Martian

Hmm.

I pondered at length how best to address the amount of vitriol I seem to have solicited here. I have decided to take this on a per-user basis.

Zeraph, you first.

Starting at the beginning:

Yes. Unsurprisingly, my opinions are shaped by my experiences. Thus, my expressed opinion regarding misanthropy and those who who identify with it would be based upon my own experience and anything outside my admittedly rather limited experience does not factor into it. This should go without saying, but I felt the need to emphasize it anyway, lest anyone misunderstand and believe that I am making statements regarding absolutes.

Isn't judging others what misanthropy is all about? You've judged the rest of humanity and found them wanting. Asking people to be less judgmental in a thread regarding misanthropy strikes me as highly amusing.

I'm glad that you've thought out your viewpoint. It's a bit short-sighted, to say the least, to assume that others haven't. Part of my personal experience with misanthropy comes from my own prior experiences as a self-identified misanthrope. Later experience, however, demanded that I reassess my view and opinions about the world. This was brought on largely by an increase in self-awareness, when I finally started to figure out who I really am. This is not the full extent of my experience in the matter, but forms a large part of it.

Unless I'm misunderstanding you here, your argument centers around the self-evident fact that one in ten individuals fall within the ninetieth percentile on any given measure of aptitude. The flaw in your logic as I see it is that you assume that the same ten percent are going to be at the top of every category.

If we assume that you're correct, it still doesn't make sense. I make no secret of the fact that I fall within the ninety-eighth percentile for intelligence, yet you continue to refer to me (obliquely, at least) as naive. Wouldn't my supposed lack of wisdom combined with my readily apparent intellect destroy your theory? And if not, do you hate me for being unwise or like me for being smart?

Emotion is fine for opinions, but has no place in debate. Had you said 'I hate the world because people rape little girls,' then I would agree that this is your opinion and you have a right to it. But when you use this as an attempt to persuade others, you enter into the realm of the debate and the rules of logic apply. As there's no logical basis for misanthropy, things quickly fall apart here.

Again we find acceptance equated with indifference.

I'm sorry, I must've missed the sign; I wasn't aware that this discussion was reserved only for people who consider themselves to be misanthropes. Regardless, it strikes me that a philosophy that can't stand up to a bit of criticism must not be very strong to begin with.

FelixP:

I think you've misunderstood me. My point was to illustrate that what you were saying seemed to be just another form of intellectual elitism, making your statement incompatible with your claim that you aren't better than the teeming masses. It wasn't meant to be applied specifically to you, or even to be taken literally at all. I apologize if that was unclear.

Regardless, you're free to have whatever outlook you wish, but I'll not be blamed for it. Assuming for the sake of argument that I was particularly bothered by the opinion of someone on the internet, it's still not up to me to make up your mind for you. I'm going to say what I have to say. It's up to you to interpret and internalize that in whatever way you see fit.

EDIT for the cross-post.

Certainly I came in with a quip. Such is my modus operandi. I had to double-check on the vulgarity thing, since that's not usually my style; I suppose you're correct insofar as I did write the word 'fuck' in my initial post, although it wasn't actually directed at anyone and more intended as an illustration of surprise at what I'd read.

I have done nothing more sinister here than express an opposing viewpoint. I'm sorry that it seems to upset you so, but I refer you to the above. If your philosophy is unable to withstand dissension, perhaps you should consider a re-examination.

Why do you continually assume that anyone who doesn't have your sheer volume of bile is passive and indifferent? I don't understand where this comes from. It is possible to accept that there are bad things in the world without hating everyone. I recognize that I don't have the power to change such things and that my energy is better spent elsewhere. That doesn't mean that I'm okay with the terrible things people do to each other, but it does mean I'm also capable of recognizing that there are a lot of good things in the world as well, and would rather focus my time and energy on that.

There's nothing passive about it. Some of the individuals who had the greatest impact on the world we live in taught a philosophy of acceptance. See also: Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Gandhi.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame