The "other" option

[Unveiled Artist]

One of the things that always get me as a somewhat of a loner and adult is how we see, judge, and blame others and set life up as us/them in a pride-self sabotage scenario. We like to say we are the "other" option. (Media, google, youtube, etc does this as well)

For example, sentences like

1. Those westerners (those Americans, those) do X, but other countries....
2. The world is full of egotism, money, and pride, but spiritual people...
3. People are chocked full, but other people are gurus, wise, and saints
and so forth

When we say people stab you in the back, does that mean you are all honest and won't others?
Do you purposely stab people in the back?

Be careful who you trust...
Are you purposely untrustworthy?

Are you the "other"?

This also has a flip side-the inherited sin mentality:

i.e.
Of course I lie, doesn't everyone
Of course in one time or another we...

-

This got me thinking that there is literally nothing that I can think of I do purposely do to harm others in my adult lifetime. People cheat. People steal. People lie-to harm others. The last lie I can remember is when I accidently ease dropped (the manager and assistant manager didn't shut the door in the small office) and heard we had a COVID patient in the building and the panic it drove. The assistant manager found I heard and she explain the whole event of people going nuts. So, she said don't tell anyone. A week ago someone asked me if there were COVID residents here, I said no. Not because the assistant manager was behind me but because I didn't want to start a ridiculous panic.

I don't know if that's pride to say I don't do many things or don't have the opportunity to, maybe I should say that.

On one end, I wonder if this is setting me up as prideful (that's not me-I'm the other)... and on the other end, I wouldn't want to engrave a cult inherited sin mentality all because I'm not one of them.

Then I think do people REALLY think the world is out to get them? That people will stab them in the back? That they are watchful for fake friends?

Where do they set themselves up on the pride scale?

When will you be able to pick a option on a survey without looking at the word other or none of the above?

Just personal thought and insight

In this journal entry.
Meaning the questions are rhetorical or be respectful when answering them

 

[SigurdReginson]

Hmmm... There's a lot here to ponder and think about!

We use our empathy to try and understand what others do, but ultimately we are limited by our subjective understanding in constructing what we think others are thinking in the first place.

Are we naive? Then everyone is fine and dandy and there's nothing to worry about. Are we paranoid? Then everyone is out to get us and we need to be on our guard at all times. Our biases, life experiences, and understandings of life color what we think is going on in the greater world. When it comes to pride, just like investing one's self into any emotion too much, it gives a warped sense of one's understanding of reality; it can lead to overconfidence and an overinflated sense of self. Another emotion I could give an example of is in loving someone too much; one begins constructing an idealized version in their mind of who this person until it doesn't actually represent who they are; it can lead to obsession and idolization. Any emotion can be abused like this, and relying too much on it will distort the way we see reality.

Also, we like to see ourselves as the main character of our own stories, and since we can only live our lives from our own first hand perspectives, that means that the whole world revolves around us. We say that we know that it doesn't, but in all honesty, that's a concept we can't actually internalize; it's an abstract concept, and always will be. Living a subjective existence forces us to experience first hand the things that happen to us. Even in acting selflessly for someone else, we live with the knowledge that we acted selflessly for someone else. That's an experience in itself that has real, internalized value; but it only has real, internalized value for us. It's just another subjective experience for us, and only us, to enjoy.

The only way to rise above any of this is to live a detached life and to cut out as many of the things in life that influence our biases as much as possible. To what end, though? What kind of life is that to live? Maybe the life of some kind of ascetic monk.

Do you want that kind of life? I don't. I love enjoying all that life has to offer, and attachments are a part of that. Yes, they can create biases that distort the way we see the world, but as long as we can recognize that, we are in a better position to make better decisions in our lives. Like with all things, moderation is key, it seems.

Sorry for the tangent and scattered disarray of thoughts, but like I said, you posted some heady stuff to think about!

 

[osgart]

For me it's not good to generalize all people into labeled categories and create false dichotomies.
Its like a pack, or group mentality that some might fall into the trap of joining certain groups for many different defensive reasons.

I look at everyone as individuals. And I hope other people are stronger as individuals because to do what one knows is right means standing alone sometimes and not joining the herd.

Some of these guru types on YouTube do like to set up all these problems and claim they have powerful solutions that nobody but them has realized. A lot of things I see seem very much like propaganda as well.

If there were a common core of values that people could agree on based on reason, justification, and evidence then we might not see so many other people as aliens, or push people into a tribal mentality.

Some world views are very exclusionary, and intolerant. But free thinking individuals who can communicate values that any reasonable person can agree on and put into practice is very much needed.

With entertainment, and media I don't see many strong individuals promoting healthy common core values. It's a lot of exposing people, and exploiting people. I'd like to see more positive social traits getting more attention. I'm tired of scandal, conspiracy, glorified violence, lying, cheating, thieving, power hungry characters.

Free will gets dumped on a lot. There's a YouTube video with philosopher Daniel Dennett
that exposes that problem. Not every scientist and philosopher calls free will an illusion.

The self as an illusion is another thing I see. Or self is ego which is false to me.

I just would like people to be stronger individuals, and not be so resigned to less individuality. Throughout history, especially in WW2, there were a lot of strong individuals, that had compassion and kindness, but were tough and fair, not to be messed with.

People can be strong positive motivating forces if they want to be. They can inspire, and not give into hatred, and lawlessness. It has nothing to do with religion, and not all science is equal or unbiased. There is still a lot of unknown unknowns to be discovered.

Disagreement can be a good thing. That's why science is strong. No such thing as infallibility.