Elitism as a Self-defense Mechanism
By Daniel Miessler on March 3rd, 2008: Tagged as Psychology
I often struggle with my emotions regarding groups of people who harm themselves and others. When I was younger there wasn’t much of a struggle; I was always empathic - constantly trying to figure out a way to help.
Now I often feel like giving up due to hopelessness. I think what this requires is some sort of disconnection emotion, usually anger or of elitism. What I wonder is whether or not this is a natural progression for those who started off so open. What if it’s a self-defense mechanism for those who are exhausted from sadness?
Surely this could simply be a construct to make one feel better about becoming callused, but I think it’s worth exploring as I feel it’s quite possibly a factor in my development. It’s like you can only try and help and lift and empathize so much before you just get exhausted. At that point you start to say, “They can’t be helped…because they’re too far gone.”
Can you see that? The elitism or contempt as an insulating barrier between one’s caring for a “hopeless” cause?
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I see where you are getting at. I feel that way sometimes too. I think it boils down to what it is that you wish to change about someone. For example, the following are some of my traits that people are always trying to change about me. I use Linux, I like my hair long, I don’t like football, baseball, or basketball, I don’t drink, and I don’t like to dress up. None of these things affect anyone else but me and my family. They are my decisions and I really don’t give a crap about your opinion which should be noticed by the fact I never asked your opinion. Yet people constantly feel it is their duty in life to make me conform. This leads to a sort of resentment and elitist feeling of, “Fuck your lifestyle and ideals of social norms. They are shit and I’m not interested to stoop down to a lifestyle I don’t want or like just for you.” When it comes to things like people who are violent, misogynistic, culturally intollerant, racist, fascist, or otherwise a general dick, I would like to change these people and help them realise that if they just calmed down and stopped hating all the time everything will be ok more or less.
Comment by Maxo — 3/3/2008 @ 4:35 pm
Another take on this topic is http://maddox.xmission.com/
Comment by Maxo — 3/3/2008 @ 4:39 pm