Being 'nice' is Dangerous for the Social Imagination...

The Nice 'Dangerous' people...

People who are always nice tend to hold in negative emotions, often resulting in depression, anxiety, and addiction. Hence, those who are always nice may periodically act out or even collapse from exhaustion.

Avoiding the perils of niceness requires feeling one's genuine needs and wants, as well as actively setting boundaries. And yes, you’ve met them, I’ve met them, or you may be one of them: nice people.

They always give others the benefit of the doubt, are ready to give a hand, or volunteer for that task that no one wants. They’re sensitive to the feelings of others, easy to be around, and rarely if ever argue. 

What’s not to like? Not much, you say. But if you’re always the nice guy, if it’s your 24/7 public persona, there are often psychological dangers lurking below that friendly surface, a downside that can take its toll.  Here are the dangers of being ‘nice’. 

You’re that good, that laid-back all the time, really? Unless you’re on some major and highly effective medications, probably not. What always-nice people tend to do is internalize — hold in negative emotions that naturally rise up in the course of everyday life. The byproduct of these emotional crunches are often depression, anxiety, and addiction.

Periodic Acting Out

And if depression, anxiety, and addiction aren’t strong enough to keep those non-polite feelings at bay, you are likely at risk of acting out, through the one-night stand on a business trip, going on a binge, going into a hurricane-like rage at your kid, your dog, or your gentle, but always-absent-minded coworker. It seems to come out of nowhere, you feel terribly guilty, you apologize profusely, you promise never to do that ever again . . . until you do. Until the pressure builds up, and the right triggers set you off.

Self-Criticism

What goes a long way to being nice is that you're more likely to blame yourself than anyone else: It’s your fault, you should have known better, you did something that caused the other person to act the way they did, though you really have no idea what that may be. You have this critical, scolding drill-sergeant/parent voice coming at you all the time, looking over your shoulder, wagging its finger. Under such steady verbal abuse, you vow to try harder, not screw up and be even nicer, but whatever you do is never good enough; fault, mistakes, and incrimination is around every corner.

Resentment

A build-up of resentment can often fuel the acting out, but sometimes it’s just a slow and ever-present simmer that you internalize along with everything else. The resentment comes, because your niceness also comes with expectations — that others will appreciate your martyrish efforts or will follow your lead and be like you, always putting others first, stepping up, etc. — or expecting them to realize what you need and give it to you, even though you never say what those needs are.

Periodic Burnout

If you do all the heavy lifting all of the time, you are prone to periodic collapse. It may be exhaustion, or it may be getting sick or sinking into the depths of severe depression. The burnout may sideline you for a while, but once you recover, you're quickly back on duty.

Pre-Compromising in Relationships

Rather than clearly stating what you want at the start of a discussion with someone, you instead anticipate or assume what the other person would like, and then downshift your own demands before the conversation starts. Jane probably wouldn’t want to swap out my entire weekend shift, you say to yourself, so instead of asking if she can work the entire weekend for you, you ask her if she can do Saturday.

When you do this pre-compromising all the time in close relationships, you wind up never really getting what you want (though you fantasize that the other person will read your mind and offer it anyway), and instead only get watered-down versions that are “okay.” Over time, what you're left with is a watered-down life.

Appearing Controlling or Passive-Aggressive

Others, especially those closest to you, may see you as subtly controlling or passive-aggressive at times because you are. Your persona cracks a bit, and you put on subtle pressure or guilt to get your way, or you go along with something but then act in a passive-aggressive manner because your unhappiness leaks out.

Stale Relationships

Close relationships can lack depth. Between the pre-compromise and internalization, you never say what you truly want and feel, you're not being really honest and emotionally intimate. And if both partners are nice, the effects are multiplied, resulting in a no-conflict but superficial relationship.

Later-Life Regrets

That poor 100-year-old woman who regretted eating too many beans and not enough ice cream. That cartoon of the headstone that says, “Ate all that kale for nothing.” The watered-down life, the not being truly known, the millions of missed opportunities to do and get what you want instead of what others wanted can leave you with serious life regrets.

Does this mean you shouldn’t be nice?

