So I'm The Asshole

Philosophy Forums Philosophy
1

How convenient, as surely no flaw is in you. You are only offended because you are justified in so being. You don’t need to explain it, your reasons are implicit and certainly your audience would understand your position and it’s rightness in objection to me.

Did you know that a very popular internet forum by the name of “Reddit” has a subforum called “Am I The Asshole?” This is because there is a never ending flow of individuals who cannot extract from their actions the presence or absence of merit without social reflection. Even more abundant than these fools are the imbeciles who are quick to contribute their judgements of them. These are the vermin that constitute a society, a culture, a civilization.

“I follow the rules and so should you!” shout the human pests. This only applies to the rules these pests prefer. Driving is my last joy in life and people often ruin the joy of it. Permit me to explain, if you can bear it. I drive primarily with an emphasis on safety and self-preservation, as my vehicle is irreplaceable. I follow all traffic laws as demanded by the rulers and their enforcers. There is nothing I do on the road for which the enforcers might have justifiable reason to accost me. But pests are mad when I follow the rules they would prefer to be disregarded.

So I am accosted consistently by the assholes that disapprove of my adherence to the speed limit. I am frequently tailgated aggressively. I have developed tactics to accommodate the nastiest drivers in an effort to conclude our interactions as quickly as possible. But simply indulging in my last remaining joy in life, driving, means I must endure the impatient, demanding, and hostile pieces of trash that occupy the roads daily.

Yet I am the asshole. I do something that others don’t like. Did you realize that if everyone likes you, it’s because you are a meaningless and inoffensive piece of garbage? If you always do what is expected of you, you aren’t a person, you are a Non-Player Character. You exist only to fill in the blanks that others provide for you. And what is hilarious is that you would likely evaluate yourself as right and justified against me, altogether better than me.

Feelings are the ultimate authority and justification is the opiate of the masses.

Everyone who declares themselves to be performing optimally does so because they believe they are right and that their actions are justifiable. The moron tailgating me is impatient or rushed, but they would have numerous excuses for why I am in the wrong for going 55 MPH in a marked 55 MPH zone. Could it possibly be that I would rather appease the enforcers with the “authority” to fine me for speeding than to speed for some asshole who is running late for work? Does this asshole realize that going 10 MPH over for the course of a 20 mile trip will save them only seconds on their arrival time? No, they don’t care about me, I’m just in their way. No, they haven’t considered mathematical reality, only their feelings about the situation which matter to them.

Life experience has shown me that everything affects me more than most. The things that most feel or do, I feel or do more intensely. What pleasures others pleasures me more. What hurts others hurts me more. What others recall, I recall more intensely. What others think, I think more deeply. And I’m sure your instinct tells you that this proclamation of mine is some declaration of superiority, that I somehow believe myself to exceed you. You are likely triggered. BUT YOU’RE WRONG. CAN YOU HANDLE THAT?

I am not better, I do not for a second suggest that I am superior. Indeed, by many metrics and some diagnoses, I am inferior! I accept that! I am not better for my failure to integrate into and appreciate society! But I do not accept the judgement of the masses which insist I am inferior. I am different. I am unique. These are not prideful proclamations, they are explanations for my loneliness and isolation. They only serve to make sense, for me, of the situation in which I find myself.

I am utterly appalled by life. I am disgusted by the relentless violation of nature. I hate the claws, pincers, toxins, venoms, and general evil of existence in this world. I despise predators, parasites, and pests. But so it is, a constant cycle of birth and death. Whether birth by intimate relation or repulsive violation, new lives enter this world. Whether death by assault or time, lives constantly depart this world. Life is perpetual entrance and exit. Justice and peace are human fabrications, unknown to the rest of nature.

But the social gathering of peoples has only exacerbated these problems. What danger of identity theft existed prior to the era in which identity was separated from the face purported to personify it? And we are witnessing the rise of a technology which can steal even your face and voice for the sake of violating you as an individual. We are not powerless to stop it at all, but for the proclivities of the masses, all appears quite hopeless.

