People Facts

Random facts about people I've noticed, collected or collated along the years... Normally analytical but not always completely objective.

• Singular people are usually okay
• People as a group are usually dumb as shit

• Gaussian distribution of behaviors (although tempting, I can't find any correlation with IQ):
  • Extreme conservative, reactionary (low percentile) => will do anything to prevent change
  • Regular conservative (medium percentile) => prefer to prevent change (usually, people that fear something and like the comfort of their situation) (wealthy?)
  • Standard (majority) => will do what they think is most sensible depending on the situation
  • Regular revolutionary (medium percentile) => encourage change (scientists, artists, thinkers, entrepreneurs)
  • Extreme revolutionary (low percentile) => will do anything to change things

• Most people are fundamentally "honest" or naive in that they believe what other people will tell them (deception is not a natural trait, it is learned)
  • That explains why rotten politicians get re-elected every 5 years based on false promises

• Most people don't seek richness or power, they are content with their situation
• As a corollary, people who seek richness or power need other people to reach their goal. My belief is that they're basically predatory sociopaths (army, country leaders, politicians, traders, etc.).

• It seems most people have a strong need to be remembered (fear of death, insignificance, can't accept randomness of life and the Universe)

• People look for sense (life goal), if they can't find it they default to faith

• People have the capacity of "having faith", believing something without any proof of existence. That's something I can't understand at all as it apparently requires the capacity of lying to oneself (self deception).

• Many people's love relationships seem to based on first impressions and don't account for any long term assessment of the partner. The relationship's duration seems to be linked to the duration of the assessment. Long relationships despite short assessment periods seem to be due to:
  • Resilience/tolerance to frustration
  • Fear of being alone (that one is sometimes pathological, e.g. beaten wives)
  • Fear of breaking routine
  • Amazing sex (pleasure stronger than discomfort)
  • Statistical "luck"? (good instinct? super-compatible pheromones?)

• People obey peer pressure, which is a strong influence in our modern society
• People can easily fall for their low instincts: voyeurism, lust, hubris, apathy, envy (the very sins of the bible)
  • TV counts on that and reinforces that! Especially envy.

• It looks like most people like shiny stuff (diamonds, gems, cars, glitter, etc.). Personally I find this quite crude...

• People need a private place, somewhere secure where they can feel at home, undisturbed, secure

• Nature (genetic traits):

• Nurture (acquired, cultural traits):