The Archive
Explorations of consciousness, critical inquiry into culture, and reflections on the art of being human.
The world is impatient, spiteful, and unfair towards individuals with limited or low social skills. Those who haven’t developed these skills are left vulnerable to harsh societal scrutiny. The very concept of “social skills” is overvalued and frequently wielded as an insult rather than a positive attribute. Online, keyboard warriors often dismiss justified frustrations about…
People often think it’s acceptable to either remain silent or, even worse, pretend to agree with someone, only to later openly disagree and admit their dishonesty. This behaviour, driven by the need to maintain social harmony and the fear of causing offense, is problematic. It is unwise to be silent or pretend to agree with…
Sociality would see massive improvements if the world were rid of alcohol. The level of intoxication and long-term damage alcohol causes is equivalent to that of many dangerous recreational drugs. The only ludicrous difference is that one is legal, and others are not. People who have to rely on alcohol to have fun are truly…
Do people still conform when they are alone, in their own space, without anyone watching? Social cohesion is important to the masses, and a sense of guilt or shame—even in one’s own isolated mind—is powerful. Conformity becomes a necessity to avoid feelings of shame. If individuals act according to the social norms of their society,…
Every individual has an intrinsic, veiled, unconscious desire to be genuine, to express their own identity, and to liberate themselves from the limitations of conformity. So, why are so many people the same? Since it’s within our deepest sociobiological nature to conform for survival, human beings often fail to unlock their true selves. Unconscious fear…
It is worth touching on both micro and macro forms of social deviance. For both, the equation is universally applicable: Deviant act = social shunning (+ prosecution). The consequences are either shunning, which can be detrimental, or legal prosecution, which is more severe. Here are some ideas I have pondered on two levels of deviancy:…
Fads die out quicker than staples or mainstays. Staples or mainstays are items, or trends that have become so commonplace that they are now considered essential. However, the future of a staple is not definitive. For example, flares are a fad that will die out quicker than leggings, which have become a staple in many…
When I was a child, I believed adults were wiser, more reasonable, and fairer than the rest. But as I grew older and became an adult among other adults, I realised this is far from the truth. Most adults are egocentric, fallacious thinkers, difficult to reason with, and fundamentally injudicious. Children, on the other hand,…
From an early age, people are likely to grow up in a consistent social environment—from their home life, the social groups they join, the sameness of those in the schools they attend, and their overarching local community. If these social environments remain largely unchanged, with little integration across social classes, cultural backgrounds, educational levels, and…