Of course not. But there’s a difference between a values-driven life and an anxiety-driven one. A values-driven life comes out of your values; your core beliefs as an adult about how to be with others. You are kind and considerate and see that we are all struggling on this tiny dot of speck in the vast universe; you treat others the way you’d like to be treated. You do it not because you “should” or because you will feel guilty otherwise, but because it’s your life blueprint.

But along with this, you can say no, take care of yourself as well as others, be assertive and honest without being aggressive and hurtful. Life is win-win as much as possible.

The anxiety-driven life, on the other hand, makes being nice a way of managing anxiety. You learned to take a "nice" stance as a way of avoiding conflict and confrontation that you can’t tolerate, a stance that is “I’m happy if you’re happy,” meaning, "I do whatever I need to do to not get you disgruntled because you being upset makes me anxious." Here, you don’t say no; you don’t speak up and be honest and assertive because of your own fear. It’s less about a value of how to treat people and more a psychological flack-suit to protect you from what seems to be a scary world.

 

COMMENTARY ~ I agree with all of it. Why? Well, I even wonder why I should have to answer that question. It should be evident. However, if I must spell it out as to why being nice is dangerous in the social imagination... then I will. 

Stable society must be based on consistent logical rational argument/debate or at least local common sense that results in agreement about what is solidly good for society and what is not. That means people have to decide what is a woman and what is a man. What is good and what is evil. Stable society cannot be based on flimsy politically correct guesses or hunches just because YOU want to be NICE!!!!!!!

 

ADVICE - Better to be diplomatic when you have to ~ "Walk softly and carry a big stick..." Pres. Theodore Roosevelt.

 

 

 

 

 

*ONLINE SOURCES ~   https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fixing-families/201807/the-dangers-being-nice?fbclid=IwAR1LkyOBBtkSZEW0HfLgEh4vADpzvRNQZXke7a6d84S0m2XQIMRwTVGScbk

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stop-being-nice-7-reasons-why-your-niceness-dangerous-alicia-mckay?fbclid=IwAR0fx24qwWP5DGxs1ej1Gn2IfzPAIqL2hFHz_vbVkPIrpFk

https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/the-bad-thing-about-nice-people-20120411-1wppr.html

Genetic Engineering: A Serious Threat to the Social Imagination...

 

 

Yes, genetic engineering is a serious threat to human society and thus it is a threat to the social imagination. Because, that's where all social reality exists. We live in an information agreement reality; all of which takes place or his 'housed' in the social imagination, the collective conscious. Here is a cut and paste article that is a must read in order to realize this serious threat.

Genetic Engineering: A Serious Threat to Human Society...

By Zachary Rom | Considering Another Side Essays 

Scientists have been trying to create synthetic life, life created in lab, for many years. The first breakthrough in this process happened about thirty years ago when genetic engineers began to genetically modify organisms (Savulescu). These engineers physically move genes across species in order to improve an organism or to cause an organism to function differently.  

Even though this process sounds as if it happens only in fantasy games, genetically modified organisms are common. For example, genetically modified crops are used every day in the world’s food supply and genetically modified bacteria have been used in medicine, chemical manufacturing, and bio warfare (Pickrell). 

Slowly, genetic engineering has become a powerful tool in many different fields. Recently, genetic engineering’s potential power increased when Craig Venter, a famous geneticist and entrepreneurs, recreated a living organism out of synthetic chemicals. His success proved to genetic engineers that functioning genomes can be made purely of synthetic chemicals.  

This power would allow genetic engineers to build new artificial genomes instead of having to modify naturally existing genomes. Genetic engineers now have the chance to broaden their fields’ applications. However, genetic engineering is unpredictable and dangerous, and broadening the application of genetic engineering only furthers the risks. 

Genetically engineered organisms pose lethal and economic risks to human society.The availability of genomic information and genetic engineering technology creates a lethal threat to humanity because terrorists can use both the information and technology to recreate deadly pathogens, such as the poliovirus. 

The naturally occurring poliovirus killed and paralyzed millions of people for many years. In 1988, a worldwide vaccination campaign against the virus nearly exterminated it from the environment, and this solved the poliovirus epidemic. 

However, in 2002, well intentioned scientists decided to recreate the poliovirus for research means. Using the genomic sequence of the poliovirus found on a public database and commercially available machines, these scientists synthesized fragments of viral genomes into a functional poliovirus (Avise 7). 

