I've encountered students describing themselves as overly empathetic, using the term empath. They get real upset when seeing people get upset, and it's less of an xman ability, and more of a explanation for what they perceive as a less normal reaction. It sucks that people are spreading psuedo-science for sure. I bet that's a huge contingent of that terminology's use.
Isn't that just... empathy? Or are they getting more upset than one would consider 'normal' for the situation?
This whole thing reminds me of Dennis getting feelings again in Always Sunny
I've encountered students describing themselves as overly empathetic, using the term empath. They get real upset when seeing people get upset, and it's less of an xman ability, and more of a explanation for what they perceive as a less normal reaction. It sucks that people are spreading psuedo-science for sure. I bet that's a huge contingent of that terminology's use.
Yeah your definition is something I could definitely get behind. Sadly the original post was an admittedly pretty glib take of like "if you think you're an empath, you probably just have unaddressed issues of your own that you need to work out" and a whole lot of people streaming in with links to pseudoscience websites and "research papers" that haven't been peer-reviewed written by people with no credentials that talk about the rise of "dark empaths" and darkness levels in modern society, treating it like an actual superpower (that they don't like, but it's still supernatural nonetheless).
Yeah, it's people spinning a supernatural explanation for something that is just extremely keen awareness. It's a form of sensory processing sensitivity.
The experience of an empath --in a functional sense-- can manifest as anxiety or depression, because you can't turn off caring about others without killing part of yourself, and it can get overwhelming and exhausting to be so aware of others' pain. (Speaking from experience. I could have described myself as an empath before the New Age contingent got holt of it. I'm into witchy shit, but as, like, a fun way to tap into the subconscious, not destroy the moon. If the supernatural exists, it's beyond our ken.)
I'm not even saying it's impossible that there's yet more stuff we're unaware of; we have electrical fields (neurons, yo, how do they work?), we're made of star stuff. I'm Indigenous, so I'm not gonna dismiss non-Western rationales for understanding our world; I'd argue it's still natural even if science doesn't yet explain it. But some group just being like, 'yes, this is the answer and exactly how it works' without thousands of years of observation or good scientific method to support it, I'm gonna give the side-eye at minimum.
'Empath' as shorthand is helpful to emphasize an elevated level of a common trait -- Highly Sensitive Person is a bit mouthy but a more science-backed version (tho more research is needed.) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8514528/
Plus, some people associate science with pathology, and might self-apply a term that feels (hah!) more empowering.
My hypothesis as to why people get into various New Age woo: if they're part of something bigger, it doesn't matter that they feel small.
Babies and children functionally see themselves as the center of the universe, and healthy childhood narcissism is just a stage of development.
Some people never recover from the existential crisis of realizing that the world in general doesn't know or care about them. They internalize that as shattered self-worth, and can veer into a spectrum of overcompensating, unhealthy narcissistic behaviors -- they are either shit or The Shit. They constantly seek ways to feel special to cope, and compensate for a fundamental lack in stability, self-esteem, & validation. They're trying to fill a bottomless pit, and subsume themselves in these things so they don't have to look at what hurts.
Same reason people fall down conspiracy holes, or religion, or anything that tells them they have a unique understanding.
It's not gonna be 100% applicable, but I'm gonna guess that for most people, that shit derives from some kind of trauma.
Thanks to a random Twitter thread I've learned about the concept of "empaths", which as far as I can tell is basically just emotional telepathy (they can sense the moods of people they haven't talked to, haven't met, sitting in other rooms, etc).
And the people who believe in it really believe in it, despite their open acknowledgement that there's no evidence or scientific backing to support the idea (they're very quick to point out that it's not the same thing as actual empathy).
It's really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it falls in the same category as homeopathy, astrology, crystal energy, etc. so my mood is unreasonably annoyed at having to know it exists.
I have noticed that other people's feelings influence mine a lot. I can't watch anything "cringy" because it feels to me almost like physical harm, and it's very easy for me to see through the facades people put up and notice what they actually feel, and thus think.
I think it mostly comes from a childhood of walking on eggshells to never ever anger my parents.
Edit: None of it happens if I don't actually see people though, nothing about it is supernatural. Just years of forced training.
I get why some people think they are empaths, just like I get why some people think astrology is a real thing which is accurate etc. It's just deeply annoying when you encounter it in real life is all.
