How Do You Handle Your Guilt?

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Some folks feel no guilt when they do the wrong thing, but most of us feel crappy when we shit on someone. How do you handle your guilt?

From my own experiences with people, they either go fucking psychotic or they explode into rage when you catch them red-handed.

 

[jomar]

I endorse wanking. Works for a host of emotions.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Dr. J

Maybe. But it does seem to me that you'll fare better if you insult someone rather than prick their conscience.

 

[jomar]

Feeling guilty when caught and going postal when caught are two different things, the latter probably being fear based with a dose of narcissim.

Dr. J

Maybe. But it does seem to me that you'll fare better if you insult someone rather than prick their conscience.

Not sure how getting aggressive helps with guilt, or am I misunderstanding your comment.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

JOMAR

Weak ego, poor self-esteem.

I read somewhere that resentment is always at the bottom of guilt, especially with people who feel entitled to whatever it was they did.

I think its useful to explore these mysteries to make characters plausible and natural.

 

[oggbashan]

Our local repeat offenders for shop-lifting and criminal damage tend to lash out at anone who challenges their activity. Part of the violence is an attempt to avoid being caught. It is usually fruitless because they are well known individuals with extensive police records, and their acts are recorded on CCTV.

The police and shop security staff are well aware of the propensity to violence and expect it. Ordinary citizens, seeing a criminal act in progress, are sometimes injured because they make the mistake of challenging the individual instead of reporting it to a professional.

I don't think they feel guilt, except guilt at being caught. Their behaviour in court doesn't indicate remorse.

Og

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

I make every effort to avoid doing anything that I would feel guilty about. Of course, I am far from perfect, and I have made mistakes for which I have tried to make amends. I believe very much in the principle of karma and so I try with all my heart to keep my karma pure.

 

[jomar]

JOMAR

Weak ego, poor self-esteem.

I read somewhere that resentment is always at the bottom of guilt, especially with people who feel entitled to whatever it was they did.

I could see that.

I think a lot of anxiety, anger, resentment, jealousy, etc is essentially fear based - a reaction against some threat to ego, self-esteem, view of self, world view, etc...

I think its useful to explore these mysteries to make characters plausible and natural.

Especially if they can be layered and nuanced.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I make every effort to avoid doing anything that I would feel guilty about. Of course, I am far from perfect, and I have made mistakes for which I have tried to make amends. I believe very much in the principle of karma and so I try with all my heart to keep my karma pure.

Since posting my question I looked at the dynamics of a Transactional Analysis Game called CORNERED. The object of the game is for one of the players to corner the other players, forcing them to violate a standard or principle or law or promise. I can see how someone would feel guilt and outrage simultaneously. SOPHIE'S CHOICE comes to mind.

Exposure of a personality weakness or moral weakness might do it.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Especially if they can be layered and nuanced. Dr. JOMAR

Well, dysfunctional characters are always the most fun.

 

[oggbashan]

Is guilt a universal emotion?

Are there people who don't feel guilt at all? Are there people who have a such a developed sense of personal entitlement that it overrides any obligation to others?

Are we educated/conditioned to feel guilt?

Can people be conditioned to do acts that others would see as criminal and self-justify those acts - therefore feeling no guilt?

Og

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

Are there people who don't feel guilt at all? Are there people who have a such a developed sense of personal entitlement that it overrides any obligation to others?
Og

This is an interesting question. I believe there are people like this. In fact, I have known a few of them, I'm sad to say.

I was involved with a woman who had such an incredible sense of personal entitlement (and was incidentally a total narcissist to boot) that she felt absolutely no guilt about anything she ever said or did. That included lying, cheating and all manner of other things. She is the one person I have met whom I believe has no soul.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I suspect these people are created two ways: They are sheltered from failure and responsibility for too much of their youth, or theyre overwhelmed with chronic failure and especially blame. The one never germinates, and the other is crushed.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

I agree with you JBJ. I definitely see that as a huge part of the reason they turn out without any sense of guilt or conscience.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I truly think that whatever it is we call conscience either never germinates or is crushed by abuse and neglect.

WHAT A BITCH!
I'm looking out the window of my office. Two boys are racing radio-controlled cars up & down the street in front of my house. So Psycho Bitch waddles out of her Rainbow House and scatters trash on the street, in the path of the cars. I'm guessing she's in her manic phase.

 

[jomar]

I truly think that whatever it is we call conscience either never germinates or is crushed by abuse and neglect.

WHAT A BITCH!
I'm looking out the window of my office. Two boys are racing radio-controlled cars up & down the street in front of my house. So Psycho Bitch waddles out of her Rainbow House and scatters trash on the street, in the path of the cars. I'm guessing she's in her manic phase.

What about brain issues?

Haha!

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Some folks feel no guilt when they do the wrong thing, but most of us feel crappy when we shit on someone. How do you handle your guilt?

From my own experiences with people, they either go fucking psychotic or they explode into rage when you catch them red-handed.

I'm catholic, I live for guilt.
I internalize it if I can't make amends, then I expiate through various methods.