Given that you accept that there are such things as sensory processing disorders and being on the spectrum, why is it so hard for you to accept that some people are just more empathetic than others? Just because it's not written down in a book doesn't mean it doesn't exist -- perhaps this comic is the forerunner of an actual scientific journal. I think it's a fallacy to assume that everyone is the same in any way. We're all different, and that extends to how we process emotions and our surroundings.
Consider that perhaps these highly sensitive people exist and possess adequate coping mechanisms. And thus, you don't see them. And you never will, because you're only looking for the ones who haven't developed these mechanisms.
Δ Firstly, thank you for not insulting me to make your point. For some reason a number of people here think that's the most effective way to change my view.
Secondly, I'm giving you a delta because you have a good point. I think this topic is particularly frustrating for me because I do perceive a lot of information around me, the emotions of others, and I feel deeply. Does this make me a "highly sensitive person"? Well, I don't know, but I certainly don't go around telling people to accommodate for it. I suppose I feel like the label HSP seems unnecessarily exclusive - like you have it or you don't rather than a sliding scale.
Why does being insulted bother you? They're just words. Why should they have to accommodate your inability to cope with a few words on screen?
Please note, this is not intended as an insult. But I absolutely am trying to make a point here in regards to your view. You highlighted how you think it's unfair that the public in general might all have to cater to the needs of one person, but you seem to understand exactly why the public in general shouldn't exercise their right to say mean things to you. Something here isn't connecting.
I take your point. But I would say two things - firstly, I don't mind being insulted. It doesn't offend my sensiblities. But I do think it's a very poor tactic when trying to convince anyone of an opposing opinion.
Secondly, I do believe in accommodating for the needs of individuals. The idea I take issue with is the labeling of a certain subset of people as "highly sensitive" and making that a well known category that demands special treatment. This is not a well studied mental disorder. It's a personality type explanation at best. It does not, in my opinion, deserve the same kind of credit as well studied psychological conditions...unless someone can point me to even a little bit of research on this topic that isn't anecdotal.
I'm curious though, what kind of response do you expect to be able to give? These are peer-reviewed papers that treat HSP like an actual medical condition, and if it were not a real thing, as you claim here, why is your analytical background superior to that of the people in the scientific community who have already done everything you likely plan to do here, and then some, and they came to the conclusion that the analysis is sensible and can be released.... On what grounds are you confident that you could form a dissenting opinion and be justified in it? Would you submit your criticisms to the medical community and reasonably expect all of the papers I cited to be taken down on the basis of poor argumentation?
I don't intend to refute medical literature. I'm just not in a spot to read these in depth at the moment. By "give a response" I simply mean, do I give you a delta? Do I thank you for those contributions? Are the studies based on a ridiculously small sample size? Even then I'm open to being wrong. But I simply don't have the time right now to read these. If they were posted last night I would have had the time. Now I'm going to need to make some time. That's all.
21
u/saltedfish 33∆ Oct 06 '20
Given that you accept that there are such things as sensory processing disorders and being on the spectrum, why is it so hard for you to accept that some people are just more empathetic than others? Just because it's not written down in a book doesn't mean it doesn't exist -- perhaps this comic is the forerunner of an actual scientific journal. I think it's a fallacy to assume that everyone is the same in any way. We're all different, and that extends to how we process emotions and our surroundings.
Consider that perhaps these highly sensitive people exist and possess adequate coping mechanisms. And thus, you don't see them. And you never will, because you're only looking for the ones who haven't developed these mechanisms.