Monday, February 1, 2010

Haruhi Suzumiya: textbook sociopath

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Episode 1 English Sub


A reader recommended this "popular Japanese book/manga/anime starring a high-school aged girl named Haruhi Suzumiya who is a textbook sociopath." I watched it and liked it. There were a few things that are just eerily accurate for a sociopath in the character of Haruhi Suzumiya.

15 comments:

  1. I am not so sure about "Haruhi Suzumiya"... the whole Japanese anime thing seems to allow for all manner of fantasy realization outside of reality. It's cute I suppose... I'd love to visit Japan one day. With my look and their rabid suppression of natural desire, no doubt I'd be a superstar there :)

    Anyway, I am now in my staging country for the next big expedition into multicultural sociopathy, lol. Things are as they should be though perhaps not as good as possible, my little host is a bit more jittery than I prefer. Silly girl, she'll learn. Anyway, tonight I am just sipping brandy and taking care of my online stuff. However, in the process, here is a little question:

    Okay, so the whole "conscience" concept is some sort of "sense" that is supposed to kick into action whenever you make a decision, right? And this "sense" tells you if what you are doing is "right" or "wrong" based on something other than objective criteria, some weird "sense" of what you should do regardless of concerns about personal benefit. Is this correct? Am I on the right track?

    If that is so, then perhaps I am having a bit of a "crisis of conscience", or some such. Is that even possible? Let me explain.

    I like myself and my life, and I thoroughly enjoy "matching wits" against people and taking them for all they are worth, and shattering their illusions of self if possible. Further, since I've adopted a completely nomadic lifestyle now, there are few - if any - ramifications as long as I keep it all relatively legal or ensure that anything less than legal implicates everyone that could report it. I've been having a blast storming around the world and when dealing idiots and assholes (not prey, just assorted people I cross paths with) I can't help but brag a little bit about my consistent successes.

    Well, now I have gained a disciple, or perhaps a apprentice - as you will. A nice guy from an East European country that is very savvy in his field, but really has no idea about how I live and the things I do. I generally prefer to work alone, but having a helpful minion does appeal to me - its as it should be, people serving me.

    However, I don't really think he has the heart to live the way I do. I tried to discourage him by hinting at my inclinations, but that only set him to trying to prove how amoral he thinks he can be as well. So now he is planning on joining me when I leave here at the start of April for the next foray.

    Now in a way my concern is obviously concerned with myself, but at the same time there is something more to it than that as well. I rather doubt he can handle my lifestyle and in a way he is more useful to me as a distant admirer as opposed to an active minion (my "stage props" as described in another thread). That is, in so many words, I'd prefer not to introduce him into my world. Further, we'll both be in a foreign country - both of us will be outsiders - so he may well feel free to interrupt things he doesn't understand.

    So, am I having a "crisis of conscience" about introducing this silly little guy to my world?

    And for the record, I have decided to launch a new blog for my new expedition, but I won't be doing it honestly or openly as I do here. instead, I think there is probably some money to be made doing it all "diplomatically"
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  2. You might also want to check out "Death Note." It's about a sociopathic, very intelligent high school teenager who acquires the power to kill by means of a notebook. He sets off to "cleanse the world from criminals and bad people," but in reality he admits he's just doing it because he's bored.
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  3. Daniel BirdickFeb 2, 2010 06:57 AM
    Dio:

    Here’s the definition of conscience I got from Martha Stout. She’s not a popular author here and for good reason. Still, her book wasn’t all that bad in my view and I even learned a few things, like this handy definition of conscience:

    "a sense of obligation ultimately based in an emotional attachment to another living (often but not always a human being) or to a group of human beings, or even in some cases to humanity as a whole."

    I assume she means moral obligation. Also, I'd add the presence of the guilt emotion whenever someone with a conscience fails to meet his/her sense of moral obligation to another to that definition. This definition of conscience seems as good as any in my view. With that said...

    You asked,“So, am I having a ‘crisis of conscience’ about introducing this silly little guy to my world?”

    Are you actually concerned about this guy’s well being? Using Stout’s definition, do you feel obligated to him in some small, tiny and totally unforeseen way? Are you concerned that he’ll get himself hurt emotionally or worse, if he joins you? Is that the surprising "something more to it" that you mentioned? How is it possible that he is joining you against your will anyway? I know, it’s a free world (well, mostly), meaning that he can come and go as he pleases, like you. I understand that means that he can show up in whatever country you happen to be in, with or without your permission. But why would he want to be where you are if he knows you don’t want him there? Or does your no translate in his mind as yes?
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  4. I doubt you are having a crisis of conscience lol. Conscience is something that is always there. It doesn't really "kick in". It shapes decisions before they are made and everything else. It is a crucial part of an N person.

