The Two Most Important Mental Conditions to Society...

[Seducer of the Homeless]

(i am not sure is this is the correct phrasing)

...but i propose that Insecurity and Narcissism are the most important and constructive Mental Conditions. they are the inspiration for and reason humans do anything.


discuss


(and has this been said before?)

 

[Sugarpop]

What would make you think so? It seems a natural conclusion to arrive at for INTPs, since we do a lot of second-guessing/arrogance.

Couldn't you say the same thing about hate & love, happiness & sorrow, desire & disgust? It seems like anyone could describe the human psyche in almost any way and make it sound like a plausible theory.

It is also quite possible to claim that any other perceived dichotomy can be explained through a more fundatmental one. For instance you could say that desire & disgust are really reflections of one's own insecurity or narcissism. However, you could just as easily say that insecurity is a form of disgust at the Self.

In the end you get an invincible theory that can explain almost any behavior in a way that makes sense. Sense and truth however, are not the same. You will find that a given behavior can be explained in many ways that contradict each other but all sound plausible and logical.

 

[Da Blob]

I would have to disagree with the premise for neither insecurity or Narcissism are unique to the human species. I would think that some of the uniquely human abilities and talents should listed as the most important....

 

[Seducer of the Homeless]

i don't mean 'humans' specifically, i just...fuck semantics

i am just saying it is possible that we do/achieve things do either fill the void created by insecurity or fulfil narcissism. just a theory.

 

[Invoke Ninja's True Power]

insanity and insecurity, they spread virally

 

[Da Blob]

i don't mean 'humans' specifically, i just...fuck semantics

i am just saying it is possible that we do/achieve things do either fill the void created by insecurity or fulfil narcissism. just a theory.

Well phrased that way I would have to agree with you...!
(ditto, on the semantics thing)

We have two prime motivations Hope and Fear, our twinned attitudes towards the future.
Insecurity is a type of Fear
Narcissism is a type of Hope

 

[Sugarpop]

We have two prime motivations Hope and Fear, our twinned attitudes towards the future.
Insecurity is a type of Fear
Narcissism is a type of Hope

It's still a question of the eternally fuckable semantics you speak of. If you mean to suggest that we are largely motivated by positive or negative feelings toward the future, I might agree. I also think you should consider what I wrote here:

It is also quite possible to claim that any other perceived dichotomy can be explained through a more fundamental one. For instance you could say that desire & disgust are really reflections of one's own insecurity or narcissism. However, you could just as easily say that insecurity is a form of disgust at the Self.

In the end you get an invincible theory that can explain almost any behavior in a way that makes sense. Sense and truth however, are not the same. You will find that a given behavior can be explained in many ways that contradict each other but all sound plausible and logical.

i am just saying it is possible that we do/achieve things do either fill the void created by insecurity or fulfil narcissism. just a theory.

More an unverifiable statement than a theory. But yes, people probably do things because they feel either too good or too bad about themselves sometimes.

 

[Da Blob]

It's still a question of the eternally fuckable semantics you speak of. If you mean to suggest that we are largely motivated by positive or negative feelings toward the future, I might agree. I also think you should consider what I wrote here:

More an unverifiable statement than a theory. But yes, people probably do things because they feel either too good or too bad about themselves sometimes.

Agreed.

After 50 years of dealing with some competency with words, I realized how horribly inadequate they are as tools for real communication. I would suppose that most arguments are between people who are actually in agreement but simply misunderstand the usage of words by another.

However, both insecurity and Narcissism are considered to be mental disorders ..., I would hate to think we have to rely on such for creativity..

As far as polarities and dichotomies, they rarely reflect reality - they're products of a psychological process known as 'splitting' at a certain stage of life it is the only way to make sense of the universe to split it or polarize it into opposing forces......

 

[Sugarpop]

Agreed.

After 50 years of dealing with some competency with words, I realized how horribly inadequate they are as tools for real communication. I would suppose that most arguments are between people who are actually in agreement but simply misunderstand the usage of words by another.

I could go on and on about how ignorant people are of this and the real premises of their arguments. I'm glad to have found a community of people who are willing to discuss such things.

 

[Invoke Ninja's True Power]

Agreed.

After 50 years of dealing with some competency with words, I realized how horribly inadequate they are as tools for real communication. I would suppose that most arguments are between people who are actually in agreement but simply misunderstand the usage of words by another.

Just look at all the squabbling between different religions that supposedly believe in the same things / same god. Fucking idiots

 

[Seducer of the Homeless]

However, both insecurity and Narcissism are considered to be mental disorders ..., I would hate to think we have to rely on such for creativity..

As far as polarities and dichotomies, they rarely reflect reality - they're products of a psychological process known as 'splitting' at a certain stage of life it is the only way to make sense of the universe to split it or polarize it into opposing forces......

forgive me if i have misunderstood what you have written (semantics ) but i don't believe they are the creative source rather the motivation. the reason a someone/something will actually do something. from regularly doing housework (for either insecurity or narcissism) to saving the world or being a freedom fighter. Insecurity and Narcissism are just the foundations we build on, everything we do beyond those Objective points is merely Subjective.

After 50 years of dealing with some competency with words, I realized how horribly inadequate they are as tools for real communication. I would suppose that most arguments are between people who are actually in agreement but simply misunderstand the usage of words by another.

this is very interesting


EDIT: i would think my interest in Psychology spans from wanting to understand myself - because i am Insecure. (more than Narcissistic-but i think everyone has both)

 

[Da Blob]

forgive me if i have misunderstood what you have written (semantics ) but i don't believe they are the creative source rather the motivation. the reason a someone/something will actually do something. from regularly doing housework (for either insecurity or narcissism) to saving the world or being a freedom fighter. Insecurity and Narcissism are just the foundations we build on, everything we do beyond those Objective points is merely Subjective.

EDIT: i would think my interest in Psychology spans from wanting to understand myself - because i am Insecure. (more than Narcissistic-but i think everyone has both)

LOL - the confusion caused by words and differing POVs. When you refer to Narcissism, I think of the horrible mental disorder listed in the DSM-V4-TR. When you refer to insecurity, my mind flips through the pages of that same book to the section labeled "Anxiety disorders"... I do not think that a condition that is described as a mental imbalance would be a good foundation for anything (Words again, we are probably in agreement here, your observation is probably a valid one. You know what you see, describing it in words though - there is the rub)

 

[aklyatne]

Insecurity and narcissism? Neither of those motivate me. I do things because they're good for me, not because they'll make me look good to others.