Yes, I’ve been bad about daily posts; I am attempting to return to a daily format.  Trust that I am not merely sitting idly on the days that I do not post.

I often work on my endeavors from the comfort of a local coffee shop.  The patrons of the shop are diverse as are the topics spoken within those four walls.  As I was sitting there attempting to determine that which to write for today’s post, I overheard a most interesting conversation regarding human sexuality.  A group was seated at one of the tables and was having a passionate, but amicable, disagreement as to what extent the presence of sexual themes should be appropriate in society.  All of the patrons were in agreement; they wished to see an increased acceptance of human sexuality in society.  The disagreement was as to the route to take in order to gain such acceptance.

One faction wanted the focus to be on what we would term “softcore” images.  By slowly increasing the sexual element, society would gradually become more accepting of more and more “hardcore” representations of human sexuality.  The other faction wished to dive into the deep end, reasoning that the initial shock value of such hardcore images would cause even the most ardent opponent to become accustomed to the sexual element most humans possess.  After all, full-frontal nudity would surely lose its taboo reputation if it were increasingly present.

I did not overhear as to whether the group as a whole came to consensus, but it made me think of the plight that many sociopaths face.  To speak of the condition solely in terms of a lack of empathy, conscience, and regret is a detriment to the more nuanced, and antisocial, ways that the condition often manifests itself.  On the other hand, to speak of only the manipulation, parasitism, and cunning can cause others potentially sympathetic to our plight to turn their backs on us before ever gaining enough information to pass true judgement.

I do not know which approach would work best when attempting to educate others on the sociopathic condition.  My own approach will be the same that it is always has been:  to write frankly of the condition and to not candy-coat it in any form.  I do not consider myself an idealist, but I believe that most people have the capacity to make their own reasoned judgements.  I am not, however, optimistic that such a capacity will actually be realized for most.  Maybe the condition cannot escape what others would term shock value.  I prefer to think that there is much more behind the curtain.