# Misanthropy?



## Turelie (Jul 22, 2010)

Do you consider yourself misanthropic? Is there a reason for it? Do you think it is a good thing?

It seems like a lot of NTs are misanthropic or at least very cynical of people. I'm curious if it really is a NT trait or not.


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## Filo (Aug 11, 2010)

Well, that depends. I do wish well for mankind in general, and I have friends. I am also not actively malevolent to people, although I do not care much for other people, either. Let me put it this way: I would find finding a cure for cancer a worthwhile goal, but an individual patient would not inspire much pathos in me, unless he were a good friend of mine.

It also depends a bit on the person. If a person is only a tiny bit unpleasnant, or I see him or her act unethically, I really don't care much. If, on the other hand, a person has shown to be friendly and ethcial, I will go to great lengths for him or her, even though I barely know him or her.


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## Dionysus (Jun 8, 2010)

haha. I think most of my friends would call or have called me a misanthrope. This is because I openly criticize idiocy, hypocrisy, ignorance, duplicity, passive-aggressiveness, etc. 

However, this is like calling someone who criticizes America as being a nihilist, unpatriotic, similar BS

I think the people who reflect on the condition of humanity by acknowledging the negatives should not be called misanthropic just because they are critical. The opposite is really the case here.


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## Turelie (Jul 22, 2010)

Dionysus said:


> haha. I think most of my friends would call or have called me a misanthrope. This is because I openly criticize idiocy, hypocrisy, ignorance, duplicity, passive-aggressiveness, etc.
> 
> However, this is like calling someone who criticizes America as being a nihilist, unpatriotic, similar BS
> 
> I think the people who reflect on the condition of humanity by acknowledging the negatives should not be called misanthropic just because they are critical. The opposite is really the case here.


Yea, I think that's true for the majority of those criticizing humanity. I'm repeatedly frustrated by the ignorance of most people towards what is happening in our world, but I don't hate them for it.


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## Nitou (Feb 3, 2010)

At one time, I was so misanthropic that I would fantasize about sitting on a tower sniping people. That was an expression of the rage and pain I felt inside. I hated humans and I hated myself for being human. I hated them for being hateful, selfish and destructive. Then one day I was sitting on a river raft with some strangers whom I was fond of, and drinking the beauty of the scenery. I realized that I was capable of loving humanity some day. That is when the misanthropy began to subside.


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## Knives (Jul 22, 2010)

I find myself feeling more misanthropic towards people who hate other groups of people, i.e. racists, sexists, general elitists.


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## Filo (Aug 11, 2010)

Nitou said:


> At one time, I was so misanthropic that I would fantasize about sitting on a tower sniping people. That was an expression of the rage and pain I felt inside. I hated humans and I hated myself for being human. I hated them for being hateful, selfish and destructive. Then one day I was sitting on a river raft with some strangers whom I was fond of, and drinking the beauty of the scenery. I realized that I was capable of loving humanity some day. That is when the misanthropy began to subside.


Ow? That's considered misatnrhopic? I thought fantasies of having a supersonic .50 round crush bones and flesh were perfectly normal. My cellar fantasies on the other hand...


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## Molock (Mar 10, 2010)

It is ironic that I would stumble upon this thread while listening to a song named_ pure hatred_ and thinking about a guy I want assassinated :laughing:

Seriously though, I am only a part-time misanthrope. I have occasional bursts of hatred (like now) but they are interspaced by periods of hope or, at the very least, indifference.


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## ZeRo (Jul 25, 2010)

I am not sure... I usually wish well for man kind and wish to achieve in life and help people out along the way but I get really misanthropic when someone says: 
- Offensive, racist comments to me or stereotype a particular group.
- Uses sarcasm to belittle people even though they misunderstand what a person had ("obviously") said. 
etc etc... 

I don't mind people who have their own opinions, but when they express them to purposely belittle you or ridicule others I find that it is totally unnecessary. Etc

They make me question the purpose of life and why we should achieve yet be (generally speaking) in an unsupportive and hurtful society. Then I RAGE on society. RAWRRRrrrr...

... but I get over it reasonably quickly.


