The misanthropy it is a point of view characterized by hatred, contempt or distrust of the entire human race. The word "misanthrope" is used to refer to the person who holds this opinion. Both have their origin in the Greek words misos (hate) and anthropos (man, human).
Unlike an asocial person, who may simply not want to have contact with other individuals, misanthropes carry their contempt much further. Normally, the feelings they have towards others are much more negative and powerful, and can lead to harmful attitudes and behaviors.
The causes that can lead a person to develop this hatred towards the rest of humanity can be very diverse, and generally vary from individual to individual. However, it is a relatively widespread attitude, and one that has appeared over and over again throughout history..
In this article we will see what exactly misanthropy consists of and how it differs from other similar ways of thinking. In addition, we will study what its possible origins may be, and the behaviors in which this way of seeing the world is generally translated..
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Misanthropy is a relatively familiar concept within our culture, but there is often great confusion surrounding it. As we have already seen, this trait is characterized by deep hatred or contempt for the human race; generally, people with this characteristic behave differently from each other.
However, when we think about someone misanthrope we attribute a series of ways of acting or speaking that do not have to correspond to reality. In this section we will see the most common myths about this topic.
When we see an individual who avoids social situations, who does not seem very predisposed to talk to others, and who rejects our attempts to converse with him or invite him to events, one of our first tendencies is to think that it must be a misanthrope.
However, in reality symptoms such as those described above usually point to some type of social anxiety; that is, to great discomfort when being in the presence of other people. This problem generally has more to do with shyness than with hatred towards any group.
In fact, shy people usually push others away from themselves not because they don't like being with other people, but because they are afraid of them..
Misanthropes, in general, are different: they tend to have great self-confidence and are quite arrogant.
To consider someone misanthropic, we usually think that they have to behave in a way that shows their contempt for others.
For example, he may be insulting others, physically assaulting other people, or simply acting nasty for no reason.
However, many misanthropes are able to function in society almost normally. At first glance, it is difficult to see his contempt for the human race.
It is when you talk to them and ask for their opinions that we can realize what they really think of others.
Of course, some misanthropes make the decision to withdraw completely from the rest or to withdraw so they do not have to be in contact with other people; but many still lead a practically normal life.
Despite the fact that hating or despising the rest of humanity may seem a maladaptive attitude, misanthropy is not listed as a psychological disorder in any diagnostic manual. This is because the effects that these beliefs cause are totally different in each person..
Thus, the most important criterion for diagnosing someone of any type of mental illness is if their quality of life is impaired, or if their condition is preventing them from leading a full or normal existence..
Misanthropy alone should not cause problems in this regard, so it is not considered a disorder.
However, sometimes hatred or distrust towards the rest of humanity can be a symptom of an underlying mental disorder. This is especially true in the case of problems such as schizophrenia or other paranoid-type illnesses..
Finally, perhaps the most recurrent myth regarding misanthropy is that those who hold this point of view are incapable of forming satisfactory relationships with others. Although this may be the case for some individuals, most do not have this problem..
In fact, it is common for misanthropes to have good relationships with a small group of people, such as close friends, family, or even a partner. Generally, they see the people close to them as exceptions to the stupidity or evil of the rest of the human race..
There is no universal cause that explains the appearance of the belief system that sustains the misanthropic vision in people who have it. The causes that lead each individual to develop this point of view are totally different from each other..
Some misanthropes were abused or marginalized as young people, so they learn to hate and distrust others in order to protect themselves. Others are extremely sensitive, and interpret every little action as directed against them..
Another very common cause of misanthropy is that the person has grown tired of dealing with others; this occurs very often among particularly intelligent, rational, or talented individuals, or among those who have rather introverted tendencies.
People with very strong convictions in fields such as politics or religion can also come to feel great contempt for all those who do not share their opinions.
When the rest seem convinced of what they are told, they think they must be idiots or blind, and their hatred does not stop growing.
Finally, highly idealistic individuals can also develop misanthropic attitudes when they have to face reality and see that it is not how they had imagined it..
Adolf Hitler was a recognized misanthrope
How does misanthropy translate into people's daily lives? In this section we will see what are the most common traits of these individuals.
Because they look down on other people, misanthropes generally choose professions, hobbies, and activities in which they don't have to interact with anyone else..
For example, some very common hobbies among these individuals are reading, surfing the Internet, video games, or any subject related to computers..
However, because they do not like others, they generally tend to avoid social networks or those virtual platforms in which they have to interact with other individuals on an ongoing basis..
One of the most common reasons misanthropes avoid other individuals is because they hate being involved in conflicts that they consider absurd and a waste of time. It's not that they lack empathy; they just think that most problems could be easily avoided.
For example, gossip, complaints about people around them, and little fights about everyday matters irritate them deeply. Often times, your response to all these situations is to walk away from them, and try not to get involved in any drama.
Another very common characteristic among misanthropes is anger or disdain in the face of disorder, lack of organization and incompetence..
This is especially true if, due to the way other people act, they suffer some kind of negative consequence in their own life.
For example, if a misanthrope has to wait in an especially long line at the doctor because there are too many people, he will be furious because of the lack of planning of the people who work there..
In general, their anger on these occasions is disproportionate, and they tend to complain bitterly about the problems that they generate..
Misanthropic people often can't bear to talk about trivial topics like the weather, the holidays, or their weekend plans..
They consider this type of conversation to be a waste of time and energy, and would rather save it if this were possible.
On the contrary, normally these individuals love to debate on deep subjects, like politics, religion, science, or others. However, they usually only do it with those people who they consider to be at their height on an intellectual level.
Finally, for obvious reasons, misanthropes tend not to feel comfortable with events in which there are many people such as company dinners, family lunches, or alumni reunions..
They generally cannot stand most of the individuals they have to deal with, and will avoid going into these situations if they can..
Misanthropy is a trait around which there is much confusion. We hope this article has helped you understand exactly what this way of thinking consists of, as well as understand why it can occur and what it translates into the day-to-day life of the people who have it..
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