Do you know anyone who is misanthropic?

mellowyellow

mellowyellow

Well-known Member
plaque.jpg
The Roger Bucklesby Bench Plaque
In the middle of August 2013, Maslin reportedly installed this plaque in a London park to his fictional character Roger Bucklesby – a misanthropic (an unsociable person who dislikes people) failed author. The image was originally posted on a Twitter account under the description "I was walking through London and came across this bench" and within hours its image went viral, receiving over 2 million views on image sharing website Imgur, thousands of retweets and over half a million likes on Facebook with ten thousand corresponding comments. We had no plans for this to turn into an internet hit" said Maslin, "we just hoped the occasional passer-by would see it and have a giggle. It seems we've done plenty of that."
 

No I’m not misanthropic but I’m certainly not a social butterfly either and I’m ok with that and so are the people in my life whom I love.

Yes I know people who are like this but they aren’t horrible people. They just don’t tolerate others very well. The wonderful thing is that they often have an extraordinary relationship with nature and animals or music and art.

We don’t all have to be alike. It’s ok to be different. We need people of all kinds to help make this world go ‘round.
 

I was reminded of the song that goes, "Oh Lord its hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way, I cant wait to look in the mirror etc., etc., etc., and the song contains a classic excuse used by the singer, "Hell I don't even know what that means", as a defence to whatever they've been accused of, (being arrogant or something).

On this thread I could put forward my ignorance of the term misanthrope as a defence, just in case I'm one, but I loved the park bench shown, and I'd guess the humour behind the man referred to, or those who seemed to know what he felt about life! :)
 
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I'd never heard of the word misanthropic before either and wondered how common it was. Would it be true that some men/women get grumpier as they get older, like walking off, refusing to queue, and having negative comments about almost everything, or is it a personal trait they've had all their lives.
 
mellowyellow said:
I'd never heard of the word misanthropic before either and wondered how common it was. Would it be true that some men/women get grumpier as they get older, like walking off, refusing to queue, and having negative comments about almost everything, or is it a personal trait they've had all their lives.
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Some people seem to have been born misanthropic, some develop misanthropy later in life.
 
One of my nephews is a misanthrope, but he works well with his co-workers, and he even likes a couple of them. But every day he has to go for a long walk in the woods around his place at least once, just to be alone with his thoughts. He's the person who does the toy photography that I've posted on the "unusual photos" thread. He takes these toy figures on his walks and poses them in the woods, or by the river, and sometimes here and there in the town. It takes his mind off people, he said.
 
I am from Sweden where misanthropic behavior is rampant. I think many Swedes dislike people because they feel that others are putting them in a position that makes them feel uncomfortable, similar to stage fright. If you step into a lift where someone is also there, do you say hello? Not only is it fairly uncommon to say hello to strangers in Sweden but anyone who does say hello is at risk of being shunned .... no hello back. Also VERY COMMON in Sweden is if you are exiting your flat at the same moment your neighbour is about to do the same .... he/she will very quickly step back into his/her flat and close the door (rather than to be in a position to exchange greetings) and then waits for you to clear the area before he/she leaves. Crazy, huh? I have lived in Germany and France where everyone greets everyone so I consider this Swedish way pure madness.
 
Keesha said:
I know people who are like this but they aren’t horrible people. They just don’t tolerate others very well. The wonderful thing is that they often have an extraordinary relationship with nature and animals or music and art.
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Yeah, I found this to be more the rule than the exception.

I know a lot of folks that live up in the mountains.
Most probably recluses
Don't care to mingle
Seem to not care for people at all

However;
Get to know them and they are quite kind
rather quiet
and even benevolent
Not taking a gift seems insulting to them

Pretty much a joy to be around

However, one mustn't press their fortune
They rather prize their solitude

Heh, one ol' boy would actually come down and visit our cabin for a spell
When he was done visiting, he'd just turn around....and walk away
No waive
No G'bye
No nuthin'

I kinda liked that

And, man, what a mug
To describe.....hmmmmmm
Closest I can come would be saying he looked like Richard Boone's uglier little brother
Only he had more bumps and holes in his face

richard-boone-4.jpg

But

He had the most beautiful demeaner I've ever witnessed
and a character to match

I love being around folks like that

Always hope it rubs off some.....warts an' all
 
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Gary O' said:
Yeah, I found this to be more the rule than the exception.

