I Am Eccentric

Originally posted by Starwise
reply to post by Dark Ghost

 

I am Eccentric too...
Eloquent in your thread. You have a way of connecting people...

S&F

Maybe those of us who relate are a part of the same frequency.....

i feel like i cant even relate here at all or very little at the least as a lot of my posts or questions go ignored in almost all topics i bother to post in, but its ok i guess i like to read a lot anyway.

well said....That's me in a nutshell

now the question is why??

reply to post by Dark Ghost


I have tried to fit into various subcultures, and it was a strained attempt each time. For a while, it seemed okay, but then I realized it seemed strained.

I think the issue is with pleasantries. The usual BS remarks people exchange that amount to nothing. Example:

"Hi, how are you?" (expects to hear "good")
"Good, and you?" (expects to hear "good")
"Good, thanks."

Who the frick bothers to ask someone how they're doing if you expect to hear the usual crap anyway? I mean, cut it out. If you don't really intend to expect a real answer, what the hell are you asking for? I sometimes surprise people with exactly how things are going if they are going badly. It's like they don't even know what to say! So funny. "Well, you asked." is what I tell myself. I don't go into awful detail, but they seem tense if all you say it "I'm okay." Like, "Oh, only OK? What's wrong?" ...exactly! If you can't look around you and see what's wrong, you're dense as hell! It's like society is filled with a bunch of fake barbie and ken dolls, all plastic and smiling all the time on the outside.

If I can't have a real conversation with someone, forget it. I have no interest in hearing petty pleasantries from anyone. Society needs to get real, get in touch with everything going on (even the ugly), and let's start to progress instead of get lost more and more in fantasy.

That is my take on the social aspect of it. Such a waste to bother talking to most people. They are incredibly predictable. It's boring. I would rather be doing thought experiments with myself.

reply to post by Dark Ghost


That's about me in a nutshell, yeah I'm a loser...oh well.

Nope, not striking any cord at all.

Does that make me eccentric, reading the reactions in this thread? And if so. Are the people who do relate to it normal?

Damn... groundhog day again.

I'm not sure why people are surprised by OPs description. Anyone who has taken basic psychology should know that everyone thinks like this. This is very prevalent behavior for people nowadays, and even back then. This kind of behavior is common among children who think themselves to be different or unique.
Almost everyone will admit to feeling and behaving like OP described, yet the description involves "thinking differently than other people"... Coincidence? It seems as though most people are stuck in some egocentric delusion where they believe to be different. This is probably due mostly to introspection illusion.
en.wikipedia.org...
Individuals only have access to their own thoughts and mental states, these thoughts include ones described by OP. Yet it is these thoughts that are never communicated and the individuals keep these thoughts to themselves. The individuals then look at others and fail to see thoughts similar to his (because everyone keeps it to themselves, internally). They only sees "sheep" and "mindless slaves". This leads them to believe they are different, "not normal", and other things OP described.
Yet they never realizes that they are just like everyone else. And the fact that they keep their thoughts and beliefs to themselves makes them look no differently to others, than others to them. The end result is everyone believing they are unique and "not normal".

reply to post by Dark Ghost

Originally posted by Dark Ghost
Do you feel different? An outcast who doesn't fit in with most other people. An individual with thought patterns that are out of the ordinary. Someone who is very self-critical and places unrealistic expectations on themselves. A person with too much time on their hands in this physical world, but not enough time to explore the metaphysical aspects of existence. You are physically lazy but mentally proactive.

While others concentrate on what they can see, you focus on what you can not. You feel in awe of others that you admire, but you dismiss these feelings when they are directed at yourself. Your priorities are not the same as "normal" people; you are not fussed over the same things as they are. You are full of wonder when you think about the universe and other people, but feel empty and anxious when you look at yourself.

Others tell you that you are smart, but you feel silly. It's the tasks that most people find easy that you tend to struggle with. You ask yourself why you find tasks that are automated for most others so difficult. You feel as though life is just one challenge after another. You don't congratulate yourself enough when you do overcome a hurdle. But you take joy in telling others when they do. You love to make other people happy and give them advice when they are in need, yet you don't heed the wisdom you expel. Are you a hypocrite? Perhaps that is one of the many flaws you see in yourself.

You view the world through an external perspective. While you are confident you are in touch with reality, you feel separated from it. When you are asked to define who you are or what you believe, you struggle to find the words. What is your passion? What is your drive? You are not sure of your ambitions or your purpose for being here. When asked if you could do any occupation and get paid the same no matter what you choose, you struggle to define what it is that makes you happy and complete. You do not know, nor do you claim to know. This makes you appear indecisive to the average person and contributes to your feelings of alienation.

Other people ask you where you see yourself in 10 years, you worry about where you see yourself in 10 days. You are not the same person you were yesterday. You don't just worry about the future, you focus on the past and are apprehensive about the present. Your life is a plethora of examination, analysis and interpretation. You feel like you don't belong, yet you long to be. If only conversations in your head counted as social interaction with others, you would be the social butterfly that society expects of you.

WOW, what a beautiful piece of writing, you just summed up my life...

I have Aspergers Syndrome and the above may as well be a written testament to how I deal with each day, every day.

S&F for you my friend, peace.

reply to post by MikeDBZ


The sensitivity aspect of this is certainly real. Being easily overwhelmed.

Maybe you're one of the more common people in the world who doesn't feel this way, so you wrongly assume others are the same too.

Sure anyone can feel different, but when you can look out at the world around you and just feel like, What is going on? There is something different with them or you. Most people are really the type to go with the flow and not ask questions. They live their entire life not bothered by the things that many of us would be certain to report bother us.