    Just sounds like you like to work alone. The guy is more useful to you in another capacity. It all sounds appropriately self serving. Maybe you are having an ego conflict. The guy looks up to what he thinks is the way you are. I bet you like that a lot in a way. Seems you vibe that he is not really like the way you are. Maybe you are conflicted with the potential fun you could have with him in all senses versus your wish to keep things in a way that seems more useful to you. Could be really dangerous letting someone get a little closer than most. Perhaps the conflict is simply you seeing a potential thrill and a weak something inside saying, hey, think a little more.

    But I could be wrong, lol.
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  5. Or instead of Death Note, why not take a look at "Monster," which has a more complex character development, and slightly more plausible than a magical notebook that kills people.

    http://www.animecrazy.net/monster-episode-1/
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  6. Monster? Pfft... rofl! It's like one of those "classic Hollywood" stereotypes where the main villain is somehow smart enough to terrify everyone but dumb enough to leave trail after trail. And also, somehow have a bloody conscience towards the end while having none throughout the series. I wouldn't really use most mainstream seinen series for examples of sound characterisation.

    Death Note was kinda okay. I really loved the main character but not the way the story enfolded: it became rather boring and predictable and the plot was written such that, the protagonist would succeed, no matter how impossible the events were. Though I guess I should try to read it till the end, next time round.
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  7. Dionysus: Eh, why not just cut this person loose because there is a danger of him getting too close and getting burned? Sounds like the guy is just seeing you through "rose-tinted glasses". Reality is bound to shock or even horrify him and he might then give you away, out of guilt or conscience.

    And normals have decent self-control in standard situations but push them too hard and they might snap. You seriously do not want to spend time mopping up the mess should he turn out to be someone unable to control his inhibitions, if he does learn to transcend his "mortal ties".

    I'm sure you can disappear, completely. Change your haircut, your personality, change your eye color, leave little to no paper/electronic trail and you should be fine. Just fake something and distract him, I guess.

    Why am I, a normal, giving out advice like this? Dunno, just bored. Plus it's so amusing to hear about people scrambling to deal with messes.
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  8. I left this blog because I grew tired of half-assed posts that consisted of mainly "Dear sociopath" crap, so I'm not surprised that when I came back here to see if things improved that I found car-fucking-toons!

    ME: SNAP OUT OF IT!

    You’re recent inability to produce an semi-original post that has not been inspired by your readers is tiresome.
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  9. love the video. who wants to start a club? :)
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  10. if you engage in something that is counter to what is safe and normal for you, where you're acting against your better judgement,then wouldn't the same process, the conscience, kick in as it would in the case where you'd put someone else at risk?

    i've experienced this, and in this sense, wouldn't Dionysus be having a crisis of conscience?
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  11. so I'm not surprised that when I came back here to see if things improved that I found car-fucking-toons!

    but it's funny anonymous. FUNNY.

    i wonder, is there such a thing as sociopathic humor? and if so, how is it different from empath humor? who would make the better comedian?
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  12. Daniel BirdickFeb 2, 2010 08:05 PM
    Zoe said, “i've experienced this, and in this sense, wouldn't Dionysus be having a crisis of conscience?”

    It all depends on how you define conscience, which is why I provided one in my previous comment. If we define conscience as a sense of moral obligation to another that is rooted in both positive and negative emotion, then no, Dionysus is not having a conscience attack, especially if he doesn’t feel particularly duty bound to look out for his padawan. If Dio’s motivation really does boil down to wrestling with what is or is not in his best interest and has little to do with the padawan’s interests, then no, he’s not having a crisis of conscience. Dio may indeed be acting against his better judgment which in turn is producing his discomforting sense of… whatever.

    And Ride Sally Ride, I hear ya. Revenge is a delicious, delectable dish. Everyone does what they believe they have to do. We can all just dispense with the moral superiority though. That’s the part that’s just plain ridiculous, especially when it’s obvious that morality has nothing to do with it. If a normal desires revenge, they desire revenge, pure and simple. It’s perfectly natural. What’s all this business about somehow being on some higher plane because you have a conscience? Stop calling it justice and battling “evil” and call it what it is. All I am saying is that normals aren’t fooling anybody but themselves.
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  13. This is silly. There is a good reason why the ancient saying, in some form of "He who seeks revenge must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself" exists.

    Oh, just beings fooling themself in rhyme and time right?
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  14. Dee: Actually, no, but good try :)

    I'm sure that being a "normal" who frequents internet blogs about sociopaths qualifies you to make judgments on said topic. Might want to stick to anime characters instead, they're easier to grasp.
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  15. Anon at 2.12 pm:

    Ah no, it just lacked credibility. Sure, as written and defined, Johan was charismatic and so forth. But it was a bit ... over the top, to see him vanish into thin air within seconds and not see any trace of him, even though there wasn't anyone else(apart from the main character) in the entire perimeter. Or even to see him step through a raging fire and walk out untouched.

    I didn't know that psychopaths were capable of sorcery or of plunging themselves into fire(at least a few hundred to a few thousand degrees of heat) without suffering any trauma. :) Guess I should note that down for future reference. When dealing with someone who might show psychopathic traits, set him on fire to see if he's the "real thing"?
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