4 ms·

You could have saved the time spent writing this and just said “I’m insecure about my inablility to connect with people”.

FireLiar 6y ago
I think it's because I was able to connect with people so well when I was young that I went down this path. It was just a game at the end of the day. Make the right moves, win the right prizes. But like any game, you lose the magic after a while. And unlike video games, you can't just step back and take a break from doing it, it's an unavoidable part of being human. But you're not off-base. At this level you definitely lose touch with everything people find "normal." I've found myself not caring about other people or their problems. Why would I? Group dynamics are emergent behavior that's coded into our DNA to increase survival, prisoner's dillema style. If someone does nothing for me or adds nothing to my life, why would I give them any of my empathy? Can't they fix their own problems? Do they wish some knight in shining armor would ride in and save them? Do they want a handout? My empathy, for free? How selfish is that. Every problem has a solution, endless complaining gets one nowhere. When I was broke and homeless, I'd get my own hands dirty. Now that I'm comfortably wealthy, I can throw money at whatever problem pops up. Whatever problems, emotional, physical, mental, sociological, economical, yada yada yada, that you have are your own responsibility. No one really gives a shit about anyone else; all relationships are transactional, and if you're not offering me gold beads, you're not getting my muskets. Ranting aside, that's a brief intro to my experience and worldview. If any particular piece resonated with you strongly, please leave a reply. I'm always interested in seeing original ideas, how infrequent it may be.
- lm28469 6y ago
  > I don't view anyone who has amassed anything under $10MM in networth as successful; > If someone does nothing for me or adds nothing to my life, why would I give them any of my empathy? > Whatever problems, emotional, physical, mental, sociological, economical, yada yada yada, that you have are your own responsibility. No one really gives a shit about anyone else; all relationships are transactional, and if you're not offering me gold beads, you're not getting my muskets Let me guess, you're American or living the US ? We're not hunter gatherers anymore, we don't have to act like cavemen whose sole purpose is to to accumulate as many shiny stones as possible even if it means destroying other people's life. Sure if you decide to see the world as full of people trying to take advantage of you that's exactly what you'll see everywhere,. What's the point of living in societies if it's to live like everyone is out there to get you and not solve problems together. You can become wealthy enough to not worry about money without acting like a 6 years old kid trying to get as many pokemon cards as possible.
  - FireLiar 6y ago
    0.5th generation American. I wasn't given a choice in this matter. I was dragged into this world without being consulted first. Now I am forced to align myself and my interests to countries that don't give a shit about me, and towards people that had never and would never reach out their hand, to help another's, as dirty as it might be. Why should I participate in any of this? That is exactly the point; there is no point in my participation for me, because I gain nothing, but others do gain -- at my exepense. Few are truly out to get me, but none are truly out for me. I can say the same for just about all people in this country, even if that fact hasn't had an oppurtunity to be tested yet. We can solve problems together, but that requires two parties compromising their standards, lowering them to be able to satisfy all parties involved. If I'm able to solve mt peoblems, at less cost than I would "together," what incentive do I have to work "together?" Would I not be a moron, perhaps even more insane and detached from reality, were I to choose this path? You can became wealthy holding yourself to a much higher standard than the majority of the world's population -- but why would you? I don't gain anything besides popularity among the less fortunate than I, which at best is worth nothing, but at worst is a hindrance in my life. There is virtually no downside I can see here, but I am open to being proven wrong, with a more well-crafted, and deep argument.
    - lm28469 6y ago
      > at less cost It all depends on how you quantify the cost of solving societal problems. If it is based on "do I have more money than yesterday", then yes sure, no one will ever be able to prove you wrong. Acting like a megalomaniac pos is a sure way to get hated by the majority without ensuring wealth, that's all I know. You seem dead set on acting like the people/system you despise, I don't see how that solves anything.
- hopfscotch 6y ago
  Not sure why I hoped for a genuine response to that. Oh well. Someday you’ll figure it out.

FireLiar 6y ago

I think it's because I was able to connect with people so well when I was young that I went down this path. It was just a game at the end of the day. Make the right moves, win the right prizes. But like any game, you lose the magic after a while. And unlike video games, you can't just step back and take a break from doing it, it's an unavoidable part of being human. But you're not off-base. At this level you definitely lose touch with everything people find "normal." I've found myself not caring about other people or their problems. Why would I? Group dynamics are emergent behavior that's coded into our DNA to increase survival, prisoner's dillema style. If someone does nothing for me or adds nothing to my life, why would I give them any of my empathy? Can't they fix their own problems? Do they wish some knight in shining armor would ride in and save them? Do they want a handout? My empathy, for free? How selfish is that. Every problem has a solution, endless complaining gets one nowhere. When I was broke and homeless, I'd get my own hands dirty. Now that I'm comfortably wealthy, I can throw money at whatever problem pops up. Whatever problems, emotional, physical, mental, sociological, economical, yada yada yada, that you have are your own responsibility. No one really gives a shit about anyone else; all relationships are transactional, and if you're not offering me gold beads, you're not getting my muskets. Ranting aside, that's a brief intro to my experience and worldview. If any particular piece resonated with you strongly, please leave a reply. I'm always interested in seeing original ideas, how infrequent it may be.

lm28469 6y ago
> I don't view anyone who has amassed anything under $10MM in networth as successful; > If someone does nothing for me or adds nothing to my life, why would I give them any of my empathy? > Whatever problems, emotional, physical, mental, sociological, economical, yada yada yada, that you have are your own responsibility. No one really gives a shit about anyone else; all relationships are transactional, and if you're not offering me gold beads, you're not getting my muskets Let me guess, you're American or living the US ? We're not hunter gatherers anymore, we don't have to act like cavemen whose sole purpose is to to accumulate as many shiny stones as possible even if it means destroying other people's life. Sure if you decide to see the world as full of people trying to take advantage of you that's exactly what you'll see everywhere,. What's the point of living in societies if it's to live like everyone is out there to get you and not solve problems together. You can become wealthy enough to not worry about money without acting like a 6 years old kid trying to get as many pokemon cards as possible.
- FireLiar 6y ago
  0.5th generation American. I wasn't given a choice in this matter. I was dragged into this world without being consulted first. Now I am forced to align myself and my interests to countries that don't give a shit about me, and towards people that had never and would never reach out their hand, to help another's, as dirty as it might be. Why should I participate in any of this? That is exactly the point; there is no point in my participation for me, because I gain nothing, but others do gain -- at my exepense. Few are truly out to get me, but none are truly out for me. I can say the same for just about all people in this country, even if that fact hasn't had an oppurtunity to be tested yet. We can solve problems together, but that requires two parties compromising their standards, lowering them to be able to satisfy all parties involved. If I'm able to solve mt peoblems, at less cost than I would "together," what incentive do I have to work "together?" Would I not be a moron, perhaps even more insane and detached from reality, were I to choose this path? You can became wealthy holding yourself to a much higher standard than the majority of the world's population -- but why would you? I don't gain anything besides popularity among the less fortunate than I, which at best is worth nothing, but at worst is a hindrance in my life. There is virtually no downside I can see here, but I am open to being proven wrong, with a more well-crafted, and deep argument.
  - lm28469 6y ago
    > at less cost It all depends on how you quantify the cost of solving societal problems. If it is based on "do I have more money than yesterday", then yes sure, no one will ever be able to prove you wrong. Acting like a megalomaniac pos is a sure way to get hated by the majority without ensuring wealth, that's all I know. You seem dead set on acting like the people/system you despise, I don't see how that solves anything.
hopfscotch 6y ago
Not sure why I hoped for a genuine response to that. Oh well. Someday you’ll figure it out.