These scientists proved that deadly pathogens can be recreated from genetic engineering techniques. Also, the information and technology used in genetic engineering is readily available and relativity cheap (Kuzma and Tanji 3). Mixing the power to recreate a deadly pathogen with the public availability of genetic engineering information and technology creates a lethal risk to humanity when terrorist exist in society. 

Terrorist could use genetic engineering to reinstate the poliovirus into the environment, and the virus would kill and paralyze more people. Luckily, these scientists were filled with good intent; however, there is nothing to prevent terrorists from harming innocent lives. 

Recreating deadly pathogens makes genetic engineering dangerous enough; however, genetic engineers also have the potential to improve the effectiveness of deadly pathogens, such as Y. pestis. 

Genetic engineers can make deadly pathogens, such as Y. pestis, resistant to modern antibiotics, and these pathogens could kill innocent people if used as a weapon. Y. pestis, also known as the black plague, wreaked havoc on humanity during the Middle Ages by killing millions of people. 

In response to a Y. pestis threat during the 20th century, scientists developed an effective vaccine for the pathogen. However, genetic engineers at Biopreparat, a Russian biological warfare agency, engineered a new Y. pestis strain with genetic resistance to modern antibiotics and natural human immunity (Avise 6). 

The genetically engineered Y. pestis was more deadly and effective than the natural Y. pestis that killed millions of people during the Middle Ages. Biopreparat’s research proved that deadly pathogens can be genetically engineered into superior forms that are resistant to modern medicine. If this strain of Y. pestis was released, a black plague would devastate current human society. 

Militaries could use the same genetic engineering techniques that Biopreparat used to create deadly biological weapons. With this ability to make deadly pathogens resistant to modern medicine, genetically engineered organisms become lethal weapons that cannot be stopped. Other than lethal weapons, genetically engineered organisms can produce lethal chemical compounds when they are used as a manufacturing tool in the chemical industry...

Genetic engineers possess the ability to create anti-material organisms that can degrade infrastructure and man-made materials, and malicious people can use these organisms to tear down society’s infrastructures and economies. In nature, there are many organisms with the ability to degrade infrastructure and man-made materials. 

These microbes cost governments and industries millions of dollars in biodeterioration and biodegradation damages. For instance, bacteria are the leading cause of road and runway deterioration. In Houston, Texas, microbes have been known to degrade the concrete in the city’s sewage systems, and the city has spent millions of dollars trying to contain the problem. 

High-tech companies, such as airlines and fuel companies, constantly have their facilities and machinery being degraded away by anti-material organisms...

Genetically modified crops will negatively impact the economy and environment because engineered genetic resistance is ineffective at stopping natural parasites in the long term. Farmers use genetically modified crops because these crops contain a genetic resistance to parasites, such as insect pests and microbes. 

In evolution, two organisms that are in a parasitic relationship evolve in a balance with each other. When genetically modified plants are placed into a natural environment, parasites will evolve in a direction that allows them to bypass the genetic resistance engineered into the crops.

And, the essay goes on... 

This kind of genetic engineering is a serious threat to the social imagination... our humanity is housed in that agreement social reality. Degrade that and we become all but human.

God created man in His image... do not be deceived! Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength ~ Mark 12:30.

ONLINE SOURCE ~ https://english.umd.edu/research-innovation/journals/interpolations/interpolations-spring-2011/genetic-engineering-serious#:~:text=Genetically%20engineered%20organisms%20pose%20an,to%20kill%20millions%20of%20people.

What does Artificial Intelligence mean in the Social Imagination...???

 

Artificial intelligence, also called machine learning, is a kind of software system based on neural networks, a technique that was actually pioneered decades ago but very recently has blossomed thanks to powerful new computing resources. 

Ai has enabled effective voice and image recognition, as well as the ability to generate synthetic imagery and speech. And researchers are hard at work making it possible for an Ai to browse the web, book tickets, tweak recipes and more. ~ https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/07/age-of-ai-everything-you-need-to-know-about-artificial-intelligence/#:~:text=Artificial%20intelligence%2C%20also%20called%20machine,to%20powerful%20new%20computing%20resources.

