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Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
#1
Lightbulb 
Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
To not care about others, to care only about yourself, and hurt anyone on your path to satisfy your desires, is what society mostly rewards. 
We can observe this kind of behavior everywhere on the world, from the high echelons to the lowest of society. From companies that destroy the environment and people's lives for profit. Governments who abuse their own people for selfish reasons. To the doctor who abuses his position to mistreat you, to the common neighbors who want to see you worse than themselves, and to people close to you who lie to you and manipulate you. And the saddest of all is that, most of this behavior protected by the law.

Throughout my life I have always considered other people to be important, and that one should not stomp people to achieve one's goals. 
But now that I am 24 years old, a series of events in my life have made realize that most people do not follow these ideals. To the contrary, people are either stepping stones or nobody. 
I always tried to avoid conflict, but if you do so, people will keep abusing of you. You have to fight, hurt other people, and doing this carry consequences, which, contrary to what you may think, a lot of the time yields positive results. It seems people start to fear you and respect you. 

I write all of this based on recent experiences as I said. And honestly it frightens me. It scares me what I am becoming. I have started feeling less guilt for doing things which usually made me uncomfortable, or I thought were wrong. But then again, many do this to me and other people without any regard. I feel society is changing me into a monster. And what I used to fight back, is now becoming a part of me.

I believe this kind of behavior and changes depend on the society where you live. If you believe in a more humane society, this kind of thing does not occur. But when everyone is fighting each other, there is no other options but to fight back.

JFYI, I live in a central american country. And this kind of behavior of only caring about yourself is very common in latin america. I am dying to live in a different country (Japan), so that I can carry a life with more peace.

What are your thoughts? Did you experience changes during your early adulthood?
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#2
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
And you will escape all this by moving to Japan?
It's amazing 'science' always seems to 'find' whatever it is funded for, and never the oppsite. Drich.
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#3
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
Literally everything I’ve studied suggests that this isn’t even close to a localized problem.

Not only does power corrupt, (and absolute power corrupts absolutely, as Lord Acton said) but I also see that power, by its nature, attracts the already corrupted, because it allows the perfect cover and immunity to do whatever the fuck you want. I can appreciate, for example, the Metoo movement and its desire to hold powerful men to higher standards (and the many other similar movements trying to give power to the people, like Blacklivesmatter), but I strongly suspect they’re ultimately doomed to failure.

Anyone who thinks it’s reasonable to expect, as a rule, people in power to behave morally clearly does not understand what power even is.
Comparing the Universal Oneness of All Life to Yo Mama since 2010.

[Image: harmlesskitchen.png]

I was born with the gift of laughter and a sense the world is mad.
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#4
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
(September 10, 2019 at 12:50 am)Succubus Wrote: And you will escape all this by moving to Japan?

I knew someone was going to say this lol.

I am well aware there will always be conflict, but the lifestyle from one place to another can change how you feel dramatically.

(September 10, 2019 at 1:02 am)Rev. Rye Wrote: Literally everything I’ve studied suggests that this isn’t even close to a localized problem.

Not only does power corrupt, (and absolute power corrupts absolutely, as Lord Acton said) but I also see that power, by its nature, attracts the already corrupted, because it allows the perfect cover and immunity to do whatever the fuck you want. I can appreciate, for example, the Metoo movement and its desire to hold powerful men to higher standards (and the many other similar movements trying to give power to the people, like Blacklivesmatter), but I strongly suspect they’re ultimately doomed to failure.

Anyone who thinks it’s reasonable to expect, as a rule, people in power to behave morally clearly does not understand what power even is.

On what sense are they doomed to failure?

If what you mean is that among the victims who seek help, many would do the same thing they try to stop if they had the power to do so, then I agree.
When one saves a victim, one may be also saving a perpetrator
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#5
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
(September 10, 2019 at 12:39 am)Macoleco Wrote: What are your thoughts? Did you experience changes during your early adulthood?

When I was a kid I was sheltered from all this. I was in a tiny town in the US midwest, and it was just very calm. I never experienced bullying in the schools (though there was a great deal I could have been bullied for), I never experienced gun violence or drug problems. No doubt some people had to keep very quiet, but it was well known that my high school English teacher was gay, yet neither the school nor his church had any problem with him. 

