Forced coexistence with other human beings, as well as forced interactions in our daily lives, has given rise to misanthropy as an attitude through which many people face this fact. But, what is misanthropy?
For those who do not understand the scope of this phenomenon , it is enough for them to brand these people as ‘rude’ or ‘bitter’; but the truth is that misanthropy is something much deeper that has nothing to do with it.
To those interested in knowing what misanthropy is and what thoughts or beliefs underlie this attitude, as well as to know in what other ways we can refer to these people and to know how misanthropic people are ; We invite you to continue reading.
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What is misanthropy
To know what misanthropy is, just break the word into its smallest components to find the meaning. Thus, we have the prefix “mis”, which comes from the Greek and means ‘hate’. The root of the word, “anthropo”, comes from anthrophos and means ‘man’ or ‘human being’.
In short, misanthropy is the hatred of the human being as a whole, neither more nor less. A misanthropist is one who shuns interaction with other people, not because he feels an animosity towards each individual and has an excuse to personally hate each one, but because what he abhors are the characteristics shared by the whole of Humanity.
In this way, misanthropy generates a feeling of discontentwith the human race that translates into an attitude of detachment and refusal to participate in activities that imply a level of social interaction that exceeds the tolerance threshold of the misanthropist.
The misanthrope: a piece that does not fit in society
Like it or not, we live in a society shared with other people and in which sometimes we have to swallow unwanted situations. For this reason, although misanthropes avoid interaction as much as possible, there are certain occasions when they must put aside their principles and attend certain events in society, although they would surely prefer to stick bamboo splinters under their nails.
Weddings, funerals, dinners or birthdays, among others, are some examples of events in which those who really know them, know that misanthropes do not have a good time.
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6 synonyms of misanthropy
Other words can be used as a synonym for misanthropy to refer in some way to the feeling of disagreement that one has towards the human race.
- Ariscorse : a person who is angry or is angry, is one who gets angry easily and refuses contact with others, so that his reaction is to move away and seek moments in solitude.
- Sullenness – Misanthropy can imply this quality in some people. Due to the little pleasure they find in dealing with others, they will remain in their comfort zone, away from any interaction.
- Hurania : those who feel disgust for social relations are called huranos, a quality that can hide a certain degree of misanthropy.
- Unsociability : Although it has been said that human beings are sociable animals, a misanthropist is not, who is someone who neither enjoys nor seeks to be part of community events.
- Introversion : a very notorious psychological trait is that of people focused on their inner world, either because they do not have the skills for social relationships or because, even having them, they do not enjoy participating in them and prefer to opt for solitude.
- Withdrawal : designates a person of reserved condition, little given to speaking unless it is strictly necessary and, almost always, dosing his words.
How is a misanthropic person ?
11 characteristic traits
What attributes can be distinguished in misanthropy
In the following lines we collect the most relevant.
1. Expressionless face
One of the characteristics of misanthropy can be detected with the naked eye. People who feel animosity toward mankind often adopt an impassive countenance, which remains impassive even when directly referenced.
In this way, a serious face serves as a shield that is warning others not to approach, or at least, to do so carefully and without excessive confidence.
2. Tolerance towards few people
Although misanthropes usually prefer to be alone, that does not mean that they have some (few) trusted people, generally friends with the same revulsion towards others. With these people, they can show themselves as they are without having to keep up appearances or having to talk about frivolities.
In this way, misanthropic people can spend long periods of time in company, at least compared to the time they would spend in the company of others.
3. Ability to feign interest
Being misanthropic does not necessarily have to mean being rude. If they have internalized the rules about knowing how to be and are familiar with social conventions, these people are capable of keeping up if there is a forced interaction with someone.
In the event that a trivial conversation occurs (such as the one we could have with any neighbor or acquaintance that we bump into on the street) and, if they cannot opt for evasion , a misanthropic person can appear to be actively listening to what the other person is telling him, although the idea of running out of there does not stop fluttering in his head.
Likewise, when plans are canceled for social events to which they have been invited, the most socially adjusted misanthropes have no problem expressing their regret at having been canceled (although they are surely jumping for joy inside). The less socially adept, on the other hand, have no problem rejecting the invitation at first hand , without worrying that they might offend the host.
4. Distrust of strangers
Usually, small daily talks are seen as another way of keeping up appearances and showing a feigned interest in the interlocutor. These conversations, if they are with people with whom you are not used to talking, are lived worse, since they imply a waste of energy that misanthropesthey are not willing to invest for someone they see fleetingly.
In the same way, a stranger approaching a misanthropic person to talk can cause mistrust as a first reaction, depending on the perceived attitude of the stranger in question when doing so.
5. Assessment of silence
In the hairdresser, in the market, on public transport, etc., why do certain social situations seem to imply chattering
? Is it so uncomfortable to be silent?
It is clear that we live in a society that does not know how to respect the silences that many people need, and that we are urged to speak even if we are not in the mood for it.
6. Sarcasm as a defense mechanism
The use of sarcasm is the mechanism used by misanthropes to show their frustration with the world around them. It is always better to resort to these acid comments than to start throwing punches right and left to be left alone, or start snapping like any other animal would, right
?
7. “Why can’t everyone be like this
?”
Minimal communication is a characteristic feature of misanthropy. For misanthropes, it would be ideal if the rest of the people adopted this lifestyle and broke the social obligations that pressure everyone to socialize with others to be part of the community.
8. Low tolerance for stupid people
The misanthropes (and we should also say that “any sensible person”), the main problem of human stupidity is that most stupid people do not realize how really stupid they can be.
9. Written rather than spoken communication
Instant messaging chats are a good window through which less socially savvy misanthropes prefer to express themselves. Phone calls are not an option, because everything that involves communicating orally works against them, as they are rarely able to verbalize their feelings , due to the risk of not being fully understood.
On the other hand, the messages in the WhatsApp groups tend to make these people extremely uncomfortable, especially when they find that their inbox is bursting with conversations talking about irrelevant nonsense . This puts them in a bad mood and can cause them to end up leaving the group.
10. Hatred towards children
More specifically, towards those more energetic children with whom they have the misfortune to coincide in closed spaces. The hatred towards the human being that characterizes misanthropy often includes the desire that the human species stop reproducing. In this way, from misanthropy it is not conceivable how someone can continue bringing children to a world in decline, with values that are tottering and uninhabitable thanks to the action of man.
In the same way, the hatred of children materializes or triggers before those little feral ones who scream , bawl, run up and down and are a real torment if one has the misfortune to coincide with them in public spaces. The screams, as well as their incombustibility, test the patience of misanthropic people, who feel their energy run out in record time next to some of these miniature demons.
11. We all have a purpose in life, even stupid people
Who has adopted misanthropy as an attitude of life, does not agree with many of the things and behaviors that he sees around him.
One of the most transcendental questions that misanthropy makes us ask, surely it is the following: “if we all have a purpose in this life, perhaps that of stupid people is none other than to make it clear that, after all, the extinction of the human species is not something so terrible” .
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