How to be insensitive?

[Despicable Me]

What do you want courage for? To stand strong where you stand? Great. To argue, shout, get people to stop arguing their point and accept yours? Not so great. To insist that you have a right to be the way you are and demand that everyone, or someone, simply like it, and meet you where you are? Didn't work for me.

Do any of us have courage? Absolutely. I know I do. I'm convinced lots of people here do.
Would we still be lonely? Apparently so. Courage and loneliness are not mutually exclusive.

So you want the people here to just give up?
Because if no one likes who we are and we can't change that, then you're saying there is no hope for many of us here. Aren't you? That sounds to me like what you're trying to say.

I don't believe that. That's why you, that is why I, that is why M, all need courage.
Not to stand where we are now, but to move forward through immeasurable odds and still come out on the other side, not beaten and broken, but to accomplish this and stand up proudly at the end, having accomplished our goals and not been broken by the trials.

Now, you can tell me you've got courage, but what does that really mean?
If you cannot face the odds and win, then what is the point in even having your kind of "courage"? I see absolutely none.

Not to be a pessimist here. I know exactly what you mean, which is exactly why I cannot agree. I used to think like you, too... but where has that gotten me? I do not regret my decisions but that is also why I can easily say I'm not where I want to be in my life right now. Sadly, though, I've never found the 'real' courage to do what is actually right for myself. I've always been the martyr. For myself, and for my own beliefs. I am saving no one, yet I am sacrificing all the same. That isn't real courage.

 

[M_also_lonely]

What do you want courage for? To stand strong where you stand? Great. To argue, shout, get people to stop arguing their point and accept yours? Not so great. To insist that you have a right to be the way you are and demand that everyone, or someone, simply like it, and meet you where you are? Didn't work for me.

Do any of us have courage? Absolutely. I know I do. I'm convinced lots of people here do.
Would we still be lonely? Apparently so. Courage and loneliness are not mutually exclusive.

Not to stand where we are now, but to move forward through immeasurable odds and still come out on the other side, not beaten and broken, but to accomplish this and stand up proudly at the end, having accomplished our goals and not been broken by the trials.

Exactly.....Maybe not always, but Sometimes.

 

[TheRealCallie]

If sensitivity were really a trait that people wanted then people would be asking how to become sensitive. But absolutely no one does this.
In this world, the real one where we all live, sensitive people are always the ones asking the kind of questions that M asks here.

In real life it's probably true that none or few of you would even have any respect for someone who cries in front of you, or the like. Many of you would probably see him as weak and/or feel uncomfortable. The fact is just as M states, that 'sensitivity' is not respected between person to person. Logically speaking, anyone who says differently is just plain wrong, or just speaking for a very rare minority. Maybe you don't realize how wrong it is, but it's still wrong.

Just because this is something YOU believe doesn't mean it's the truth. I've actually had people ask me how to be more sensitive. I've seen people become more sensitive.
Saying it's not a trait people want to see is not true, because I would love to have a sensitive guy. Who are you to say that none of us would respect someone that cries in from of us? That's completely wrong too. There is NOTHING wrong with crying or being sensitive. Yes, perhaps if you are TOO sensitive it could be a problem, but that's neither here nor there as you CAN change that, if you are motivated enough and really want to change it.

So, no, I'm not wrong for disagreeing with you, that is your OPINION. Again, that doesn't make it the truth.

 

[Sometimes]

What do you want courage for? To stand strong where you stand? Great. To argue, shout, get people to stop arguing their point and accept yours? Not so great. To insist that you have a right to be the way you are and demand that everyone, or someone, simply like it, and meet you where you are? Didn't work for me.

Do any of us have courage? Absolutely. I know I do. I'm convinced lots of people here do.
Would we still be lonely? Apparently so. Courage and loneliness are not mutually exclusive.

So you want the people here to just give up?
Because if no one likes who we are and we can't change that, then you're saying there is no hope for many of us here. Aren't you? That sounds to me like what you're trying to say.

I don't believe that. That's why you, that is why I, that is why M, all need courage.
Not to stand where we are now, but to move forward through immeasurable odds and still come out on the other side, not beaten and broken, but to accomplish this and stand up proudly at the end, having accomplished our goals and not been broken by the trials.

Now, you can tell me you've got courage, but what does that really mean?
If you cannot face the odds and win, then what is the point in even having your kind of "courage"? I see absolutely none.

Not to be a pessimist here. I know exactly what you mean, which is exactly why I cannot agree. I used to think like you, too... but where has that gotten me? I do not regret my decisions but that is also why I can easily say I'm not where I want to be in my life right now. Sadly, though, I've never found the 'real' courage to do what is actually right for myself. I've always been the martyr. For myself, and for my own beliefs. I am saving no one, yet I am sacrificing all the same. That isn't real courage.

I see what your saying, but standing strong where you stand isn't the same as giving up, or refusing to change. Not at all. Standing strong where you stand is exactly that. Standing strong wherever you stand, even if you change where you stand.

I feel it's a failing proposition to base your own sense of value on the positions of other people. Either winning an argument, or getting them to like you. Yeah I like to win, and I want SOME people to like me, but I'm trying to base my own sense of value on something deeper, because the opinions of others are just too precarious.

I think it is a very good point, to ask the question What is Courage? Also, what does it mean to be Brave? (In case they aren't the same thing). One definition that I've commonly heard for bravery, is being scared to do something that needs doing, but doing it anyway.

There may be times when identifying a human enemy to fight against is real and important. But there is so much courage and bravery in determination and persistence, in refusing to back down in the face of massive indifference, usually of the world at large (like punching a marshmallow), but also of oneself (the big "so-what").

Using that definition, I claim that I am brave, and I am convinced that many others here are too.

If you are railing against being told you should give up, I'll gladly rail with you.

Anger is a great motivator, and a great buoy, at times. I find it dangerous to hold for very long, though. It's me who gets burned.