People only like the idea of weirdness...

Post Reply New Topic

...but somehow I wonder if they know exactly what they're talking about.

When people describe themselves as bizarre, I know they're actually just referring to natural quirkiness, and I sometimes want to say to them, "Be reassured that your brand of 'weirdness' is not going to affect your chances at obtaining social relationships." The fact that the general population has taken it up as a trend really annoys me.

Indeed, when people come in contact with people who are truly "odd" compared to themselves, there's always an objection, a shying-away. Take creativity, for example! People love the idea of vivid imaginations and creative minds! But I've had more than a few times in my life when I was made to feel silly for making up something perfectly valid that wasn't quite what they person had in mind. No wonder I keep my thoughts private so much these days.

Human beings are floating on a sea of unconscious processes that they don't understand, human beings have very little insight into why they think or do what they do.

See here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYmi0DLzBdQ

That's pretty interesting!

Yeah, this happens to me all the time too. I'm always confused about why people find my creative imaginings so objectionable when they're always holding up imagination and creativity as positive attributes. Hardly anyone in real life engages with me when I share any of my weirder ideas, and it's not because the ideas are offensive, or I talk over them or any social faux pas like that.

But I'm wondering if the very act of sharing a weird idea is a social faux pas. Like a questioning of the status quo or authority or grupthink. I really don't know. I've also considered that maybe people think I am saying something weird to get attention, when in fact I only said something weird because I found it interesting and thought that someone else could add to it. If they think I'm attention-seeking, maybe they're shying away so as not to encourage me. Again, I really don't know!

A lot of the same people like to declare themselves odd or quirky, so they can feel unique. But when confronted with engaging in something unconventional, even as insignificant as talking about an unconventional idea, the act is dropped, and they return to the comfort of the herd. I don't actually blame anyone for this, because I don't think they can help it. It's a natural built-in response to social pressure.

Every person desires to be unique and special. But it's not enough if they KNOW they are, they must tell people to seek validation from others to verify it.

Oftentimes, it doesn't even have to be true. For example, people will lie to brag, and it doesn't matter to them that the attention they gain from the lie isn't true. They enjoy it as much as if it were true. Even if they don't receive an acknowledgment of the lie, if they believe that others believe it, and if THEY believe that it makes them special, they believe that others will think that, too. This is why people are delusional.

In reality, whether the "specialness" is true or not, most people are annoyed by another person's "specialness" and never think the owner of the "specialness" is special. They console themselves by belittling it in their head or believing that it is a lie, or in some cases, it makes them feel special, too, if they believe they gain something from it, ie. a higher status from knowing the person. (Like if you knew a celebrity or some such thing).

And weirdness if relative. It's like being cool. There is no state of weirdness. There are some that may perceive you as weird, but it's not a state that can be achieved. You never obtain "weird" as a permanent status. If you think you are weird it is only your perception. Not a truth.

But really, all people ARE weird because they believe their perception is true and real when it's not. Weird.

Yes, you are very right.

But that just means you are supremely special for being able to be weird. Weird, in my opinion, is tantamount to a diversion in evolution. It's necessary for growth and change.

Most people are just members of the herd. When they want to be weird to be trendy, take it as a compliment, they work hard at pretending to be weird, what you naturally already have going for you. They want to be like you, but just don't have what it takes.

Also, when you do find a friend or a person who accepts you for who you are, weird ideas and all, you will have the experience to cherish them greatly.

You've got to understand that for most people there are two types of weird. One being good weird and the other being bad weird. Whether someone is one or the other is all down to individual opinion.

god damn, thats brilliant.

Humans are such a weird species.

Very glad I watched!

Pretty much! But hey, it's just the typical thing of people being afraid of anything different to themselves.

I remember in high school, for about a year I used an old friend who was still loyal to me as a contact to get into the typical 'popular' group, and from there acted and faked it to become accepted. Huge amount of stress, but they would always describe themselves as "weird" or "odd", whilst a select few of them (I'm talking the bitchy girls who were annoyed I was dating one of their ex's, lol) would talk about my back badly about me being weird - what on earth, hypocritical much!? It's like, no... No. To fit in with you guys you need the right look, the right interests, and have to not make any social faux passes and go out several times a week!
As a joke, someone said, "Hey, I know! We couldn't make friends so we made friends with eachother!"
I would have facedesked.

Sorry, I went on a slight ramble there.... xD

This is exactly what I brought up in a thread I started. I was actually laughed at once when I tried to join in a conversation where NTs were bragging about how weird they were. They laughed at me and were like "yeah right, you're normal". I don't know if they were being serious of not but if they were oh did they have no idea...

I think they're right though. Weird can be harmless or harmful. Some people will really hurt you if you get too close to them, not because they're just nasty people, but because they don't quite have that grip on reality that most people take for granted. If somebody double-crosses me for their own personal gain, I'll hate it but at least I'll understand the motives. But some people have wrecked their friendships with me simply because they're weird, and they've done it even though it hurt them as much as it hurt me. That's a particular kind of harm that I have a lot of trouble coming to terms with, because it seems such a senseless waste, and it makes me feel really stupid because I've always prided myself on accepting people regardless of their eccentricities, and I've always felt kind of superior to people who run away as soon as somebody doesn't quite measure up to the boring middle-of-the-road thing. The other problem is that when I lose a really strange person, I miss them a lot more, because they're unique, whereas with mainstreamers you can just snap another one off the roll and barely know anything's changed.

I can't define "bad weird," and obviously it depends on what the individual sees as harmful behaviour, but I think a noticeable loss of grip on reailty is a bad sign.

I had a longer response to type out, but I'm just going to condense it to:

"Woe to the non-conformist who does not conform to non-conformism."

Basically, one who conforms to the idea of what a weird person should be is fine (think, well, most subcultures.)

One who does not is seen as committing a major social faux pas.

I notice this happening. Challenging the social groupthink is something that is never taken well.

Creativity and imagination are only good so far as they do not challenge someone's preconceptions too widely. Look at art, music, culture, etc.

Damn straight it goes a long way to explaining why our world is the way it is.

Some people are fairly quirky, but still able to multi-task and hold jobs like most 'normal' people. Socially, these people tend to be accepted, even though they are called or considered 'weird.' I suspect this is accepted because no social accommodation really need be made for these individuals. In other words, the differences are peripheral to an otherwise normal type of functioning. There is a kind of charming innocuous novelty 'weird' that tends to be easily accepted by society, and is more related to choice in interests than in any real neurological differences. The problem is that these people really aren't "weird" and are kind of devaluing the meaning of the word by using it so regularly. The word "weird" implies an exception to an apparent norm. I guess most people think of themselves as an exception - after all we do live in a highly individualistic, self-reinforcing society.