Another good "food for thought" article, and another top shelf comment from Dustin. Thanks to both for slowing what feels like society's constant grind of dumbing down... also I wonder, do "abrasive assholes" enjoy each other's authentic company?
So glad you enjoyed this one! Haha, I'm always thankful to know there are people like you who still have shards of intellectual curiosity left in this increasingly anti-intellectual larger culture.
The stereotype is the cruel mean girls and the bullying jocks all hanging out, so if the stereotype holds any truth, I imagine they do enjoy each other's unpleasant company! Though, I'm sure there is nuance even to abrasive asshole herds haha.
Glad to get your input on Rasputin! It really is a kind of game trying to piece together the personality of someone from the past, particularly a time before we could so easily document ourselves and others.
He's a strange character in that he's not so obvious to me. He was absolutely a master manipulator and deviously charismatic, especially considering his looks are so off-putting and intimidating. I'm not sure if I can bring myself to call him a sociopath though, but I can see why that's possible.
At the same time, he did seem to genuinely care about the Romanov children and even tried to dissuade Nicholas from war for no real reasons other than the possibility of doom and suffering (which, funny enough, he was mostly right about).
I wonder if we're more likely to attribute these kinds of outlier personalities to unusual historical figures because it explains their unusualness more? How much does it unsettle us if we had to admit there was nothing truly remarkable about Rasputin besides his determination and drive for power? Perhaps that's even more unsettling than sociopathy.
I love that analogy of finding one's authentic self in the way we find the perfect shirt. There's absolutely truth to the idea of "trying on" selves, as that's exactly what we see so obviously in younger ages, like teenagers.
Good point though, about how authentic authenticity truly is. From your description, what comes to mind is Jung's idea of individuation and Maslow's humanistic theory. Both of these ideas say that the "true self" requires the pursuit of balance. So in your case, that low agreeableness balanced would actually be more you than your "raw form", if you will.
It's an interesting idea, that balancing your personality is actually what allows for most "you" to come forward. In my case, I'm overly agreeable, which I know hinders the expression of my "authentic self." It's like our pre-sets are all jumbled and we spend our lives trying to find the perfect settings that let us most be our *best* selves.
Loved your insightful comment! Really helpful for adding some context to these ideas.
Another good "food for thought" article, and another top shelf comment from Dustin. Thanks to both for slowing what feels like society's constant grind of dumbing down... also I wonder, do "abrasive assholes" enjoy each other's authentic company?
So glad you enjoyed this one! Haha, I'm always thankful to know there are people like you who still have shards of intellectual curiosity left in this increasingly anti-intellectual larger culture.
The stereotype is the cruel mean girls and the bullying jocks all hanging out, so if the stereotype holds any truth, I imagine they do enjoy each other's unpleasant company! Though, I'm sure there is nuance even to abrasive asshole herds haha.
Glad to get your input on Rasputin! It really is a kind of game trying to piece together the personality of someone from the past, particularly a time before we could so easily document ourselves and others.
He's a strange character in that he's not so obvious to me. He was absolutely a master manipulator and deviously charismatic, especially considering his looks are so off-putting and intimidating. I'm not sure if I can bring myself to call him a sociopath though, but I can see why that's possible.
At the same time, he did seem to genuinely care about the Romanov children and even tried to dissuade Nicholas from war for no real reasons other than the possibility of doom and suffering (which, funny enough, he was mostly right about).
I wonder if we're more likely to attribute these kinds of outlier personalities to unusual historical figures because it explains their unusualness more? How much does it unsettle us if we had to admit there was nothing truly remarkable about Rasputin besides his determination and drive for power? Perhaps that's even more unsettling than sociopathy.
I love that analogy of finding one's authentic self in the way we find the perfect shirt. There's absolutely truth to the idea of "trying on" selves, as that's exactly what we see so obviously in younger ages, like teenagers.
Good point though, about how authentic authenticity truly is. From your description, what comes to mind is Jung's idea of individuation and Maslow's humanistic theory. Both of these ideas say that the "true self" requires the pursuit of balance. So in your case, that low agreeableness balanced would actually be more you than your "raw form", if you will.
It's an interesting idea, that balancing your personality is actually what allows for most "you" to come forward. In my case, I'm overly agreeable, which I know hinders the expression of my "authentic self." It's like our pre-sets are all jumbled and we spend our lives trying to find the perfect settings that let us most be our *best* selves.
Loved your insightful comment! Really helpful for adding some context to these ideas.