Consider this, if you can, sexual mutilation. Oh, cutting female genitals is broadly considered reprehensible. But cutting off part of male genitalia, well we have a nice and comfortable word for that; circumcision. Nobody cares that I would have wanted my penis whole, the experts say it is good for reasons which vary with time, but it is always justified somehow to hack flesh off of a penis with a scalpel (and even to suck the blood off with one’s mouth in some circles). How do you reconcile this? How do you accept this? What the hell is wrong with you for making the effort to justify in your own mind the vicious sexual violation of a baby boy?

Push it out, push it out, and reject it if it’s brought to you. Maintain your innocence at all costs, you are just so good as a person as evidenced by the justifications you perpetually bear in mind. No need to defend what others will for you. Stand down and call on authority. You do not need to think, do you?

I am the asshole. I speak a truth no god would defend. I can destroy the structure of your life with words and for this you would despise me, simply because your fortresses are so personally indefensible. I would not physically harm you, and I threaten nothing of your life and well-being, but for daring to assault your mental strongholds, so many of you would attempt to strike me. I am the asshole for being different and therefore objectionable.

But if I am so wrong, why can you not contend? Why do your words and ideas fail you in the face of my questions? What judgement of evil for viciousness can be extracted from inquiry? You have not felt my pain. You do not know my suffering. If you did, you would find humility. I know I am worthless, but you would attack me because you do not understand how worthless you are. There is no value, not in money or personality. Biological reality is being argued as a construct in a society of shared values in which the only construct is value itself.

I have so much more to say, but I’ll see first if there is any impact in what I’ve said so far. And I gather there won’t be, so I see no reason to waste further effort.

2 Likes
2

Careful not to absorb the poisons.
There are many, all over.
Cool that you find joy in driving.

3

Such wise words. I will keep them in mind.

No sarcasm, i appreciate the input.

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The thing about assholes, is they only do damage on a serious level, after climbing the ladder. But with so many, one is bound to get through. Then all hell breaks loose : Example : Putin… Ukrain.
There is hardly any filters in place to prevent bad persons
from doing bad things. We only get crime and punishment,
police intervention, after the offense is already been committed.
People only get stopped after they commit the asssault / crime.
This is an inferior system.
It’s come from the ancient past of
political revenge.

Political revenge is like regular revenge,
but more methodical, complex, and argued.
“I hate you. Why? You’ve done wrong,
and should be punished for it.”
Instead of acting out their revenge in person,
they prefer lawyers and a judge.
It’s the same politics, in 2 different formations.

I would hope someday we will have a better system in place.

Sorry that people spoil your fun on the road.

What can i say? Assholes shouldn’t have driver’s licenses.

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My god, man, you’re poetic. Your work is a blessing to me, no god needed, just know I appreciate you and thank you for your input.

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I’m flattered. But thanks for holding me in some esteem. It’s much better than that nihilism stuff, which is still around from place to place.

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I have plenty of it. But balance is essential. How else could we know joy?

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Bob said I could do anything. So I’m gonna go drive 50,000 miles an hour down the freeway and cut everybody off as I switch all the lanes frequently.

And before you even try and correct me, … do you even paint?

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If I had said that, I wouldn’t believe you could do what you say. And besides, you can do anything (within your abilities) but everything has consequences.

And yes, I do paint, but I’m not Bob Ross.

1 Like
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Ain’t nobody Bob Ross, except Bob Ross.

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Although my hopes are unmet, the response at least exceeded my expectations. But I will say no more. Doesn’t seem to matter anyway. Thank you to all who participated.

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There are worse things in life than being a bit of an asshole from time to time.

13

That is a guilt trip you are going to have to walk alone.

Pick a good nature trail, keep your comments condensed, and … listen. I assigned you a field trip.

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No, you’re right. That sounded like an effort to manipulate. I can understand that. That was not my intent.

Thanks for the feedback, but I’m just not very good at this.

What seems transparent can be very difficult to grasp.

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Yeah, that’s the thing. I had a hard time grasping it.

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You effectively embody the extent of my empathy. I want to feel for others and I want to do my best to do what is right. But when my ability to communicate is so radically cut short by the recently imposed linguistic limitations, what hope do I have?

My prized possession is a 165 year old Webster’s dictionary. It provides definitions of English words from when I feel language was at it’s peak. No idea can be communicated so concretely as is implied by social media. Words are only containers for ideas, but the breadth of containment can only be ascertained by the receiving party. If I hand you a gallon but you only see a liter, what can I do?

