insult... "Hey buddy, you're completely useless. A fucking waste of space and oxygen."

Maybe the desire to be useful is another evolutionary thing we developed, so that both the individual and the group has smth to gain... And yeah, usefulness is related to value. When it comes to objects, and when it comes to people.

 So a person only has value to you if they are useful? How do you define a useful person?

by Edvard

I was close to my late grandma.

 but with in the boundaries of propriety i wuld hope

I agree with Edvard. Feeling that you are needed in someway makes you feel useful. Just don't  make the assumption in a incorrect way. For example, my Mom felt I didn't need her, that is why she loved my brothers instead of me. I was a child. DUH! Of course I needed her.

I'm not good at definitions...I meant it in the usual sense I suppose. Someone whose skills/deeds are helpful and productive in some way or another.

I said usefulness is related to value, not the same thing... If an employee is more efficient at what he does, he's more valuable for his boss/coworkers. Or a good player in a soccer team, or a friend that you can count on when you need him. The more and the better someone can deliver, yeah, I think the more valuable he is.

Of course I also value people based on other stuff, like what they represent to me and how much I care for them... I don't need to benefit directly from someone to care about them. But the value - usefulness relationship is much more obvious to people, in general.