I saw a comment of someone saying ‘What if you don’t hate people, you’re just disappointed in people?’

And i think this is an interesting point! I would argue that beeing dissapointed absolutly fits the misanthropist philosophy. Heres why:

First of all i think it depends on what you predict will happen. someone who predicts humanity will do good, and then gets dissapointed, has little to do with misanthropy. But if someone got dissapointed so often and frequently, that they predict a disspointing event takeing place (yet still be dissapointed when it happends) fits the definition way better. Because expecting dissapointment from humans is a form of disliking humans. its a negative approach.

Yet i do see the contrary, for example in many writings by nitzsche, who certainly displayed great dissapointement in humanity, yet many say he wasn’t a misanthrope. (and they argue it very well)

I would dissagree tough, and state that someone thinking like Nitzsche, who is dissapointed in humans, yet willing to help them and even sometimes is hopeful that individuals or groups can achieve greatness, can still in heart not be a fan of humans.

A simple comparison is, that i see the company apple do many great things. they contribute to open source projects, they (at least somewhat) fight the datacollection of google and microsoft. yet i dislike apple, for the inherant capitalistic company they are.

What do you think? Can beeing dissapointed in people be a reason to call oneself a misanthroist?

  • Semi-Hemi-Lemmygod@lemmy.world
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    12 days ago

    I think misanthropy is expecting to be disappointed in people. If you expect them to do well and are then disappointed you’ve still got some hope for the species.