When the very notion of what is right is so subject to interpretation, what social cohesion can be anticipated? But I believe our commonality of good intention to be sufficient to merit forgiveness of bound overstepped unaware.

1 Like
17

I heard that.

18

I had to pick up on this, because I also have some wonderful old books, and I enjoy looking at the ideas that people had back then. But there’s more to it.

The evolution of language over the past 165 years reflects major changes in society, culture and technology. 165 years ago, society was in the throes of the Industrial Revolution and ideas often revolved around mechanisation, labour and colonial expansion. Today, ideas are shaped by globalisation, digital technology and the rise of the knowledge economy. Words like ‘cloud’ and ‘streaming’ have taken on entirely new meanings.

The 19th century was deeply influenced by Enlightenment ideals, romanticism and early modernism. In the 21st century, postmodernism, intersectionality and transhumanism dominate intellectual and cultural thought.

The lexicon has expanded considerably with the emergence of fields such as quantum physics, biotechnology, AI and climate science. Words like ‘algorithm’, ‘sustainability’ and ‘cyberspace’ would have been unthinkable then. Some words have become obsolete because the objects or practices they describe no longer exist (e.g. “spatterdash” for leggings worn to protect against mud). Other words, such as ‘gay’ or ‘virtue’, have changed in meaning because of cultural changes.

Ideas about gender, race and identity have expanded. Terms like “nonbinary”, “intersectionality” and “microaggression” reflect a growing sensitivity to diversity and social dynamics. Concepts such as ‘civil rights’, ‘social justice’ and ‘grassroots movements’ emerged in the 20th century and continue to shape language and thinking today. Terms such as ‘carbon footprint’ and ‘climate crisis’ show how environmental concerns have become central to modern discourse.

In the 19th century, English was more rigid in its linguistic borrowings, although it continued to assimilate words from colonised regions. Global interconnectedness has given rise to hybrid forms of English, such as ‘Hinglish’ or ‘Spanglish’, which influence mainstream vocabulary. Words like ‘hashtag’, ‘selfie’ and ‘emoji’ reflect how digital communication has changed the way we express ourselves.

Writing in the 19th century tended to be more verbose and detailed, reflecting the slower pace of life and limited access to information at the time. Modern communication favours brevity, as seen in tweets, memes and instant messaging. Visual storytelling and multimedia have become dominant. There’s now a greater recognition of complexity and uncertainty in fields such as quantum physics and systems thinking, influencing how we discuss concepts such as ‘emergence’ or ‘entropy’.

The 165-year-old Webster’s dictionary captures a snapshot of English at a time of optimism, industrial expansion and colonial power. So it’s not just about language, is it?

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Oh, but it is. So much of what you detail as progress and development is what I would identify as regression and entropy. Is the accelerated pace of life such a benefit to us all? Have we become better for our 40-hour work week and the “wealth” we have that allows all our food to be purchased off of shelves in a big box store?

You rightly point out new thought and the vernacular invented and spread to support it. You even call out the root of it in “globalization.” Who says man was meant to be universally interconnected? Whose playbook are we operating within? Are you so certain of the benevolence of your masters? It seems so many statistics regarding the individual among western society would indicate how miserable most of us are today. Few even understand what we have lost. And there is no going back.

Our ancestors brought us here, taking the bait one hook at a time. And we were born into this depravity, chains secured, locked into this existence without option or notion thereof. But at one point, our fathers spoke freely. They exchanged ideas uninhibited by a broadly hateful audience on tip toes, waiting to scream about offensiveness. They carried thoughts for days not just moments.

And that, I would argue, is what is lost today. Critical thought, the ability to analyze, depth and breadth of concentration and focus. Opinions are swayed by an image with some words on it. Enthymemes carry far more weight than would be beneficial for the society they claim to represent. A lengthy sentence of words is as punishing to some as the same from a judge.

I do not share your enthusiasm for all the changes you mentioned. Yes, some appear entirely benevolent. But many are only decay, as I see them.

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I think you mistake my distinguishing the change of mindset as being more than a semantic difference with enthusiasm.

You might recognise my critical attitude in this article, which you might find interesting.