What is it...

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

...about Discordianism that attracts sociopaths?

Is it that they lack the ability to make moral distinctions, subtle or otherwise, and thus take literally doctrines such as "Nothing is true, everything is permitted"?

Is it the perception that an understanding of the nature of the world as containing both order and disorder must therefore mandate an embracing of disorder and an abandonment of social mores?

Is it that the socially maladjusted see Discordianism as a haven where they will find unconditional acceptance, regardless how repugnant their behavior?

It seems like the primary complaint of those who seek us out and then find us wanting is that we're just too much like everyone else. We're too serious, too lucid, not wacky enough, not careless enough, not asocial enough. Too human.

What the hell is that all about? It's like they're looking for the Island of the Sociopaths where they can finally be accepted and feel at home.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

...about Discordianism that attracts sociopaths?

I think the common misperception is that, because we laugh at some of society's standards, that WE don't have any.  Thing is, I make fun of many of society's standards BECAUSE they are sociopathic.  And, yes, there has definitely been some sociopathic behavior here, though I am not quite prepared to call anyone a sociopath just yet.  That being said...

If you don't care when someone close to you dies, you need therapy.

If you insist on walking into a wake and shitting on the corpse to show your grief, you need therapy.

If you think the free market should prevail at the cost of the common man, you need a soul.

Stuff like that.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

I'd be offended by your insinuation that social hiccups and misreading a group's openness to distasteful jokes somehow amounts to Sociopathic behavior, but since I'm a Sociopath, I can't be.

Now we could use actual measurements for sociopathic behavior, or lack thereof, like maintaining a decent family through hard times for 10 years, or making and keeping meaningful off-line friendships for even longer, or tripling one's income in the space of 6 years by getting along with almost everyone at work and changing jobs by impressing new employers with social as well as technical skills. But that would be inconvenient so I fully support your tactic of taking the next best definition of sociopathy, "A tendency to make people mad on the Internet."

And aren't we all just looking for home, when you get right down to it?

[The Johnny]

Anomie and moral relativism does NOT equate being an emphatic person with critical thinking skills.

Having the representation that everything is equally valid, can and will justify any and all "abhorrent" behaviour.

This is a simplistic statement from my part, but its fucking raining and my power might go out (also a bit troubled about an essay).

[The Johnny]

And vex, you are derailing a thread into drama, when in the OP it was not directed at anyone in particular.

Did it say "every discordian"? did it say "why is vex a sociopath"? No, it didnt.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Might as well have. But in case that's just my sociopathic paranoia flaring up, I would like to say that maybe it isn't sociopaths who are drawn to discordians, but people who are also not at ease with the status quo. And they don't flock to discordianism like its the promised land or anything. Most of them never consider it, and for many others discordianism is just one stop along their journey to wherever they end up. Saying failure here is tantamount to mental illness is nothing if not self-righteous.

[The Johnny]

Might as well have.

Why? I know you guys had differences in other threads, but does that mean that "ghost of butthurt" gonna taint everything else?

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Might as well have.

Why? I know you guys had differences in other threads, but does that mean that "ghost of butthurt" gonna taint everything else?

OP here directly followed reprimanding me for displaying "antisocial" behavior in another thread. I know there's always "plausible deniability" in these things but I'm not inclined to believe it here than from the government.

As for butthurt, eh, no I'd rather have a decent conversation. I'll admit it's partly my fault for disregarding the social temperature and making jokes just to get a rise out of people, and I'm willing to adjust my attitude in that respect. It would be nice to encounter the Monkey Reflex a little less often though.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I'll admit it's partly my fault for disregarding the social temperature and making jokes just to get a rise out of people, and I'm willing to adjust my attitude in that respect. It would be nice to encounter the Monkey Reflex a little less often though.

Action ---> Reaction.

It's how we get things done.

[HandsomeGirl]

If you don't care when someone close to you dies, you need therapy.

Yeah, I've been working on that for a while now.  Kind of hard when you're poor enough all you can afford are the therapists that just tell you you need jesus, and that's your problem. I'm working toward being able to afford better help at great cost to my family,  I was just hoping to find a little niche of society that could accept me, weird-ass psychological problems and all.

Figured I should explain that I know I need help, before I'm told by more people that I need help.

I'm supposing that was directed my way at least, as you stated there had been sociopathic behavior around here and I hadn't noticed anyone else saying anything about not being sad when people you're close to die.  I know you're not taking a shot at me or anything, just laying it out there.  I was asked an honest question and gave an honest answer.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I was just hoping to find a little niche of society that could accept me, weird-ass psychological problems and all.

We accept anyone regardless of weird fucking baggage¹...As long as they're willing to work on that baggage, and not just fester in it.  I myself spend a lot of time examining my own weird-ass problems, but with the intent of reducing them.

I also spend a lot of time being wrong.  That's something else I like to work on.  In both cases, you stop making excuses, and work on the problem.  Once you see you have it, of course...But that's a whole other issue.




¹  Pope Lecherous and Babylon Horuv excepted, of course.  There are limits.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

...about Discordianism that attracts sociopaths?

I think the common misperception is that, because we laugh at some of society's standards, that WE don't have any.  Thing is, I make fun of many of society's standards BECAUSE they are sociopathic.  And, yes, there has definitely been some sociopathic behavior here, though I am not quite prepared to call anyone a sociopath just yet.  That being said...

If you don't care when someone close to you dies, you need therapy.

If you insist on walking into a wake and shitting on the corpse to show your grief, you need therapy.

If you think the free market should prevail at the cost of the common man, you need a soul.

Stuff like that.

Although I was certainly inspired by antisocial behavior/statements of some of the people currently here, more what I was thinking about when I wrote this are the people who come and then go, usually in a fit of pique about how we're not Really Real Discordians Enough because we don't find their sociopathy interesting, cool, funny, admirable, etc.

We seem to get a lot of them. A LOT. 

[The Johnny]

Also, i dont think discordia attracts any more sociopaths than say, atheism or satanism

Without any real basis or hard facts, id think "sociopath attraction": discordia < atheism < satanism

Maybe "born again christians" are at the top of the list if we are speaking of "religion and beliefs that are freely chosen and not born into it", i dont know.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

...about Discordianism that attracts sociopaths?

I think the common misperception is that, because we laugh at some of society's standards, that WE don't have any.  Thing is, I make fun of many of society's standards BECAUSE they are sociopathic.  And, yes, there has definitely been some sociopathic behavior here, though I am not quite prepared to call anyone a sociopath just yet.  That being said...

If you don't care when someone close to you dies, you need therapy.

If you insist on walking into a wake and shitting on the corpse to show your grief, you need therapy.

If you think the free market should prevail at the cost of the common man, you need a soul.

Stuff like that.

Although I was certainly inspired by antisocial behavior/statements of some of the people currently here, more what I was thinking about when I wrote this are the people who come and then go, usually in a fit of pique about how we're not Really Real Discordians Enough because we don't find their sociopathy interesting, cool, funny, admirable, etc.

We seem to get a lot of them. A LOT. 

Weirdos assume that because we're weird, we're their kind of weird.  Or vice-versa.

Then when it turns out that we're not or they're not, they feel all rejected, just like they always do...But they didn't expect it here, so they have to lash out.

And then they go somewhere else, convinced that the problem lies with US and not THEM.

Rinse, repeat.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Also, i dont think discordia attracts any more sociopaths than say, atheism or satanism

Hardly a ringing endorsement.