Thought crime

[Edwardo Piet]

It's not morally wrong it's completely normal to have random mean thoughts.


But Pool, I'm not surprised you've completely ignored all the evidence.

It frustrates me so much that you won't even say "Oh, so I don't have them personally but it isn't morally wrong because all the evidence points to the fact that most people have them and they're just harmless random thoughts."

Only fucking religious idiots think that random thoughts can harm people.

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

Mmm, even if a lot of people have it, its still not normal and it's still better to put in effort to not have thoughts like that. It'll only benefit the individual in question. That's all I'm saying, I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad or anything - just put in effort to stop doing it.

[Edwardo Piet]

See here is where I am stuck.

It makes me sad if you are stuck because Pool is running his mouth off about a subject he knows nothing about, Lostykins. All the evidence points to him being completely wrong. Don't be stuck because of his idiotic baseless opinion: It IS normal.

Would I have me be cruel in order to avoid hypocrisy? I don't think I can do that either. Being mean to someone is definitely not staying true to who I am. It would hurt them and that would hurt me.

So I don't know...

Don't listen to him he's full of shit as per usual. Did you read that first article yet?

I had 17 sessions of therapy with a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist for this sort of thing: I was told time and time again and showed evidence time and time again that all the thoughts were completely normal and that people without OCD experience these thoughts as much as people with OCD, the only difference is people with OCD let it bother them.

All the evidence is against Pool, please don't listen to him Lostykins. As per usual he has no idea what he is talking about.

[Edwardo Piet]

Mmm, even if a lot of people have it, its still not normal and it's still better to put in effort to not have thoughts like that. It'll only benefit the individual in question. That's all I'm saying, I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad or anything - just put in effort to stop doing it.

One study says 80-90%, other studies have said everyone has it.

It's as normal as it gets.

If you really don't have them, you're the abnormal one.

[Edwardo Piet]

its still not normal and it's still better to put in effort to not have thoughts like that.

NO!

THAT'S COMPLETELY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

It IS normal and it ONLY becomes a problem if you DO put in effort to not have thoughts like that.

fucking listen to evidence for once

[Edwardo Piet]

Uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, images, urges, and sensations are all part of the human experience. If we view them as problems, they become problematic.

[Brian37]

I've been realizing more and more what a horrible person I am because of how much I enjoy to people watch and think really mean things about people D:
I don't stare at people in a creepy way and I'm really nice to them. I try not to even talk about them (except to maybe my older sister because she gets me). But I really love to see someone who looks like a train wreck. 250+ lbs in a spandex leopard print body suit, anyone with a mullet, pajamas in public, those really humongous jeans that could fit like 4 people in each leg. Anyone who could end up on "people of Walmart". These people are my greatest source of entertainment.

I think it's terrible to judge people, and even worse to make people feel bad for how they look.
I would never be mean to someone or make fun of them (out loud), but I think I would have no friends if people could hear the thoughts that bounce around in my head.

So, I guess I'm just wondering how horrible it is if you just think the horrible thoughts but you don't say them out loud...

Having thoughts is not a crime by itself, it is when you act on them to the physical harm of others that it becomes cruel and beyond mere thought. 

It also isn't a matter of expressing dissent or blasphemy or ridicule. I think it's really unrealistic to expect 7 billion humans to never offend each other verbally. The key is to know the difference between bullying and blasphemy. It isn't bullying when you can leave a situation. It is harassment and bullying then the target has no way out and when it is repeated.

I'd say direct situations one has no choice being at, especially when it comes to school, even off campus on social media, those kids still have to return to that setting, so in that context even what is said off campus can follow them. And with work places too, but to a lesser extent. I'd simply advise employees it would be better not to share social media with your co workers, if for nothing else sometimes you like bitching about your boss and or co workers and to say we never do or should is absurd. 

But, to say something about some other human whom is a celebrity or politician or is part of a political party and or religion who lives a separate life and can block you on social media whom is not mandated to be in person with you, no you are not being bullied at that point. 

Speech is a very tricky thing and cannot be subject to blanket solutions on any topic, looks or otherwise.

[Edwardo Piet]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusive_thought

Many people experience the type of bad or unwanted thoughts that people with more troubling intrusive thoughts have but most people can dismiss these thoughts. For most people, intrusive thoughts are a "fleeting annoyance." Psychologist Stanley Rachman presented a questionnaire to healthy college students and found that virtually all said they had these thoughts from time to time, including thoughts of sexual violence, sexual punishment, "unnatural" sex acts, painful sexual practices, blasphemous or obscene images, thoughts of harming elderly people or someone close to them, violence against animals or towards children, and impulsive or abusive outbursts or utterances. Such bad thoughts are universal among humans, and have "almost certainly always been a part of the human condition".

Wiki-fucking-pedia, Pool. It's a part of the normal human condition.

Lostykins, listen to the evidence, not Pool he's just an idiot.

[robvalue]

I just took my dog out for a walk. Among some of the bizarre thoughts I had:

"The guy who owns this motorbike is gay, because there's a little bit of pink on it."

"That postman is going to get electrocuted."

"That guy is a paedophile."

"I'm going to throw my dog into the road."

"That bit of tree looks like a vagina, I'm going to fuck it."

"I'm going to fuck that daisy."

And so on. The more I tried not to think ridiculous stuff, the more I actually did think it.

[Losty]

See here is where I am stuck.

But what would you have me change? I can't help the thoughts that pop into my mind. I don't want to have them or think they're funny but I don't know how I'm supposed to have control over that.

Would I have me be cruel in order to avoid hypocrisy? I don't think I can do that either. Being mean to someone is definitely not staying true to who I am. It would hurt them and that would hurt me.

So I don't know...

Lol!!  It's almost as if you have a pathological need to think stuff like that. I still don't understand how people actually think it's normal. Either way as long as you don't actually act on those thought I guess you're a nicer person that 40% of the population. But I would still put in effort to atleast try and avoid those thoughts. Not only will it give you peace of mind it'll make you a better human being than what you are right now. Then EVERYBODY will like you and you will be president. Then you can give free cheetos to EVERYONE! But I'll love you regardless.

So basically you're being a sarcastic jerk to make me feel worse? That's okay pool. I really don't mind.

I've always known that these thoughts are normal, but it doesn't stop me from feeling guilty about having them. It doesn't stop me from constantly analyzing my thoughts and re thinking them, and wondering why I thought them in the first place when I also think that deep down I don't really feel that way. Most of the time I'm fine. Except for the times I let it spin around in my mind so much wondering why I think things and wondering if there's something wrong with me and wondering if I think worse thoughts than most people do. It drives me a little nuts sometimes.

@everyone else, thank you for posting all this information I think it really helps.