[INFP] INFPs and Misanthropism

[antireconciler]

Most misanthropes are frustrated idealists.......that's part and parcel of being a misanthrope. Why would someone hate humanity if it wasn't disappointed with humanity not living up to their ideals? Misanthropy is an NF phenomenon.

Good insight. The problem with misanthropy is it is ambiguous with self-hate. One cannot tell the difference when it comes down to it, although it seems in feeling to be very decisively one or the other.

As the saying goes, life is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.

That can't be right, but explain what you mean?

 

[entropie]

Techno cures anything

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKjx3J0Xyqk"].[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Zenihita]

Those of us who survive to adulthood seem to develop some sort of coping mechanism. It could be a hard shell, or the ability to not give a damn what others think.

Exactly. Some people actually see me as sort of mean and stubborn, because I never let them see how vulnerable I can be.
So I'd say that the stereotype about feelers being all fuzzy, harmless and naive is quite wrong.

I never really considered myself a misanthrope, however my ESFx mum once called me one. And this is part of why I doubted if I was an NF at all for a long time, because I was thinking: there's no way you can call me idealistic if I dislike humanity so much.

But I've also noticed that when circumstances I'm in are favourable I can be in the I-love-people or there's-something-good-in-every-person stage almost all the time.

 

[entropie]

The funny thing is, I think to become a real misanthrope, you need to know some things about people, therefore there is nothing that speaks against the thing of you being NF.

And the other funny thing is, if you find someone who is as misanthrophic as you are, life even becomes fun. Not saying it is any different for you afterwards, but bearable..

 

[Gothmawg]

My little bit of personal history is this;

Up until a few years ago, I would always mutter under my breath (and sometimes not mutter) "I hate people..."

After I had a person or two who I valued as friendly sorts tell me that they found that threatening, it caused me to re-evaluate.

It's not that I didn't feel that way. It just wasn't correct...it was an instinctive reaction to all the crap I see people do to each other day in and day out...I mean wtf.

Anyways...my revised thoughts on the matter are that I love and adore humanity as a whole...as a concept. It's the people that are part of it that I often want to strangle and hide the corpses.

I am continually amazed at the high points of humanity. When communities and nations...entire peoples come together. And then some asshat goes and kills 4 police officers drinking their morning coffee, or some piece of trash kills a family in a hit-and-run DUI.

Damnit...and people wonder why I stopped working in law enforcement...Grrr

 

[Snuggletron]

feeling like this more and more each day. But I'm too nice to shoot up a mall/school/church. I swear I just can't commit, man.

 

[chris09]

But I'm too nice to shoot up a mall/school/church.

Thank God NFs are terrible at planning

Good insight. The problem with misanthropy is it is ambiguous with self-hate. One cannot tell the difference when it comes down to it, although it seems in feeling to be very decisively one or the other.

Don't get annoyed at me for saying this, but I think they really are the same exact thing. One is simply the anger projected inwards and with the other, it is projected outwards onto the world.

If you really love yourself and are happy in yourself and what you are doing, I would say it is almost impossible to feel misanthropic. When you actually love yourself and who you are as a person, people can't hurt you the same. People can say mean and spiteful things, and you wont be hurt by them because you can see that a lot of that is just that person lashing out at someone because they aren't happy with themselves.

After all, the only person we really hurt with our misanthropy is ourselves. The anger and the frustration, the misanthrope is the one who carries it around with them.

It really is a choice at the end of the day. Hate the world or find a reason to love it. Which would you rather?

I would personally rather find a reason to love it. Even if it is something as simple as a good friend.

NOTE: Shamelessly stolen, misappropriated and plagiarized from the lovely Antireconciler.

 

[Zenihita]

Don't get annoyed at me for saying this, but I think they really are the same exact thing. One is simply the anger projected inwards and with the other, it is projected outwards onto the world.

If you really love yourself and are happy in yourself and what you are doing, I would say it is almost impossible to feel misanthropic. When you actually love yourself and who you are as a person, people can't hurt you the same. People can say mean and spiteful things, and you wont be hurt by them because you can see that a lot of that is just that person lashing out at someone because they aren't happy with themselves.

After all, the only person we really hurt with our misanthropy is ourselves. The anger and the frustration, the misanthrope is the one who carries it around with them.

It really is a choice at the end of the day. Hate the world or find a reason to love it. Which would you rather?

I would personally rather find a reason to love it. Even if it is something as simple as a good friend.

Now I just can't resist admitting that I did get a little annoyed, even though I agree pretty much with everything you had to say. But what turned me off was the three last statements, cause they sounded a little preachy :yim_phbbbbt:
I don't know if I see it as a matter of choice...

And my misanthropy is usually invoked not even by people who kill the innocent or something of the kind, not by individulals, but by realizing that there is an overwhelming amount of people that are stupid and callous and there's no way of changing them.

