Jessica B. Kelly's Blog, page 23

Sheepskin – Everyone Passes (Or So They Think)

  It has been quite a while since I’ve discussed the topic of “passing.” The reader may recall that the concept of passing is quite simple. To pass is to be perceived as a member of group X regardless of whether an individual actually belongs to group X. We often hear of individuals passing as […]

The Weakest Link of Critical Thought

We all have a responsibility to reject the tired and uninspired tropes that dominate “critical” thought these days.  Every position on the political spectrum – or any other spectrum for that manner – is filled with pet projects that are born not out of true necessity or injustice, but rather from the realization that it […]

Critical Mass – The Flaw in Social Justice “Movements”

People want to believe that they are part of something bigger.  For many this takes the route of individuals seeking to create social change.  However, people also want to be part of something bigger for free.  They do not want to expend the effort needed to create that connection; they want it to be a […]

The Antisocial Web

Is the Internet really one big psychopathy simulator?  While the Internet may not truly be anonymous, the relative anonymity and asynchronous nature of communication leads many to act poorly while in cyberspace.  Threats, deceit, misrepresentation, and doxxing are common among a non-trivial proportion of users of the Internet.  Why would people act so poorly when […]

Compulsion or Choice? Psychopathic Self-Sabotage

My therapist and I got in a somewhat heated argument this evening.  I’ve been extremely reckless as of late and generally self-destructive for a long period of time and we have differing views regarding the underlying cause.  She believes that I am wanting to self-sabotage whereas I am positing that I am compelled to seek […]

Parrot

It was shortly after the second U.S. / Iraq war started.  I was a freshman in college and I was tasked by my English professor to write an opinion piece on the war.  I struggled mightily with such an assignment as I had no real opinions.  I asked around, looking for strong opinions by those […]

Firestarter

You know that feeling where there is simply too much order in your life, that feeling where you have to spice things up with a bit of chaos?  You know that feeling where you’ve got some matches and you just need to see something burn?  I do.  I know that feeling all too well.  I’m […]

Truth, Trust, and Ambivalence

A reader sent in the following prompt: There’s also the topic of manipulating people without negative intent and how empaths can still take it the wrong way if they find out about it. ‘Why didn’t you just say so’ and ‘But you weren’t honest with me’ being common responses, sometimes even disregarding whatever results it […]

Can Psychopaths be Masochists?

I’m always taking suggestions for topics from readers.  ~450 posts in, I find that I have to repeat myself a bit in the absence of new input.  That said, I am very grateful for the following question that came in from a tumblr follower: Oh, and people seem to have difficulties with imaging that there […]

Hardship

I don’t understand why, but many neurotypicals believe that psychopaths don’t have hardships in their lives; that our lives are somehow immune from the pain and suffering that the neurotypical experiences.  Yes, the focus may be different – what registers as hardship to us may need to be exceptionally personal in nature to match our egocentrism […]