A thought on human behaviour

[NFuser]

Last two weeks i was busy with a murder trial.
Basically we managed to save one client from prison and the other one got 5 years (with good behavior he will be out in 3 years and 4 months). This was a bit different for me because i practice company law, not criminal. However it was not my first case in that area. But it got me thinking. Basic premise behind our defense was that there was no intention, if there was no intention that means there was no conspiracy to commit a criminal act and therefore the other client didn't get convicted and the one who committed the act got the minimum sentence (forget about movies where a lawyer gets a client off the hook even thou there were allot of witnesses, real life is different). But back to the subject, intention.

In every aspect of our life our actions are dictated by some intention that is in turn dictated by our needs. So when we put it like that, and indeed i have been putting it like that for many years now, human behavior basically becomes pretty understandable. Why do two party girls kiss each other in a night club? They need attention from the crowd. Why does an unskillful guy boast in front of a girl? He wants her to like him. Why to people behave aggressively? Because they are powerless to resolve the current problem/issue/situation in another fashion. To put it simply they act like that for x y reason and these categories of people are but a few examples. Why do they act like that and not in another way? Their social intelligence is the limiting factor in that equation, they simply don't know a different way.

However, denial is what intrigues me the most. People can be pretty successful in creating a false image of themselves, and this is something that knows no religion or cultural boundaries, it is something in common for all human beings. An insecure person that is not happy with his life will always find some way to create a superficial image of himself as someone who is indeed a good, normal and capable person, but who is kept down by others. So they find interests that don't have application in real life to serve as an ego boost and a mean to tell that you can do something you actually can't. The basic fear of looking in the eyes of truth will make that person actually more miserable. That is why they get easily offended, threatened and start to rage instantly all the while picturing the one who is telling them the error of their ways in a certain way that they may or may not like, as the source of all evil. It is because those people are telling them the truth they refuse to see, the truth that is shattering the image they built. The way they tell it is irrelevant.

So the point is, why not accept yourself for who you are, because people instinctively know when someone is in denial. Pretending that you are the one who is god given but constantly crying and blaming others for your problems makes you aggressive and sad even thou you think you are not. If you are bad with women accept that and start working on that. If you are insecure accept it and start working on it. Nothing can change a nature of a man, we can only strive to improve it. That is why i think there are allot of truly sad people out there...

What do you think?

[Iron_Maiden]

An intresting thought process. I for one have been recently referring to humans as chimps with WiFi. Your point about the two girls and the man boasting himself seems very much in support of that. Humans are often the product of their surrondings and their peers. People do not accept themselves for who they are because often times I find it is becasue they are scared. Whether of being something different, standing out, or breaking some dogmatic of society based code. Humans aren't scared us failing, they are scared of success.

[Zero Angel]

The human race is fundamentally insecure -- there are exceptions though and many people that pass as mentally well-adjusted inviduals have insecurities. Carl Jung created his 'functions' (that Jung-like systems tend to use) with that in mind, a way to measure in what way everyone is sick, so that he could help them.

Anyways, the need for security is the whole point of 'striving', either for achievement or power. What is the basic function that lies behind your client's murder, no i mean deeper than hatred or desire for money or whatever your client did -- it's probably his desire for personal power or 'empowerment'.

Striving isn't necessarily a bad thing -- I think a lot of good has come of it. But i also think that it allows people to be misguided. To justify actions which harm themselves and others -- or putting off working out what's really bothering, while externalizing the blame onto something else... allows humans to justify even the most horrible things.

I see that the more aggressive someone is, is probably the mark of a more insecure person. Quick to fly off the handle -- taking everything personally. No matter how strong they appear, by lashing out it shows that they cannot defeat their inner demons.

[NFuser]

I wasn't talking about my client, he stabbed the victim in the left leg severing an artery, causing him to bleed to death before he got to hospital. He stabbed after he was beaten up by the victim and the second defendant was getting beaten up himself by the victim as well. I wasn't handling the case alone thou, i'm still an intern but i did qualify the offense and gave the idea for trying to prove the act was a severe wound with a qualified consequence that happened due to overstepping boundaries of necessary help (you are entitled do defend someone who is getting beaten up and not be persecuted by the law - however, evil you are doing mustn't be greater than the evil that is being done).

But it did got me thinking about intention in general. Hence the topic.

edit

people i was talking about aren't afraid of success, they are afraid of realizing how miserable their life is.

[Ded10c]

Depending on the severity of the beating, he'd probably have been let off over here.

[bigbadbogie]

Depending on the severity of the beating, he'd probably have been let off over here.

And I had just managed to convince myself that England would be a relatively safe destination.
Considering I will be there in a few days, thanks a bunch.

As for self delusion, it is simply used as a tool to make ones self feel as if they are worth something. The majority of people in the world are more than content to delude themselves into an absurd feeling of superiority as it is somewhat easier to achieve than actual superiority. The effort spent on the self delusion should instead be used for bettering ones self. This determines the difference between successful people and relative failures.
These people simply use the delusion as a desperate means to hide their failures from themselves and others. It appears somewhat similar to religion in this respect.

As for criminals, the global 'justice' system is becoming more farcical than ever before as the treasonous concept of political correctness continues to dominate Western thinking. Corporal punishment may be considered unethical, but it is significantly more ethical than rape or serial killing in ANY case.

[Red Devil]

with the socialists/liberals pushing relativistic morality and irresponsibility - "it's not your fault; you're a victim of society!", it's no wonder people are messed up in their heads.

i.e., killing their unborn babies, yet feeling sorry and acquitting murderers and rapists.

[Ded10c]

Depending on the severity of the beating, he'd probably have been let off over here.

And I had just managed to convince myself that England would be a relatively safe destination.
Considering I will be there in a few days, thanks a bunch.

Which part are you visiting? I'll let you know how safe it is

[MrTwosheds]

England is generally very safe, Over the past few years I have wandered around many of its town and cities without any problem at all.
Even London, where many people think it is not safe to walk the streets at night...is in fact actually very peaceful and actually quite dull. Allot of course depends who you are, if your a mouthy egotistical child-man, your going to find trouble wherever you go, because you take it with you.
London is actually a great place to walk around at night, obviously between about 11pm and 3am there will be allot of drunken child-men staggering about near pubs and clubs, usually ignoring them makes you too uninteresting for them to bother you.

[bigbadbogie]

That sounds a hell of a lot safer than Melbourne then.

Which part are you visiting? I'll let you know how safe it is

Every part you can possibly think of... From Cornwall to Manchester to everywhere!!
Gonna be a great time!!

[Ded10c]

Heh, let me know when you completely pass Shropshire by like every other tourist

[Iron_Maiden]

I know that Wales isn't part of "england", but just curious, you heading there as well? Scotland? Ireland?

[General BlackDragon]

Human behavior.

My thoughts, take 1:

People Suck.

Everyone only cares about them selves.

Humans Suck.

People are Evil.

[Red Spot]

Everyone only cares about them selves.

My personal experience is that the better that people have it the more they think/care about themselves. It generally are the people that need to walk the extra mile in life that are willing to lend a hand to an other that may need it.

Ever seen a fat banker help a homeless person?

[bigbadbogie]

Ever seen a fat banker help a homeless person?

Uncle Scrooge!!!

Heh, let me know when you completely pass Shropshire by like every other tourist

Will do.

I know that Wales isn't part of "england", but just curious, you heading there as well? Scotland? Ireland?

I'm heading to Cardiff for a few days, and possibly might skirt over the border to Edinburgh for a day.