3 ms·
I'm arguing against the utility of discrete categorization of continuous phenomena, not against heuristics generally. Treating others as you wish to be treate
by mcpackieh 3y ago
I'm arguing against the utility of discrete categorization of continuous phenomena, not against heuristics generally. Treating others as you wish to be treated is an example of a good heuristic that people should follow most of the time. On the other hand, armchair psychological diagnoses are usually bad heuristics.
- ModernMech 3y agoMapping a measurement from a continuous phenomena to a point on a discrete space I have experience with is exactly applying a heuristic. I’m all for treating everyone like individuals, but I encounter new people every day who want things from me, and I just don’t have time for that. So I use shortcuts and put people in boxes. That’s life. I’m not “armchair diagnosing” anyone, I’m just dealing with people.
- mcpackieh 3y ago> I’m not “armchair diagnosing” anyone, I’m just dealing with people. If you're not armchair diagnosing anybody, then we don't have any disagreement. If you're classifying people as NPD on the same day you met them, that's what I'm arguing against. Doing so isn't helpful and you don't have enough information about that person to even do it properly. Even when you do have enough information about that person, like a long-term friend or family member, and yet also enough personal distance from the situation to limit your biases, it's rarely a useful thing to do. It might help you feel better about a failed relationship, which is what a lot of people seem to use NPD for, but these are not real diagnoses.