That's too bleak of an outlook for me. Despite the fact that much of social interaction is, in fact, disingenuous, that does not mean that all interaction is that way. It took me a long time to realize this, but just because people can be dumb and annoying, that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of good underlying humanity. I mean, people can be vicious and cruel to each other, but people can also be very kind and generous. Plus, I realized that I probably come across as dumb and annoying to some people, too, so I had to somewhat humble myself with a bit of perspective. For all you know, there may be some unknown circumstance that is causing a person to behave in a manner that you would otherwise forgive them for had you known about that circumstance.
Don't get me wrong. I think many, many people are stupid and annoying, and I think many of those people are wastes of resources. I realized, however, that if I allowed that to turn me into a miserable prick towards every person I interact with, that was actually a personal problem. And it's not psychologically healthy for me to be a full-on misanthrope, anyways.
Don't get me wrong. I think many, many people are stupid and annoying, and I think many of those people are wastes of resources. I realized, however, that if I allowed that to turn me into a miserable prick towards every person I interact with, that was actually a personal problem. And it's not psychologically healthy for me to be a full-on misanthrope, anyways.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