Our nervous systems are fundamentally different. Who would not choose to make friends and fit in if they could? Many of us have tried exactly that, desperately trying to fit in somewhere but it doesn't happen.

Sorry. I have to disagree. I think you're right that everyone can feel different, but the people responding here are likely not the typical person.

Hi that is all part of getting to know yourself, along with your programming ( guilt and doubt ) These are all feelings that people go through who are wondering what life is about. But stop a minute! you don't have to get on socially or not get on, just be yourself and you already form part of humanity. Give up trying to hard, there is no need. To cut through everything is great its the way you find the essence. This has always been beneficial for me to recall at different moments in my life, you are not what you do, not what you feel not what you think. If this is true, why worry about what others have to say if you are genuinely happy with your life? look what happened to neitzche, great mind but didnt find the medicine he needed. Mind you at least he tried which is something, maybe we could learn from his efforts.
Best wishes AT

Originally posted by TiM3LoRd
Awesome post.

I think you will find quite a lot of people on ATS will relate to this myself included, I think its because we think differently that we come here. We reject the programming society tries to force down our throats. The reason we feel disconnected is because in the overall scheme of things we are all too far dispersed. There are too many "normal" people in between us for us to feel normal. These "normal" people are the ones that watch jersey shore and dancing with the stars. They are the consumer machines that drive society. These are the people we are interspersed between and we cant connect with them because we are not like them.

I guess the lesson to learn is that there is nothing wrong with being eccentric. Most of my friends know im not normal, in fact im not like anybody in my family. I actually wear that as a badge of honor. If the world today is the result of the actions of the "normals" then im glad im a minority and me and my people are the balance that tries to keep the human race from spilling over into the pit of self destructive consumerism and ego gratification. Just keep on being who you are and doing what you do. We are all here for a purpose and that i believe is to balance out the insanity that people have come to call normal.

They call us crazy but in a world where everything is upside down. The mad have become the most sane.

Tim3lord, or should i say, husband? lol. It was so perceptive what you said about there being too many normal people between us , its absolutely true, and its depressing. I know some people on this site say, the sheep are starting to wake up, but im not convinced, i dont think they are, well not quickly enough anyway.

reply to post by Dark Ghost


Seems We Are All Different But Not So Much.
Bonded I Would say.
At What Point Do We Connect And Become As One In This World ?

reply to post by Dark Ghost


Describes me to a tee. I have been like you describe all of my life.

reply to post by Dark Ghost


Describes me to a tee. I have been like you describe all of my life.

reply to post by Dark Ghost


Describes me to a tee. I have been like you describe all of my life.

reply to post by Dark Ghost


What if everyone feels this way and this is what causes the strife in the world? What if everyone's own analysis of reality cannot fit into the reality we have created collectively? What if only a few people control the real reality and use a standard of "normal" to define how a person should think and act, while their "normal" is only an extrapolation of their own fantastical reality they created in their own mind?

Thanks OP, that was really inspirational.

Seriously dude, you almost made me cheer. Minus a few pointers, that's me to a tee.

It's... relieving ya know? To know you aren't the only one and it's only distances that keeps like minded individuals like us from creating our own comfort group.

You know what would be cool in theory? A mutha effin ATS Retreat where we just take over a city or town and we meet each other. There are a lot of people on ATS i would love to share a beer, knowledge, and wisdom. And i don't mean me talking but us talking. The sharing of ideas, there is nothing better.

I can dream eh?

reply to post by Dark Ghost


Doh! That's pretty much me. Maybe not quite as self pitying, but for the most part, that's me.

Originally posted by daynight42
reply to post by Dark Ghost

 

I have tried to fit into various subcultures, and it was a strained attempt each time. For a while, it seemed okay, but then I realized it seemed strained.

I think the issue is with pleasantries. The usual BS remarks people exchange that amount to nothing. Example:

"Hi, how are you?" (expects to hear "good")
"Good, and you?" (expects to hear "good")
"Good, thanks."

Who the frick bothers to ask someone how they're doing if you expect to hear the usual crap anyway? I mean, cut it out. If you don't really intend to expect a real answer, what the hell are you asking for? I sometimes surprise people with exactly how things are going if they are going badly. It's like they don't even know what to say! So funny. "Well, you asked." is what I tell myself. I don't go into awful detail, but they seem tense if all you say it "I'm okay." Like, "Oh, only OK? What's wrong?" ...exactly! If you can't look around you and see what's wrong, you're dense as hell! It's like society is filled with a bunch of fake barbie and ken dolls, all plastic and smiling all the time on the outside.

If I can't have a real conversation with someone, forget it. I have no interest in hearing petty pleasantries from anyone. Society needs to get real, get in touch with everything going on (even the ugly), and let's start to progress instead of get lost more and more in fantasy.

That is my take on the social aspect of it. Such a waste to bother talking to most people. They are incredibly predictable. It's boring. I would rather be doing thought experiments with myself.

This post is so dead-on I started laughing....describes my sentiments to a T.

To me it's social "preening," and it seems so frivolous. I have come to realize that it is necessary
though, as most people require this ridiculous give and take of meaningless sweet nothings to acclimate
themselves to you and become comfortable enough to relax and "begin" an actual conversation.

I think people feel a certain anxiety around me because I won't discuss the weather or who won the
game. I prefer topics that don't have easy answers, that REQUIRE thought....I think most people
just want to intellectually relax, and I won't let them

ETA...

One of my fav replies (I have used something like this many times...
__________

Them.....How are you doing?

Me.....Well, I'm kind of okay...

Them......Really? Whats the matter?

Me.....It all started when I was seven....How much time do you have?

It's scary how accurate this is to myself
My current girlfriend though, is changing me for the better. But I can relate to every single thing you said on that...in a deep way.
Ouch, that hurts :/