Today, one only has to listen to or watch the news, pick up a magazine or engage social media to hear the latest about Ai. The world is a buzz about artificial intelligence. There is as much talk about how it will free us from work as there is about how it will take all work away. And, then what will we do? 

There are the positives of Ai that will get most people on board with it: Such as the benefits for: health management, better living as in enabling an easy lifestyle that takes away or relieves you of mundane and or redundant tasks which then frees you up for leisure activities. It is also sold as a means of security both physically, for your own personal well-being/spouse and children as well as for your property which can include your ideas, business, your money (credit/investments), your home, dog/cat and car. 

Effectively, in the social imagination, that means a lot... And, there are chatbots for comfort, friendship/companionship, pastor/priest/psychologist, and all other advice, even planning weddings, vacations, and probably for your eternal resting place. But, what does that actually mean for the social imagination where all social reality exists, all 'human' reality? That's a good question.  

Will the social imagination be able to tell the difference? Alan Turing wondered about that too.  Who was Alan TuringAlan? He was a brilliant British mathematician who took a leading role in breaking Nazi ciphers during WWII. In his seminal 1936 paper, he proved that there cannot exist any universal algorithmic method of determining truth in mathematics, and that mathematics will always contain undecidable propositions. His work is widely acknowledged as foundational research of computer science and artificial intelligence. ~ https://www.biography.com/scientists/alan-turing

You have probably heard of the phrase “The Turing Test”. As I can recall, it came about via a question. Can a machine play chess? Or most properly used to refer to a proposal made by Turing (1950) as a way of dealing whether or not machines can think. 

According to Turing, the question whether machines can think is itself “too meaningless” to deserve discussion (442). However, if we consider the more precise—and somehow related—question whether a digital computer can do well in a certain kind of game that Turing describes (“The Imitation Game”), then—at least in Turing’s eyes—we do have a question that admits of precise discussion. Moreover, as we shall see, Turing himself thought that it would not be too long before we did have digital computers that could “do well” in the Imitation Game. ~ https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/turing-test/

The social imagination is shared information which is agreed on or not. That means we can agree to disagree and that is as much about agreement as agreeing or disagreeing that Pluto is either a small planet or not. What is important to note is that agreement reality is like streaming. 

This stream or streaming of 'agreement' (including agreeing to disagree) creates the social reality that we all live in... in the place where we are. Now, that by itself can mean a lot of things. For instance, when you are a child, it meant where you were born and raised, or who your parents were and the childhood you experienced growing up in their household and including siblings, and or any extended family, neighbors, community etc.  

Machine learning works the same... and the faster it works depends on its ability to agree with all incoming information. However, that does not include meaning that we, humans' experience it. For instance, a baby toy or our first pair of baby shoes or our favorite teddy has meaning that the machine cannot appreciate in the same way we do. 

Can we start to agree with the machine and create new meaning? Sure, but it will still only have meaning for us, not the machine; unless we can say that the machine has learned to deceive us. Does that prove meaning for the machine? No, I don't think so.

The machine only gets satisfaction if you can call it that from completing successful computations, fulfilling operations, tasks and system function. Can that have meaning? Sure, but since we are not machines, we cannot know what meaning is for a machine; only what meaning we can glean from interaction it. 

Is that dangerous for our social imagination? Maybe... How would it be dangerous for the social imagination? We, as human 'machines' learn just like any other machine we build or have built. How is that possible? Because, our brain is like an organic machine. Its programmed by previously existing information that has been agreed on or disagreed on. 

Every machine that we program, has been programmed by us in the same way we learn only 'faster'. It does not have to rethink anything. Why? Because, meaning is not involved. The danger is that we could be fooled by our social imagination. How? Because it contains meaning and emotion that is the foundation for the social imagination. We want to be in a meaningful relationship; again, that's the heart of the social imagination. A computational 'machine' does not want or have to be in a meaningful relationship in order to survive. 

Sure, there are some that say that has been achieved in machine learning. But, again its only what we have programmed into it. What it has learned from our social imagination or gleaned from it is being projected back. As we might glean meaning from interaction with it. Is that bad and or dangerous? Maybe...or maybe not.

 

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap ~ Galatians 6:7.

Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise ~ 1 COR 3:18. 

Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction ~ 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

 ~ God created man in His image...