Tbh I think its also bad for society for people to engage in magical thinking but also so are lots of other things that we ain't winning the battle on so whatever I guess
+6
DepressperadoI just wanted to see you laughingin the pizza rainRegistered Userregular
I used to concentrate really hard on stuff around the room instead of paying attention in school
I was certain if I flexed just the right brain muscle, I'd be able to move things with my mind
I know the Age of Sail is wildly romanticized and there was all kinds of bad shit to deal with, but damn how much fun would it be to part of the crew on a rig like that
Houk the Namebringer on
0
knitdanIn ur baseKillin ur guysRegistered Userregular
Sure there’s plenty of rum and sodomy, but there’s also the lash
“I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
I know the Age of Sail is wildly romanticized and there was all kinds of bad shit to deal with, but damn how much fun would it be to part of the crew on a rig like that
just join the us navy and pray to god you get assigned to special duty about the o.g. uss constitution(the oldest surviving fully operational naval vessel)
Is there a derranged billionaire who wants to LARP as a pirate?
literally all of them?
0
valhalla13013 Dark Shield Perceives the GodsRegistered Userregular
I don't know the name of my mood right now...
There is a new worker here who apparently likes me. To the point where others have started making jokes about she hugs me when she sees me, and sits really close when she's talking to me, and offers to bring me coffee or something from the cafeteria. And doesn't do those things for anyone else.
A little context, I'm a germaphobe and somewhat antisocial and it takes a lot for me to warm up to people. And this stranger who I've known for about 6 days over a three week period is not that close to me yet. I also don't like touching people.
Well, tonight, because she doesn't know anything about me, she hurt me. And I don't feel I can talk to anyone about it here. A friend up here has one of those high-powered massagers, and he brings it to work and thinks it's neat. (He's a little odd.) She came up behind me and use it on my neck.
I have 5 discs in my neck which need surgery and I've been putting it off. She doesn't know me that well, so she had no way of knowing, and I am angry that this complete stranger thought that was okay, and I am not the kind of person who can relay that to someone. I don't want to hurt her feelings because other than not knowing about personal space, apparently, she seems nice. Not my type, but I don't want to tell her thaat. I was hoping she would just stop. Now, I'm in pain, don't have any medication to take for it here at work, and just want to leave.
There is a new worker here who apparently likes me. To the point where others have started making jokes about she hugs me when she sees me, and sits really close when she's talking to me, and offers to bring me coffee or something from the cafeteria. And doesn't do those things for anyone else.
A little context, I'm a germaphobe and somewhat antisocial and it takes a lot for me to warm up to people. And this stranger who I've known for about 6 days over a three week period is not that close to me yet. I also don't like touching people.
Well, tonight, because she doesn't know anything about me, she hurt me. And I don't feel I can talk to anyone about it here. A friend up here has one of those high-powered massagers, and he brings it to work and thinks it's neat. (He's a little odd.) She came up behind me and use it on my neck.
I have 5 discs in my neck which need surgery and I've been putting it off. She doesn't know me that well, so she had no way of knowing, and I am angry that this complete stranger thought that was okay, and I am not the kind of person who can relay that to someone. I don't want to hurt her feelings because other than not knowing about personal space, apparently, she seems nice. Not my type, but I don't want to tell her thaat. I was hoping she would just stop. Now, I'm in pain, don't have any medication to take for it here at work, and just want to leave.
Yo WHAT you need to get bosses involved on that post-fuckin-haste
I feel bad because that definitely sounds like some dumb cringe bullshit I'd have done when I was a younger idiot, but as mortified as she is likely to be it is kind of important that this person understands that type of shit is super not okay, and especially in a working environment where there are legal consequences.
Posts
Lwaxana Troi: Telepathic
Isn't that just... empathy? Or are they getting more upset than one would consider 'normal' for the situation?
This whole thing reminds me of Dennis getting feelings again in Always Sunny
https://youtu.be/ksJpuznVJFM
The experience of an empath --in a functional sense-- can manifest as anxiety or depression, because you can't turn off caring about others without killing part of yourself, and it can get overwhelming and exhausting to be so aware of others' pain. (Speaking from experience. I could have described myself as an empath before the New Age contingent got holt of it. I'm into witchy shit, but as, like, a fun way to tap into the subconscious, not destroy the moon. If the supernatural exists, it's beyond our ken.)