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## tooboku (Jun 9, 2010)

I am a robot fueled by misanthropy. Thank you for the energy boost.

My misanthropy comes and goes in phases. Lately it's been under control. I took a web development contract at a magazine downtown for the summer and I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who were genuine, knew their stuff and were passionate about it.

I don't think my misanthropy is actually caused by Te. Te is just the catalyst and gives my misanthropy pleanty of ammunition. The culprate I think in my case is Fi. I've learned to accept that people in general are really dumb and just because I'm smarter than most of them, it doesn't give me a license to hate them. Genuinely dumb people actually have their charms once in a while. However, most people have their own little versions of pretentiousness, arrogance, and an overwhelming sense of entitlement. Badassery has to be earned and quite frankly, I think most people who have to go around trying to prove something are incapable of proving it.

You either have it or you don't so don't f*** with me because I will f*** you back twice as hard and I don't give reach arounds.


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## SlowPoke68 (Apr 26, 2010)

I think if I hate mankind its because it consistently fails to live up to what I find worth loving in it.


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## Quin Sabe (Jan 26, 2010)

Alas, my friend misanthropy strikes at every turn and every comment of everyday. How I wish twice two made five for the man who pretends to be asleep can never be awaken.


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## ImbecilicSage (Apr 29, 2009)

I'm definitely IN_J, the T or F preference is a bit ambiguous though; if I am INFJ I hope an NF viewpoint is welcome... Anyway, I'm broadly cynical of humanity as a whole, some might call/consider me a narcissist, which I would believe is often coupled with misanthropy, and I'm definitely not the kind of person who would consider an acquaintance I'm on friendly terms with the same idea as a friend... My frustration/dislike of most people isn't to the point I fantasize about mass murder (to reference some other posts) but more and more I find myself intensely depressed and/or angry when I consider the masses of people I'm frequently exposed to that make me view this life in a totally nihilistic fashion... With all that said I guess I'd call myself at least a bit of a misanthrope at this point in my life...


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## AirMarionette (Mar 13, 2010)

Philanthropy in atrophy...


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## Demian (Feb 20, 2010)

Well I think there are way too many people on the planet who don't deserve to live and should be shot.
I dislike a large proportion of people I know.
I don't trust anyone I know. 
I also dislike stupid people. 
And by that I don't mean people who don't like school. I dislike people who wont learn from their mistakes.

All in all I have a tendency for being misanthropic.And I do count myself cynical.


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## Neon Knight (Aug 11, 2010)

Pika said:


> Do you consider yourself misanthropic? Is there a reason for it? Do you think it is a good thing?
> 
> It seems like a lot of NTs are misanthropic or at least very cynical of people. I'm curious if it really is a NT trait or not.


Yes on all counts.

I don't think it's the NT thing, it's just that I happen to be disillusioned with humankind at the moment and have had many similar moments. I just don't see the point in getting involved with anyone irl when there is an extremely high chance of being disappointed by them in some way. I guess what's why I love talking online because my expectations are very different and the potential for backstabbing and such is 99%-ish impossible. If it is possible, it's not in the scenarios I allow myself to get in when socializing here, I prefer mutual respect and non-attachment. That might change after a while getting to know people as much as you can on here, but in general I would say I am very cynical and possibly misanthropic. Plus I don't feel much hope for humankind itself either but I'm trying to change that with Buddhism since it seems to be at the very far opposite end of where I am at because right now I couldn't give a shit about mankind's well being other than those close to me.


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## ENTPreneur (Dec 13, 2009)

I am not. I do wish humanity well, but I foresee hard times ahead with current systems...

I am also quite empathic (Fe). But I have trouble knowing my own feelings insteead, reflecting other peoples feelings like a mirror. Being a mentat-ENTP it doesnt show that much. But I am the local therapist for most of my friends....


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## Apollo Celestio (Mar 10, 2010)

I may brood a bit sometimes, but in my heart of hearts I'm not a misanthrope. It's just not in me. However, approval hungry internet trolls do make the world look a little bleaker..


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## Tad Cooper (Apr 10, 2010)

I'm mainly just cynical about the human race and people I meet. I try not to expect much anymore.


