Shut up Greg

[Rodafina]

Seeing this comic of Greg gives me some insight as to why a lot of people don't like me. I am definitely a Greg and I think that upsets a lot of people.

It has been shocking and enlightening for me to experience this thread and realize that Greg is the unlikable one! I think Greg is fantastic and not only am I a Gregette, I feel like I want my friends to be Gregs, too. Of course, others would be welcome in my circle, if I had one, but I think I would feel the closest to the Gregs and the Gregettes.

GREG IS GREAT!!!

 

[Magna]

It has been shocking and enlightening for me to experience this thread and realize that Greg is the unlikable one! I think Greg is fantastic and not only am I a Gregette, I feel like I want my friends to be Gregs, too. Of course, others would be welcome in my circle, if I had one, but I think I would feel the closest to the Gregs and the Gregettes.

GREG IS GREAT!!!

I agree with everything you said. I love how Greg is also happily enjoying the simple pleasure of a delectable cookie. Greg's mouth and tummy are happy.

 

[Jordy]

But in the comic, Greg isn't saying he is unable to judge people's morality in general, just that in this specific instance (when all the context he has is an action some person performed, that one of his friends is a fan of said person, and another friend dislikes them) he doesn't have enough context to judge. I have been in Greg's situation numerous times when I see others having strong opinion on a person, but I lack the context to judge the situation myself, or information gets presented from a biased source. We simply don't know if the situation presented is a "clear cut immoral thing". If anything, it's doubtful to be so clear cut since his friends have such different perspectives on it.

"did a thing" can be a placeholder for about anything, the comic doesn't say whether its a full description of what actually happened or if it is biased, only that greg thinks he lacks enough context and history to what happened. I interpret what greg says in the second frame as being a reflection of a general principle that he holds.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

Thank you for the comic references, I have noted them down and will look to buy some digital edition. This visual aproach has help me reflect on things books have not been able to. So a visual aproach to learning may be a good idea. Im a very visual person alfter all.

This part resonates a lot with my forum name: Soulcatcher. I dont consider that I stole things from others, since they keep being themselves. But I think that many of myself has been built catching things from others. Not only the masking, also some dreams, values, ways of listening, knowledge... All those eyes from the picture is a very graphic way to represent all the souls (parts) that have been copied/stolen/catched to fill the shell.

As a curiosity, many systems with DID (Disociative Identity Disorder) use to feel that their host (the one dealing with the public) is also like a shell created to function with the world. They not only need to integrate an identity (mask) externaly (by learning what works and what not), but also internally by accepting and communicating with the other system's alters.

I took from them this very important aspect of accepting every aspect of myself, I am not dissociated but I became more aware of how important is (for me) to accept even my darkness, mistakes, insecurities or my fears.

So I also try to catch and integrate my own soul fragments, if I can call them that way.

Sorry for the offtopic.

 

[Stuttermabolur]

"did a thing" can be a placeholder for about anything, the comic doesn't say whether its a full description of what actually happened or if it is biased, only that greg thinks he lacks enough context and history to what happened. I interpret what greg says in the second frame as being a reflection of a general principle that he holds.

I think we agree with each other here, and this is the reason why I think we as a reader don't have enough information to judge whether Greg is evaluating "clearly immoral" behaviour by someone. However, the context of the two friends disagreeing leads me to believe it's more likely that it's controversial.

 

[Aspychata]

Just can't be that serious. I was just serious with someone, and he gently let me down. Now l need to operate in the keep it loose mode. Don't get weighed down in life. It's my friends that keep me out of the Greg mode, lol.

 

[Ella Spell]

I'm a Greg because I try not to judge anyone or demonstrate prejudice without knowing the person and the situation. Even then, I'm very reticent to think in terms of a good-bad binary because I believe all people are equal until and unless they prove otherwise. I seldom judge anyone on one mistake alone. I try to see the best in people and show them my best in return, and when they aren't their best I try to understand their needs.

I'm also a Greg because I think and write in a lot of detail, and because my friendships nearly always implode.

In my case it's not exactly like the cartoon because my friends are also Greg-types. Most of them have been autistic just like me. Historically my friends have been peaceful egalitarians who care about the world and their place in it. My friends are usually people who don't hurt and judge others, especially because they're accustomed to being hurt, judged, and shamed themselves. My friends usually love the way I think and they ask for my opinion on topics of morality, behaviour, and social science, because those things interest us all. Sounds great, right?

Back to the cartoon. Imagine Greg talking to these other Gregs who pondered the same questions, used the same amount of detail or insight, and tried to avoid judging or being judged. Imagine they've told him many times that they want his input or they value his insights.

Then, imagine Greg is still rejected by those people, but the reason isn't obvious like it is in the cartoon since in New-Greg's case they're all talking the same way. Imagine if this happened to Greg repeatedly and he tried to improve, but whether he masked or he mimicked his companions, he got the same result and his friends felt offended. Imagine if they told him he needed to improve but they didn't try to improve themselves, or else their version of "improvement" was to shun Greg. Imagine if Greg asked them why, or what was going on, but they suddenly stopped talking.

Does anyone else have this experience as a Greg with other Greg friends?

 

[Ella Spell]

I don’t. I am much harder on myself than others for some reason. I wish I showed the same patience and understanding for myself that I do to others. But I’m trying to get there.

