I am incredibly cynical of how most people, our culture and professionals regard psychology. This isn’t because I understand it and I can prove them wrong … it is because the methodology, concepts, and premises of most current thought is horrible.
Category: Meandering Thoughts
Makes for Very Poor Relationships
I think one huge problem adults have with interacting with kids (teenagers especially) nowadays is that they try to make their relationship some idealized thing. They like to be active in the kids lives, show interest in them, have a certain degree of closeness, and actualize their investment into the relationship they have wanted. Often, the kids don’t want this.
The Power of Disassociation
If someone treats you poorly in a free market, the best option is to disassociate and share the information you acquired with other people (if you wish). However, our emotional ecosystem still wants to use mechanisms from evolution where disassociation isn’t an option … tit for tat, anger, retribution, “Justice”, revenge, etc. Emotionally, we are the same as our historical relatives and it is difficult to adapt to a radically new incentive structure.
The Sexualization of Children
If we saw a picture or video of a child in a bath the natural thoughts of the vast majority of people 100 years ago, or from someone not influenced by our culture would be incredibly indifferent. Now, our modern culture has trained people to immediately think of sex. The video turns into a test of pedophilia and how we ought to regard this video in response to pedophilia. Think about that for a second … our society has trained you to view child nudity, child interests, and child activities first through the prism of sex. Holy shit.
The Students Being Promoted in the Media
These kids opinions are being marketed as if they are knowledgeable and representative of reality. They aren’t. They represent themselves. However, the reason we are hearing them is because their opinions are opinions that people in the media desire for you to hear. The narrative wasn’t created due to the shooting (like is being inferred). The students were chosen for the narrative.
Yes, and … A Parenting Idea
In most live shows (improv, radio, skit shows, etc), they teach you that the main rule is “yes, and”. What this means is that when working with other people you work off of each other, build off what the other person does, never contradict the other person (some exceptions are allowed in certain situations), and with this simple rule you are able to often form a cohesive show as a team.
Pushing People into Social Warfare
It is easy to hold fond sentiments of humanity and the majority of individuals when government is small (or non-existent). People are just trying to get along, provide for themselves and carve a small niche in this world. Any shortcomings, delusions, flaws, or misplaced emotions can often be disregarded and ignored. We can see our shared humanity and have empathy for each other’s existence. Once large government comes around things radically change.
The Propagation of Knowledge
People don’t pass you information because it is true, they pass you information because it benefits them to do so. People don’t study information because it is true, people study what information benefits them. This isn’t a slight at scientists. Few people would suggest that scientists ought to spend time studying information that has no benefit. Many scientists study information based off of flawed premises built within the culture. Few scientists get grants from disinterested parties. The force that links “knowledge” to accuracy or truth is incentives.
Kids Are Selfish People Like The Rest of Us
My kids are out to make themselves satisfied. They will do this by whatever means makes sense to attain their desired goals. They will complain, cry, get angry, cooperate, ask nicely, play on internal feelings of guilt, work for it, lie, negotiate, hit, or sometimes even decide it isn’t worth the costs and move on. Counter to some ideas of peaceful parents, kids aren’t innately kind, good, altruistic or benevolent. They are selfish beings out to get their desires met. This makes them no different from adults.
Not Even Slaves Would Waste Time Recycling
I have a bit of a vendetta against recycling. Maybe not against all recycling. If you are homeless and you wish to collect the state taxed redemption value … Okay, I get it. But for us people who value our time, space, and resources … recycling is a waste of time.