I think I'm a hardcore narcissist, a wolf in a sheep's costume.

So its nearly 10am where I am at the moment and since I do night shift, it means I've hit the danger zone, where I need to force myself to try and sleep... I at least need an hour or two's sleep!

Anyway, I'm about to try and get some sleep, but decide to go outside first (for whatever reason), then I see that there's this poor little bird stuck in the greenhouse and frantically trying to escape ... "poor thing" I think to myself... so I (seemingly) humbly sacrifice 2 minutes of my perceived very valuable time to walk a few metres and lift up the plastic sheeting to the greenhouse and give this bird a way to get free....

Thing is, in the mere minutes it took me to carry out this obviously incredibly compassionate act, the stupid bird was gone and had found a way to escape by its own self.

I got to be honest, I was kinda pissed... I go to all this trouble and sacrifice my perceived valuable time to help this poor helpless little bird to free itself, then the stupid little thing just disappears... I never even got to witness the bird fly away, which means my compassionate act of kindness was in vain! Right?

I mean, this little bird, who btw was stupid enough to get itself stuck in the greenhouse in the first place, has the audacity to just fly off, without me getting to observe what a brilliant and compassionate human being I obviously am..... How selfish!!!

I know, I know...

But to my defense, I don't think I'm 'more' narcissistic than most... I just think I have a better understanding of how the human mind operates, than most other people... Compassionate acts in general, are just a thing most people do to feel superior... Or to gain praise from there peers.

Truth be told, we are all the centre of our own universe.... So are there for in reality, extremely narcissistic creatures by nature.

We all have the answers buddy, yet not everybody has the answers, if you know what I mean.

Hope you find slumber soon.

'charity is not for the sake of others'.

ive always said that, but no on tells me how profoundly wise i am.
i only say it to sound intelligent, kind of pisces me off.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

at least the birdy got free and you had a discovery-moment for yourself. See the positive in all that? Hope your head hits the pillow soon, get some rest friend.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

I love the bird story and the general message.
I will share a bird story of my own to make you feel better.

A small bird was flying through the air when he got hit with a big gust of wind and hit the ground in a farmer's field.
A cow walks by and takes a poop and it lands on the bird covering him in poo.....the bird thinks "this sucks"

A cat walks by and sees the bird covered in poo and starts licking him clean...the bird likes this.

The cat then eats the bird.

The moral (my signature) just because someone craps on you doesn't make them your enemy and just because someone helps you doesn't make them your friend.

Nature is nature...sleep well man.

If you get to know someone or understand their reasoning you will learn their motivations.
Get to know someone on a deeper level and start to care about them, understand them, then you will find out if you are a narcissist

As for the bird, you are upset it didn't need you.
As for sleep, I don't care if you get any or not, it doesn't effect me.

originally posted by: Rikku
'charity is not for the sake of others'.

I think I discovered that revelation from the way my old man acts.

I could ring him right now and if he happened to put me on loud speaker, so that all his church friends could hear the conversation, he'd transfer 5 grand into my bank account within minutes, if I asked for it... I guarantee it!

But if I was having a completely private conversation with him and asked him to transfer $50 into my bank account, simplely because I was genuinely starving, cold and homeless... it would take at least days and multiple reminder emails!

His one of the more blatant examples of my whole point... But never the less, everyone has the same mentality, even if its to a much lesser extent.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
As for sleep, I don't care if you get any or not, it doesn't effect me.

Which probably makes you a far more righteous person than most... for just straight admitting it... lol.

Those that truly give do not make a song and dance about it

Some people do have empathy for others

The ability to put themselves in some one elses shoes

"But for grace there goes I"

Genuine giving is recognising another Human Being in need and if able responding to that need
It has nothing to with being "A goody two shoes"

I am not religous but the story of "Widows Mite" comes to mind

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

It was a jest
I love sleep, know how hard it is to sleep,at 10 clock in the morning
You have my sympathy

The very act of posting on the www. is a narcissistic act. We all need recognition of our existence and worth...even from birds....

Celebrate your humanness, your individuality and the very fact you are aware.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
a reply to: Subaeruginosa

It was a jest

Yeah, I know, but it made me laugh, so I had to respond... and like wise.

If the object was to see that the bird got free and that was all and the only important thing, that what does it matter how it happened so long as it did?

I want the bird free, and I don't care how the bird gets out. But then, I know the very last escape option a wild animal will take is the one right next to the human being.

originally posted by: ketsuko
I want the bird free, and I don't care how the bird gets out. But then, I know the very last escape option a wild animal will take is the one right next to the human being.

Yeah, everyone wants to see the bird freed, by whatever means possible... but, a person would just be in denial, to claim it doesn't bruise or offend the ego just a little bit, when you realize the bird neither desired or needed your assistance.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

Having been in that position a time or three, no. I feel relief. I want the animal free even if I'm not the one who personally sets it free.

I don't need to be needed.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Subaeruginosa
I don't need to be needed.

Everyone needs to be needed, whether they're willing to admit it or not.

That's the whole reason why everyone who's over 30 and has no kids, either has a pet there obsessed with or just simply develops a self destructive drug or alcohol addiction...

They lack there sense of purpose... Being as we're narcissistic by nature, no human can thrive without a sense of purpose.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

Yes, but not everyone has their purpose in needing small birds to recognize who saved them and appreciate it.

Maybe if you resented that a small wild bird did not appreciate you, you just haven't found your purpose in life yet?

Thank you for trying to save the little bird, even though he found his own way out.

"Kali Charan Poddar, the son of a rich man in Dacca, once came with five liters of milk. Baba refused to accept his offering and instructed him to bring it in a container. The man returned once again, having complied with Baba's instruction. But as a dog consumed the milk placed on the ground, the man drove it away, whereupon Baba told him that once given, the man had no right over the milk. Baba reveals the essential principle of "offering"."

"You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink it"

More Than Allegory: On religious myth, truth and belief