I am going through this misanthropic phase at the moment, which inevitably occurs when I am in contact with a lot of people for a lot of the time and for lots of reasons. Because people become not simply obnoxious but disgusting too. Human nature can be wonderful and disgusting in equal portions.
You know what it feels like when you are in love and everything is splendid and wrapped in a warm and sweet haze? Well, it’s the opposite now. I’ve fallen out of love with people. They look terrifying to me, and instead of a warm and sweet haze, they look sharp and pixelized.
Whatever I have to say won’t make much sense in the long run, because the truth is –as the British ambassador said once while presenting this wonderful book- that it is only through people that we become people. I don’t intend to live apart from people, it is just that right this moment they smell bad. I imagine that this goes both ways.
As for how this feeling came about, I can say with certainty that it happens by approaching too much, as I usually do, and that’s when I notice a side that is not so much dark as it is beige and slimy. One is disgracefully stingy, so much so that they are funny in their attempt to save their pennies. The next is navel gazing so miserably and so continuously that they lose touch with reality. And another one has a problem taming the control freak inside of them and unleashes it against the innocent. Do you remember how Peter Sellers lapses into an involuntary nazi salute in Dr. Strangelove? Something similar.
1. The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
-this version is credited to Mother Teresa
Love you darling one.
big hugs
INot to worry, Chloe, we all fall in and out of love with people in our lives and people in general. The trick is, I heard once, not to fall out of love at the same time. And is till love you, even if i haven’t e-mailed you in ages.
I have all those triats. I navel gaze a lot, to the point where I think bartenders like me. I am an out-of-control freak, where I think others should listen to me just because I am me, and that means right.
I’m not a spendthrift though. It’s something I need to develop as money in the hand is neccessary, and occasionally more neccessary than the drink in the hand at the bar where I think the bartender likes me.
But she does like me, doesn’t she? I’m me!
Thanks Jeanne!! that was wonderful. This is what i intend to do, it is just that now I want to take a little break from people. Just for 5 minutes.
xx
Crag
Still love you too Craggy. xxxx
great post. i go through misanthrope phases myself.
Yep, in other words, people suck.
Sadly I think I am a misanthrope by nature. I wish I were one of those people who love people. But people are so tiring to me. It’s not their fault, it’s mine lol
So I completely understand!
There are Sartre-like overtones to all of this :). Solipsistic cabin-fever. It’s hard to break-out of - everyone needs a fortress of solitude occasionally. Even Superman. Being misanthropic and anti-social is a good temporary coping mechanism. So sod them. If people are going to get butthurt over things that are essentially transitory they’ve got bigger problems than any annoyance you feel towards them.
Ignore the people in question for a bit and you’ll feel better.
The bad smell is better than having no sense of smell at all. Heidegger may have been a Nazi scum-bag but I think he had something interesting to say about authenticity..
When I lived in Europe I felt as if people were crawling all over me, all the time. It’s so crowded.
Now I’m looking at all the people in Myanmar and China, knowing that they are doomed.
Poor old human race.
Oh then you’d be hating me with a passion right now! I am the selfish bitch, the adorer of shiny things, that saw the pretty, PRETTY shiny things in the photo for this post, and skipped over your mental discomfort, and rolled gleefully like a dog in your clever, CLEVER choices of words, and tracked across your kitchen floor to your blog site where I am now shaking word-water everywhere! And loving it.
Hattie, you are so right.
There is devastation in China and i am moaning about minor things here. I saw the images on TV and around the web. To be honest i avoid looking too much. The numbers are unimaginable and it feels like a big hole full of pain has opened on earth.
{{{{ Chloe}}}}}}}
Hugs to you Chloe! That is why I love my parrots and cats.
Some people suck some of the time?
I am not gone, just away from my computer lately :S
I’ve marked Saturday as my get-back-in-touch-with-the-world day, so speak soon! Sending happy thoughts of decent people your way in the meantime.
Thanks for the post card!
and yet, you still find it in your heart to send me a card. thx, my friend.
There’s something fascinating in the ugliness of humans but I can only take it in small doses. I hope you get some time to yourself away from all the humanity! I lock myself away on a regular basis and I think it’s what keeps me calm. most of the time.
I like the word misanthrope. It sounds better than it means.