For the record though, I don’t seek excuses. I seek explanations and understanding

Same. ^ I'm very hard on myself.

I've been focussed on demonstrating forgiveness in the past year, whether that means forgiving myself, forgiving others, or forgiving the universe for things unexplained. This journey started last spring when something potentially catastrophic came to light. Forgiving the other side was easy compared to forgiving myself; my trauma brain wanted to take responsibility for things I hadn't even done because that's my default mode. I had to forgive myself for blaming myself, if that makes sense.

I'm more than willing to admit when I've screwed up, and I'm always open to forgiving people who hurt me if they seek forgiveness. The hardest situations are when they don't tell you what happened, when they don't want to talk about it, or when they're content to accept your apologies without giving any of their own.

I wish life wasn't so complicated but it sounds like many of us have this experience.

 

[Markness]

I am not allowed to have forgiveness. I make one mistake and I am forever hated.

 

[Markness]

Just can't be that serious. I was just serious with someone, and he gently let me down. Now l need to operate in the keep it loose mode. Don't get weighed down in life. It's my friends that keep me out of the Greg mode, lol.

Whenever I am serious, others think I am kidding. When I joke, people think I am being genuine.

 

[Luca]

Whenever I am serious, others think I am kidding. When I joke, people think I am being genuine.

People always think I'm being rude, sarcastic, or facetious when I'm being genuine. It is frustrating.
I can be very sarcastic, but usually not unless I'm angry or really trying to prove a point.

I have often been a victim of the opposite, thinking people were genuinely complimenting me when they were actually being facetious.

 

[SusanLR]

In the original comic there isn't enough information to even know what Guy X
did. A thing? What do you do when you do a thing?
Obviously, it seemed like a good thing to one person and terrible to the other.
If all you hear is Guy X did a thing, you wouldn't even know what is being judged.

Personally, I would probably think something like Greg is saying, but would not
bother to get involved in the conversation unless I knew the facts of what the thing was.

 

[Owliet]

I dont feel like I am worthy of forgiveness. I will be very hard on myself and will continue to self-flagellate. I am TRYING to stop doing this. I often ask for forgiveness even when I dont do anything to need one.

I am not allowed to have forgiveness. I make one mistake and I am forever hated.

What makes you think that?

 

[Rodafina]

I dont feel like I am worthy of forgiveness. I will be very hard on myself and will continue to self-flagellate. I am TRYING to stop doing this. I often ask for forgiveness even when I dont do anything to need one.


What makes you think that?

I am not allowed to have forgiveness. I make one mistake and I am forever hated.

This is exactly why we need more Gregs out there! Greg would understand. Greg would forgive you. Greggette would as well.

 

[Rodafina]

Back to the cartoon. Imagine Greg talking to these other Gregs who pondered the same questions, used the same amount of detail or insight, and tried to avoid judging or being judged. Imagine they've told him many times that they want his input or they value his insights.

Then, imagine Greg is still rejected by those people, but the reason isn't obvious like it is in the cartoon since in New-Greg's case they're all talking the same way. Imagine if this happened to Greg repeatedly and he tried to improve, but whether he masked or he mimicked his companions, he got the same result and his friends felt offended. Imagine if they told him he needed to improve but they didn't try to improve themselves, or else their version of "improvement" was to shun Greg. Imagine if Greg asked them why, or what was going on, but they suddenly stopped talking.

Does anyone else have this experience as a Greg with other Greg friends?

I have so many thoughts on this one and I have been pondering it all night.

Here’s a few thoughts that seem worth sharing.

A. Greg’s friends aren’t authentic Gregs. Maybe they try to be a Greg but their moral superiority gets the better of them and they do end up judging through hypocrisy in the end.

B. The weirdo among weirdos syndrome. I think this is where I fall. Maybe some of us have been so rejected and search so hard for a group to be part of in vain that we just feel like we will never fit. Even a Gregette among all the other Gregs and Gregettes can still feel alien and interpret things as if they are always and forever an alien.

C. The friend Gregs may be so hurt and damaged by their own trauma and experience being disliked just for being a Greg that they resort to some of the cruel behaviors that non-Gregg’s show so often. Like they have learned how to survive this way out of desperation and loneliness.

I’m still mulling this one over because I find the question very interesting. I guess no matter what, at the end of the day, no Greg will be perfect and none of us are angelic, so maybe Greg friends just suck sometimes like everybody else.

 

[Ella Spell]

I think C applies best, but I can see the others being possible too. ^

 

[Markness]

I dont feel like I am worthy of forgiveness. I will be very hard on myself and will continue to self-flagellate. I am TRYING to stop doing this. I often ask for forgiveness even when I dont do anything to need one.


What makes you think that?

When I’ve made mistakes with people, they tend to react very harshly.

 

[Markness]

This includes people who say they are forgiving and understanding. There are those who boast about it to make themselves look superior and I find them to be condescending.

 

[Crossbreed]

Over the years I am starting to think that people not mature by age. Maybe by experiences in life? I dont know.

I noticed my biggest jump in embracing responsibility came when I became a parent. (I was still pretty naive, though.)
I still liked some childish things, but I had to set them down whenever duty called.