I know a lot of folks that live up in the mountains.
Most probably recluses
Don't care to mingle
Seem to not care for people at all

However;
Get to know them and they are quite kind
rather quiet
and even benevolent
Not taking a gift seems insulting to them

Pretty much a joy to be around

However, one mustn't press their fortune
They rather prize their solitude

Heh, one ol' boy would actually come down and visit our cabin for a spell
When he was done visiting, he'd just turn around....and walk away
No waive
No G'bye
No nuthin'

I kinda liked that

And, man, what a mug
To describe.....hmmmmmm
Closest I can come would be saying he looked like Richard Boone's uglier little brother
Only he had more bumps and holes in his face

View attachment 173309

But

He had the most beautiful demeaner I've ever witnessed
and a character to match

I love being around folks like that

Always hope it rubs off some.....warts an' all
Click to expand...
Yep! I’ve met quite a few of these types and find myself taking a real liking to them.
Some seem to be very sensitive inside but don’t ‘seem’ to know how to handle that sensitivity so go into recluse mode so they aren’t overwhelmed.

They take the meaning of introvert to a whole other level but when you meet them at that level, it’s somewhat enchanting. If you get the opportunity to actually gain their trust and have an open conversation with them, they most often turn into a ‘gem’ of a person.
 
Verisure said:
I am from Sweden where misanthropic behavior is rampant. I think many Swedes dislike people because they feel that others are putting them in a position that makes them feel uncomfortable, similar to stage fright. If you step into a lift where someone is also there, do you say hello? Not only is it fairly uncommon to say hello to strangers in Sweden but anyone who does say hello is at risk of being shunned .... no hello back. Also VERY COMMON in Sweden is if you are exiting your flat at the same moment your neighbour is about to do the same .... he/she will very quickly step back into his/her flat and close the door (rather than to be in a position to exchange greetings) and then waits for you to clear the area before he/she leaves. Crazy, huh? I have lived in Germany and France where everyone greets everyone so I consider this Swedish way pure madness.
Click to expand...
"Hell is other people."
— Jean-Paul Sartre
 
mellowyellow said:
I'd never heard of the word misanthropic before either and wondered how common it was. Would it be true that some men/women get grumpier as they get older, like walking off, refusing to queue, and having negative comments about almost everything, or is it a personal trait they've had all their lives.
Click to expand...
I think some use age as an excuse for being grumpy...IMO it is a habit. When we feel down or in pain sometimes the natural tendency is to be grumpy but it is also something we can be aware of and control.
 
Verisure said:
I am from Sweden where misanthropic behavior is rampant. I think many Swedes dislike people because they feel that others are putting them in a position that makes them feel uncomfortable, similar to stage fright. If you step into a lift where someone is also there, do you say hello? Not only is it fairly uncommon to say hello to strangers in Sweden but anyone who does say hello is at risk of being shunned .... no hello back. Also VERY COMMON in Sweden is if you are exiting your flat at the same moment your neighbour is about to do the same .... he/she will very quickly step back into his/her flat and close the door (rather than to be in a position to exchange greetings) and then waits for you to clear the area before he/she leaves. Crazy, huh? I have lived in Germany and France where everyone greets everyone so I consider this Swedish way pure madness.
Click to expand...
There are a lot of people here in the U.S. (particularly the northernmost parts of the midwest, Minnesota, North Dakota, etc.) whose ancestors migrated here from Sweden. So that could explain that kind of behavior here in the States, I guess. It's odd because I've heard so much about the friendliness of small towns as opposed to the unfriendliness of big cities but it's not always true; depending on which big city you're in, sometimes people are very willing to chat and in some small towns--some I've been in anyway--you're invisible to them unless you were born and raised there.
 
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