18. Some people have trouble coping with certain distressing possibilities, so, to get through the day, they delude themselves into thinking that the distressing possibilities can't possibly happen to them, because of their circumstances or because they're sufficiently diligent.
Examples: "I won't get sick because I eat all the right superfoods and do all the right asanas!" "I won't be raped because I dress modestly!" "I won't ever be a refugee because I'm a regular person living in a developed country!"
This part I don't take issue with. Life is hard and the world sucks, do what you have to do to get through the day as long as it doesn't do any harm
The problem is when it starts doing harm. Some people feel the need to reinforce their self-delusion by inflicting it on others assholicly, and sometimes even by advocating for assholic policy.
Examples: "Your mother died? She should have eaten more superfoods!" Which later escalates to "My taxes shouldn't have to pay for health care because people wouldn't need health care if they were responsible enough to just eat the right foods!" Or "Those people say they're refugees but they have smartphones! They must be frauds - deport them!"
So I propose a natural consequence: if the self-delusion you resort to because you can't cope with distressing possibilities leads you to behave assholicly, you are sentenced to the very distressing possibility you fear.
I do realize this is a very severe sentence, so it's a three strikes rule. The first two times you do it, you get a very stern warning that makes the offending actions and the future consequences quite clear to you. (Q: How? A: Through the same omnipotent magic that enforces all of my natural consequences, of course!) Then, the third time, you're sentenced to the very horror you dread.
3 comments:
This sounds to me like the exact opposite of the mental technique Stoics refer to as "negative visualization." It's as if people are going out of their way looking for ways to harm themselves and others.
I had to google negative visualization, and it turns out I do it all the time automatically. I don't get most of the benefits that the internet says you get from it though.
Man, do I ever wish we could implement this one. Those it-can't-happen-to-me fantasies block empathy and compassion, and in turn they impede social progress.
Plus we could rid ourselves of so much smugness!
Post a Comment