Lies About Misanthropes (+)

Sunday, August 18, 2013

                                

                          One of the most destructive myths is the tendency to judge and divide people by types. Case in point. Misanthropy is nothing more than a variable of temperament. Not all misanthropes are unloving. (Not all Zenophiles are untrustworthy either.) Misanthropes don't necessarily hate anyone, they just don't like people,including themselves. Misanthropes are often wonderful people able to speak their minds openly, without worrying about everyone's fragile emotions. This is something I can't do, and I wish I could. What I gain with kindness, I loose because a total lack of passion and warmth. I'm too loving, without any of the normal healthy attachment. When I finally do stand up for myself, I shock and offend.

                          Misanthropes are just as capable of having empathy and dignified self restraint as anybody else. Being the Zenophile comes with a lot of excess baggage. And until I understood the difference, I was in agony. Judging myself for my cautiously crippling scruples, I had no choice but to learn why everyone isn't like me. Those people who are the most different share extremes. Only about half of my friends are actual misanthropes. My Teacher was a misanthrope. And so was my Mom. She once said to me, "You really care about people, and that's wonderful." "But I don't." "I don't even care about myself." She went on, "People's concerns are in fact for themselves only." Our conversations frequently were very real and revealing.

                          And then I said, "As they should be. Any concern we have about other people are in fact an extension of that love that we feel for ourselves." Commonly when my Mom and I would have these talks, she would often soften her hard edge and acknowledge the fact we were both often right. (A Complementary Difference of Opinion.")

                          The opposite of zenophilia is not misanthropy, it's xenophobia. Most misanthropes are much closer to being what I call zenophreniacs, (my invented word for, "conflicted about liking people in general.") Even as the involuntary Zenophile, I too can have dread toward other people. But I just care about everybody a lot, that's all. When my nervous system isn't shorting out, I see radiance in the human soul of each and every person. Some days I too feel really ugly towards people. But I love all people deeply. I've never had any choice in the matter. (I am a cup bubbling over.") And when I do feel bitter and hostile, it's easy for me to take others feelings into consideration. I don't even have to think about it. If everyone was like me we would've starved to death out of courtesy to each other. Thank God, (if there is a god,) for all of you functional misanthropes. God created misanthropes and atheists, people whose enlightened selfishness is so different from mine. I see everyone's point of view.

:Thy skepticism nourishes me.

:Thy severity maketh my path clear of self deception. 

:Thy criticism toughens my skin. 

:Thy evasion quickens my step. 

:Thy obsession with death keepeth my heart pure and unpolluted from attachment. 

:Thy fear of death doth maketh guiding you into the beyond a privilege few can ever know. 

:Thy fear of God only makes my love deeper.       Thank you God, not everyone is like me.

                          If you search, for Zenophile, you may come to well established groups of committed bloggers, challenging xenophobia in all it's forms. My new approach has been to create a dialog, literally a new language of inclusion, including everyone. This language of inclusion means we seek to understand; everyone, without exception. I myself have had the privilege of seeing this process at work in my own studies and practice. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but, I love you and I have no idea who you are. Weird. I also have no idea where this is going.