That's all changed. The town has a big meth problem now, the old guard pro-business Republican leadership has been replaced with wacko Christians. The whole place looks run down and third-worldish. 

I moved to Japan in 1988 and I've never regretted it.

On the one hand, I think that people are likely to be selfish and treat each other horribly. On the other hand, I think that society can be arranged so as to either encourage or discourage this. Capitalism, by rewarding selfishness, may bring out the worst in people, and even trick us into thinking that a selfishness-based society is all we can hope for. I'm not convinced that's true. Society might be set up to encourage cooperation, so that at least the worst examples of self-centeredness would be frowned on. 

One thing that strikes me after being in Japan so long: America has a tendency to value a kind of macho-man Clint Eastwood approach. Even discussions about metaphysics on this forum are conducted as warfare, with attempts to defeat one's opponents, and tough-guy talk.

(September 10, 2019 at 1:06 am)Macoleco Wrote: I knew someone was going to say this lol.

I am well aware there will always be conflict, but the lifestyle from one place to another can change how you feel dramatically.

I think that Japan is far better in this regard. 

Only the Yakuza have the tough-guy attitude that you can see everywhere in America these days. And the Yakuza doesn't bother you unless you're in a rival gang. 

Last year the typhoon blew down a huge retaining wall behind my house, and rebuilding it took months. The construction guys were so sweet, it amazed me.
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#6
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
(September 10, 2019 at 1:06 am)Macoleco Wrote:
(September 10, 2019 at 12:50 am)Succubus Wrote: And you will escape all this by moving to Japan?

I knew someone was going to say this lol.

I am well aware there will always be conflict, but the lifestyle from one place to another can change how you feel dramatically.

Also, Japan is ludicrously hard to get into (at least for a long-term stay). Even more than the USA. Sweden might be a better option.

(September 10, 2019 at 1:06 am)Macoleco Wrote:
(September 10, 2019 at 12:50 am)Succubus Wrote: And you will escape all this by moving to Japan?

I knew someone was going to say this lol.

I am well aware there will always be conflict, but the lifestyle from one place to another can change how you feel dramatically.

(September 10, 2019 at 1:02 am)Rev. Rye Wrote: Literally everything I’ve studied suggests that this isn’t even close to a localized problem.

Not only does power corrupt, (and absolute power corrupts absolutely, as Lord Acton said) but I also see that power, by its nature, attracts the already corrupted, because it allows the perfect cover and immunity to do whatever the fuck you want. I can appreciate, for example, the Metoo movement and its desire to hold powerful men to higher standards (and the many other similar movements trying to give power to the people, like Blacklivesmatter), but I strongly suspect they’re ultimately doomed to failure.

Anyone who thinks it’s reasonable to expect, as a rule, people in power to behave morally clearly does not understand what power even is.

On what sense are they doomed to failure?

If what you mean is that among the victims who seek help, many would do the same thing they try to stop if they had the power to do so, then I agree.
When one saves a victim, one may be also saving a perpetrator

More or less. History is littered with examples of oppressed masses finally overthrowing their oppressors and proving themselves to be just as bad, if not worse, when given power. For just a few examples, see the Real Life tab on this TVTropes page. It’s a convenient catalogue.
Comparing the Universal Oneness of All Life to Yo Mama since 2010.

[Image: harmlesskitchen.png]

I was born with the gift of laughter and a sense the world is mad.
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#7
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
Blaming society is a cop out. People can use that excuse no matter where they live.
I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem.
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#8
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
Quote: And the Yakuza doesn't bother you unless you're in a rival gang. 

So, all their drug trafficking, protection rackets, and human slave trading are only directed at rival gangs?  Come on.

Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson
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#9
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
(September 10, 2019 at 6:59 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:
Quote: And the Yakuza doesn't bother you unless you're in a rival gang. 

So, all their drug trafficking, protection rackets, and human slave trading are only directed at rival gangs?  Come on.

Boru

You're quite right. I should have said "unless you're involved in drug trafficking, protection rackets, and human slave trading." 

I stand suitably chastened.
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#10
RE: Ours is a society that rewards sociopathy
All games reward a cheater when there’s no way of uniformly enforcing the rules.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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