Can people overcome their baser instincts?

[Lark]

Dr House MD thinks only rarely and most of the time its biology, what do you think?

 

[Andy]

Why overcome them when you can embrace them instead. Learn to enjoy your animal side, and that fury beast will become your best friend

Seriously, though, destructiveemotional impulses can be control with sufficient discipline, at least for a time. Sadly, most people seem to lack it. In the long run it's best to find an outlet for such impulses, hence the hugging.

 

[sLiPpY]

Dr House MD thinks only rarely and most of the time its biology, what do you think?

To me the question would be, why would anyone ever want to?

One can always find a context where just going with who one is works.

 

[Lark]

What is discipline and how does it control impulses? What are emotional impulses? Not being facetious, just interested in how people define these things and their meanings.

 

[Lark]

To me the question would be, why would anyone ever want to?

One can always find a context where just going with who one is works.

Really? Even psychopaths and sociopaths? Or peadophiles?

Those ae extreme examples I'll grant but even if you believe in living a hedonistic existence there are compromises to be made or you will destroy yourself.

 

[Into It]

Sufficient will can overcome any instinct, maybe not to the degree that it won't be felt but at least to the degree that it will not be consciously acted upon.

 

[Stanton Moore]

We overcome baser instincts more often than not as a species. This is the very definition of civilization.

 

[Quinlan]

I think there are some things that were simply unnecessary (in the survival sense) to have concious control over and we're ill-equipped to control them, however most people prefer to think they are masters of themselves and have complete control.

 

[sLiPpY]

Really? Even psychopaths and sociopaths? Or peadophiles?

Those ae extreme examples I'll grant but even if you believe in living a hedonistic existence there are compromises to be made or you will destroy yourself.

There's nothing to be done for that lot short of electric shock and a lobotomy anyway.

 

[Thalassa]

Why overcome them when you can embrace them instead. Learn to enjoy your animal side, and that fury beast will become your best friend

Seriously, though, destructiveemotional impulses can be control with sufficient discipline, at least for a time. Sadly, most people seem to lack it. In the long run it's best to find an outlet for such impulses, hence the hugging.

I agree that people need an outlet. If you completely repress, bury, or attempt to "overcome" all of your baser instincts, I think that makes you even more of a nutcase. There's definitely such a thing as allowing the animal or "dark" side too much control, but stifling it completely isn't healthy either.

One of my exes used to tell me that I should be most afraid of people who attend church several times a week, only watch Disney movies, and appear to be completely without darkness, because those are the REAL psychos. I tend to kind of believe that.

 

[Oaky]

Overcome our need for survival? Why would you do that? Isn't that what our basic instincts are?

 

[Poki]

I agree that people need an outlet. If you completely repress, bury, or attempt to "overcome" all of your baser instincts, I think that makes you even more of a nutcase. There's definitely such a thing as allowing the animal or "dark" side too much control, but stifling it completely isn't healthy either.

One of my exes used to tell me that I should be most afraid of people who attend church several times a week, only watch Disney movies, and appear to be completely without darkness, because those are the REAL psychos. I tend to kind of believe that.

Their not any "more" phsycho, you just need to fear not fearing them.

 

[nozflubber]

since you're talking about impulses and brain chemistry in decision making, wouldn't it be better to say it's all physics, not biology? Biology has a very limited capability of explaining brain behaviors. you need electricity to understand cognitive processing in neuron nets and Biochem processes are supposed to fall under physics as well, so i think Dr House needs a lesson on science categories.

anyway i don't know what "base instincts" refers to, so *Shrug*

 

[Thalassa]

Their not any "more" phsycho, you just need to fear not fearing them.

Actually, my theory is that they're more likely to snap and shoot people at McDonald's.

 

[Lark]

Actually, my theory is that they're more likely to snap and shoot people at McDonald's.

Yeah but behaving as a result of stimuli like a trigger or "snapping" isnt the behaviour of a psychopath or sociopath their behaviour isnt context specific and they dont behave as a consequence of a trigger they're just without conscience.

 

[Andy]

Yeah but behaving as a result of stimuli like a trigger or "snapping" isnt the behaviour of a psychopath or sociopath their behaviour isnt context specific and they dont behave as a consequence of a trigger they're just without conscience.

I think you're getting a bit to involved with the exact, scientific meaning of the words Sunshine used. I believe she was using them in a much looser sense. I think she simply ment "people with high potential for extreme violence" rather than any specific psychological condition.

 

[Lark]

I think you're getting a bit to involved with the exact, scientific meaning of the words Sunshine used. I believe she was using them in a much looser sense. I think she simply ment "people with high potential for extreme violence" rather than any specific psychological condition.

Cool, I thought she was talking about psychopathy, I'm in and out of this thread and didnt read all the posts.

I reckon that highly strung people who can crack and possibly a bigger threat than people who're wired to kill but learnt how to control it.

 

[heart]

Dr House MD thinks only rarely and most of the time its biology, what do you think?

Those who restrain their desires, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.

William Blake

People can sublimate though.

 

[Andy]

Cool, I thought she was talking about psychopathy, I'm in and out of this thread and didnt read all the posts.

I reckon that highly strung people who can crack and possibly a bigger threat than people who're wired to kill but learnt how to control it.

Agreed.

 

[Mole]

[We] can sublimate though.

Yes, sublimation is sublime.