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## Neon Knight (Aug 11, 2010)

ENTPreneur said:


> I am not. I do wish humanity well, but I foresee hard times ahead with current systems...
> 
> I am also quite empathic (Fe). But I have trouble knowing my own feelings insteead, reflecting other peoples feelings like a mirror. Being a mentat-ENTP it doesnt show that much. But I am the local therapist for most of my friends....


I am empathetic but I used to be rather sympathetic, which I consider a good exchange. I mirror people's feelings and expressions too, the things is I don't feel anything and I've only just recently realized I've been doing that pretty much most of the time. I used to be the local therapist too lol now I just don't care, maybe I'm desensitized in various ways. I can give counsel but I don't care the way I used to. Maybe that's a good thing since I can be more objective and logical instead becuase my logic isn't being manipulated by feelings any more and would likely make me more effective. I'm happy with that because the other way was draining lol. Well it still is when people try to tell me stuff I really don't want to hear it offline. At least online I can take a bit to gather my thoughts and do it when I can not right at the moment type of thing. Maybe I'm not such a misanthropist but some days it certainly feels that way lol.


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## AEIOU (Feb 5, 2010)

Knives said:


> I find myself feeling more misanthropic towards people who hate other groups of people, i.e. racists, sexists, general elitists.


You're not a misanthrope, you're an anti-bigot!:shocked:


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## jack london (Aug 27, 2010)

I'm not cynical at all. I don't have high expectations for any of you so I'm actually really happy when you guys don't screw things up. I'm that silver lining kind of guy who annoys people. 

It helps that I live 90% inside my own mind just long enough to come out and feed. :laughing:


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## Neon Knight (Aug 11, 2010)

jack london said:


> I'm not cynical at all. I don't have high expectations for any of you so I'm actually really happy when you guys don't screw things up. I'm that silver lining kind of guy who annoys people.
> 
> It helps that I live 90% inside my own mind just long enough to come out and feed. :laughing:


The "optimist" in me tries to deny what the logic in me says a lot of the time so I'm having an internal battle at all times regarding that.

And here I thought I was the only one who did that :tongue:


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## bionic (Mar 29, 2010)

I'm more apathetic than misanthropic. I don't care about people enough to form opinions upon them. When I do come out of my own head and into reality, I notice I appear more critical than most. But people confuse my criticism when it is blatant, logical truth. If people cannot handle honesty around me; then there is the door. I don't aim to please.


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## Mendelevium (Jan 16, 2010)

I've occasionally dreamed about killing people, but to me it is like combing my hair and cutting my nails. It's not misanthropy, it's apathy. Humanity holds nothing for me.


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## Odin Atom Smasher (Aug 23, 2010)

Apathy to me is seems much more appealing to me than misanthropy, though admittedly I have had more than my fair share of bouts with the latter...

To actively do anything requires energy, thus to be misanthropic, to put concentrated effort into hating humanity, diverts a great deal of cognitive energy and time away from one's thoughts into actively indulging in a pattern of thought that isn't really at all productive, rather the thoughts are somewhat self-destructive and ultimately pointless (nothing one can do, short of mass genocides or world domination can really change the the aspects of humanity that one hates, so the thoughts are thus deemed irrelevant to introspective growth or functioning)

Apathy however allows one to accept the insidious aspects of humanity in that such things cannot really be changed, and once one accepts that view one can focus on what they CAN change or how to circumvent the undesirable aspects of humanity so one can find some solace in their imperfect existence.

In short....apathy is a helluva cognitve drug :laughing:


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## Archangel (Sep 11, 2010)

I hate, despise, and desires to obliterate humanity. They are useless, ignorant, pathetic, weak, unbelievably ridiculous. The irony is that I'm human too, at least biologically. Sometime ago I actually wanted to do something to help, but it's really just a fantasy. Say something meaningful with a good intent out of the social hemisphere, you get scolded, ridiculed, exiled. All this for trying to help.


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## cdnwolverine (Feb 19, 2010)

Yep; I even have personal cards that say "Geek, gamer, misanthrope" on it coupled with my contact info (Name, email, ph#).

That said, I more hate how people act and not them directly. If I truly hated people, I wouldn't get upset at the ridiculous things they do.


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