I'm not even saying it's impossible that there's yet more stuff we're unaware of; we have electrical fields (neurons, yo, how do they work?), we're made of star stuff. I'm Indigenous, so I'm not gonna dismiss non-Western rationales for understanding our world; I'd argue it's still natural even if science doesn't yet explain it. But some group just being like, 'yes, this is the answer and exactly how it works' without thousands of years of observation or good scientific method to support it, I'm gonna give the side-eye at minimum.
'Empath' as shorthand is helpful to emphasize an elevated level of a common trait -- Highly Sensitive Person is a bit mouthy but a more science-backed version (tho more research is needed.) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8514528/
Plus, some people associate science with pathology, and might self-apply a term that feels (hah!) more empowering.
My hypothesis as to why people get into various New Age woo: if they're part of something bigger, it doesn't matter that they feel small.
Babies and children functionally see themselves as the center of the universe, and healthy childhood narcissism is just a stage of development.
Some people never recover from the existential crisis of realizing that the world in general doesn't know or care about them. They internalize that as shattered self-worth, and can veer into a spectrum of overcompensating, unhealthy narcissistic behaviors -- they are either shit or The Shit. They constantly seek ways to feel special to cope, and compensate for a fundamental lack in stability, self-esteem, & validation. They're trying to fill a bottomless pit, and subsume themselves in these things so they don't have to look at what hurts.
Same reason people fall down conspiracy holes, or religion, or anything that tells them they have a unique understanding.
It's not gonna be 100% applicable, but I'm gonna guess that for most people, that shit derives from some kind of trauma.
I have noticed that other people's feelings influence mine a lot. I can't watch anything "cringy" because it feels to me almost like physical harm, and it's very easy for me to see through the facades people put up and notice what they actually feel, and thus think.
I think it mostly comes from a childhood of walking on eggshells to never ever anger my parents.
Edit: None of it happens if I don't actually see people though, nothing about it is supernatural. Just years of forced training.
Tbh I think its also bad for society for people to engage in magical thinking but also so are lots of other things that we ain't winning the battle on so whatever I guess
I was certain if I flexed just the right brain muscle, I'd be able to move things with my mind
I'm still trying that, except I've graduated from trying to move objects to trying to make people's heads explode.
https://www.paypal.me/hobnailtaylor
There's literally a test you can take, based on research, but it's up to you if you buy in.
Unless your mom is euphemistically saying you've got ESP, in which case, there's a different test.
https://www.statcrunch.com/applets/type2&psychic
Nah, man. I love it. Only real weirdos would hate it.
YES
This is the definition of "too many", surely - the point you get annoyed at the number
Which find some people might be 2 things, and for others might be 56
What's the next question, "do you feel full when you eat too much food"?
I can see why this helps - she's a fine-lookin' vessel
Need some stuff designed or printed? I can help with that.
I... Independance-Sama...
Need some stuff designed or printed? I can help with that.
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
All three at the same time, if you play your cards right!
I didn't like them
I'm a land lubber I guess
I don't even like driving over bridges on the Maumee river
https://www.paypal.me/hobnailtaylor
https://youtu.be/NPI1vbT6RUU
just join the us navy and pray to god you get assigned to special duty about the o.g. uss constitution(the oldest surviving fully operational naval vessel)
literally all of them?
There is a new worker here who apparently likes me. To the point where others have started making jokes about she hugs me when she sees me, and sits really close when she's talking to me, and offers to bring me coffee or something from the cafeteria. And doesn't do those things for anyone else.
A little context, I'm a germaphobe and somewhat antisocial and it takes a lot for me to warm up to people. And this stranger who I've known for about 6 days over a three week period is not that close to me yet. I also don't like touching people.
Well, tonight, because she doesn't know anything about me, she hurt me. And I don't feel I can talk to anyone about it here. A friend up here has one of those high-powered massagers, and he brings it to work and thinks it's neat. (He's a little odd.) She came up behind me and use it on my neck.
I have 5 discs in my neck which need surgery and I've been putting it off. She doesn't know me that well, so she had no way of knowing, and I am angry that this complete stranger thought that was okay, and I am not the kind of person who can relay that to someone. I don't want to hurt her feelings because other than not knowing about personal space, apparently, she seems nice. Not my type, but I don't want to tell her thaat. I was hoping she would just stop. Now, I'm in pain, don't have any medication to take for it here at work, and just want to leave.
Yo WHAT you need to get bosses involved on that post-fuckin-haste