"Throughout history there have been delightful little blobs of collective hope. For a couple of years in the late sixties, no matter what was going on in the world, our generation happily assumed that with love and education we could change outdated social systems. One huge thing that we missed, 90% of the population is genetically imbued with sub mediocre reasoning skills. No matter how much you hug them or read to them, there’s no correcting stupid. Monterey – a celebration of youthful naivete." Grace Slick

I couldn't agree more.

 

[antireconciler]

Don't get annoyed at me for saying this, but I think they really are the same exact thing. One is simply the anger projected inwards and with the other, it is projected outwards onto the world.

If you really love yourself and are happy in yourself and what you are doing, I would say it is almost impossible to feel misanthropic. When you actually love yourself and who you are as a person, people can't hurt you the same. People can say mean and spiteful things, and you wont be hurt by them because you can see that a lot of that is just that person lashing out at someone because they aren't happy with themselves.

After all, the only person we really hurt with our misanthropy is ourselves. The anger and the frustration, the misanthrope is the one who carries it around with them.

It really is a choice at the end of the day. Hate the world or find a reason to love it. Which would you rather?

I would personally rather find a reason to love it. Even if it is something as simple as a good friend.

How dare you state explicitly what I meant to imply.

All of this is well said.

 

[Snuggletron]

where would all the angsty art and music go if everyone loved themselves? down the shitter! and angsty music and art are the best kinds damnit.

 

[chris09]

How dare you state explicitly what I meant to imply.

I'm sorry. I've edited my post just for you.

Now I just can't resist admitting that I did get a little annoyed, even though I agree pretty much with everything you had to say. But what turned me off was the three last statements, cause they sounded a little preachy
I don't know if I see it as a matter of choice...

I'm really a very simple person. I certainly wasn't meaning to preach... Hey, I'm an atheist, preaching isn't something we get much practice at. I was really just expressing an opinion based on how I see the world. You are more than welcome to think I'm wrong hehe. I invite you to explain your view as well if you'd like.

By the way, reading your quote, I know a fantasy series you might love. It's called "The Sword of Truth" by Terry Goodkind.
Here is a tasty gem for you:
"People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they're afraid it might be true. Peoples' heads are full of knowledge, facts and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."
(Chapter 36, Page #397 US Hard Cover)

How's that sound to you? lol

 

[antireconciler]

I'm sorry. I've edited my post just for you.

No no, I won't take credit for your hard work. ^^

 

[compulsiverambler]

Nah, it's hard to be misanthropic when you don't believe free will exists or even makes sense as a concept. Besides, I actually like the majority of people I've had the pleasure to meet/know and find them well-intentioned.

Even if I did believe in free will, because of personal experience one of my Fi values has become giving people the benefit of as many doubts as possible. It's not that I trust people easily, which is different, but I look for reasons not to resent them, because I've been on the receiving end of people not considering that their interpretation may be very wrong for not immediately foreseeable reasons and I know how easy it is for people to misunderstand each other. And I know people who assume the worst of everyone and it's a hideous quality to exude.

 

[Litvyak]

Anyways...my revised thoughts on the matter are that I love and adore humanity as a whole...[...] It's the people that are part of it that I often want to strangle and hide the corpses.

Wow, almost exactly my case. I dislike most individuals I meet, though I really respect (love?) humanity as a whole. It's a cliché, but "the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts". Fortunately.

 

[Biaxident]

Wow, almost exactly my case. I dislike most individuals I meet, though I really respect (love?) humanity as a whole. It's a cliché, but "the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts". Fortunately.

Yes. And life would be so much more pleasant if a few choice asshats went permanently missing.

 

[Zenihita]

I'm really a very simple person. I certainly wasn't meaning to preach... Hey, I'm an atheist, preaching isn't something we get much practice at. I was really just expressing an opinion based on how I see the world. You are more than welcome to think I'm wrong hehe. I invite you to explain your view as well if you'd like.

Oh I know you weren't meaning to preach, it was probably just your choice of words that swayed me a bit. Like I said I mostly agree with you

By the way, reading your quote, I know a fantasy series you might love. It's called "The Sword of Truth" by Terry Goodkind.
Here is a tasty gem for you:
"People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they're afraid it might be true. Peoples' heads are full of knowledge, facts and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."
(Chapter 36, Page #397 US Hard Cover)

How's that sound to you? lol

Thanks, sounds promising I'm gonna check it out.

 

[runvardh]

See, if I ever got to the point where jail time stopped being an issue then people would have to worry. Till then I have better things to spend my energy on than planing something destructive.

 

[corey_vann]

INFPs can hate people too, they just do it differently. My best friend is an INFP and it amazes me at times how boorish he can come off to people, or how little he can care about people at times. That's usually my job and I don't like him stealing my thunder.

 

[runvardh]

INFPs can hate people too, they just do it differently. My best friend is an INFP and it amazes me at times how boorish he can come off to people, or how little he can care about people at times. That's usually my job and I don't like him stealing my thunder.

Deal with it


=^.^=

 

[Cranky]

Yes. And life would be so much more pleasant if a few choice asshats went permanently missing.

I you 4EVA.