If you're reading this, you're a failure.
Okay, now that your brain has absorbed this sentence, let's ask ourselves what emotions these words generated in you? After all, no one wants to be called that way, right?
I'll list some possible options for what might have popped into your head.
The first one is actually right.
The second is denial.
Third – embarrassment.
The fourth is anger.
The fifth is embarrassment.
All of these reactions are completely natural. But, most importantly... the first 4 paths can be considered the basic dialogue options in the game. However, the last one may suggest that your character has not been optimized for this purpose. This is where the key question
Are you real? Are you just a limited set of algorithms?
Have you ever had the feeling that everyone around you is an NPCT, you live in a simulation and only you are "real"? What if you are an ordinary bot and you only think that you are special, that is how a typical NPC would be programmed.
Take a look at this comment I found: "I feel better talking to contempt than women on Tinder XD "
Besides, judging by the news from men - it's not any better. Wait, wait, what if these women and men on Tinder are also bots? A moment ago, a lot of questions were asked, the answers to which are basically impossible.
But who exactly is this “expect”?
NPC, a non-player character, is a term meaning a character that is not controlled by the player. In computer games, these are the characters who perform actions specified by the creators and have nothing to say except a few ready-made dialogues. Often, regardless of your progress in the game, "enpecs" stay in the same place all the time and during any interaction they always say the same thing... If you can talk to them at all.
Such an NPC can only perform predetermined actions, unlike a character controlled by the player. This can break out of the defined framework and do things that the creators would never expect, exploit bugs or circumvent the established game path.
However, you're probably wondering what the phenomenon of being an NPC has to do with people? There is a view that some people do not have their own will. They live and function within a specific algorithm.
Let me start with a meme that popularized this concept and took it beyond the gaming community.
Source: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/npc-wojak
In 2016, on 4chan, one user started a thread claiming that the number of human souls is limited and that the surplus of soulless bodies is NPCets, autonomously following group thinking and social trends to convincingly impersonate humans.
The topic returned after 2 years when on the same website people who did not have an internal monologue were accused of being NPCs. Yes, some people have a voice in their head that "speaks" their thoughts in quotation marks, and some do not. But that's a topic for another episode.
Source : https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/npc-wojak
Literally, a few days later, an NPC soldier appeared - a gray figure with an expressionless face, who quickly became a representation of people uncritically following the crowd and taking over the group's opinion.
The meme is sometimes perceived as "controversial" because it is accused of having an oversimplified approach to human behaviour and promoting the dehumanization of other people.
Over the following years, many modifications of the meme and examples of its use appeared.
Source: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/angry-npc-wojak
Sources: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/npc-wojak-crowd
All right. But what does this have to do with you? Are you acting like an NPC?
Source: pinterest.com
Do you remember that situation in your life when you were carried away by a trend and you weren't really sure why? There have been many trends in society that have had a significant impact on people's behavior. This includes, among others: hipsters, reggae fans, or all kinds of subcultures, such as emo and others... It all comes down to... a sense of belonging.
Source: pinterest.com
Source: reddit.com
Membership determines how a person should behave, what he should like and what worldview he should represent. However, belonging is not limited to subcultures. You will find many such examples also concerning tradition, customs and religion. Think about older people, such as old ladies from your housing estate, who watch and supervise who comes to their block and at what times.
In a word, NPCs are people who strictly ensure compliance with rules that are not necessarily understandable and always explain them in a "because that's how it's supposed to be" or "because that's how it's done and that's the end of it" way. It's not just about practice, but also about accepting or turning a blind eye to certain things. I'll show you this with examples. The first one – we have a family: mother, father and child. Dad abuses alcohol and everyone knows it. However, he is such a good person - he works and provides for his family, he is not violent... It is not worth drawing attention to the fact that he has a problem. Many people in such situations will turn a blind eye or forgive such a father. However, this is downplaying the problem.
Another example? Abuse of authority by clergy and abuse of minors. Many people may also completely deny this problem or explain this type of abuse with words - after all, he is a priest, you cannot draw attention to him because of his social authority. Such a person must be forgiven because he has a high social position.
There are certain beliefs in society that have become so embedded in our lives that it is difficult to oppose them. It's always supposed to be this way and this way, but there's never an answer as to why...
But let's try to explain this phenomenon.
Behind everything, there is effort, specifically striving to have as little of it as possible. Replicating patterns reduces effort and involvement in everyday matters. Imagine constantly analyzing everything that comes to you and verifying whether it is true or whether it is good or not. Where is there room for relaxation and peace?
As humans, we have a great weakness for simplifying things to save ourselves time and energy. We get some information. The information does not contradict what we already know. By using it, we do not feel any harm in a short time. Is there any point in working on it? What for? If it is consistent with what we hear from our surroundings and makes us agree with our group, we only feel better!
Then there are internet personas. Influencers, gurus who show you what to say to a girl or boy to win them over. What should you buy to look good? What to exercise to get the desired figure. Where to invest to be rich. What practices should you use to feel good and what should you do to be fulfilled. They present to you that out of everyone else, they are the one who is right.
The journey through life is full of fears. We don't know what will happen in 5 or 10 years. It's much easier when you find someone who will tell you what to do to make things better. Just do what this person says and you won't have to suffer. Other people who think like you also gather around this persona. Together you create a community to which you belong and have a sense of community , while at the same time pumping in each other confirmation of the opinions you already hold.
Tempting, right? If something goes wrong, YOU are not the one responsible. Someone told you wrong. Very convenient, isn't it?
An interesting example from before the Internet era are American televangelists who accumulated considerable wealth by selling people the path of life.
https://youtu.be/CKaBErsSYYU [1:42 – 1:48]
https://youtu.be/VAAFPntJtnw [0:00 – 0:04]
Nowadays, we are flooded with huge amounts of information every day, coming from various sources. Even if you want to search for something on the Internet, you are probably already trapped in a bubble by an algorithm that will give you results that match what you already believe. And even if you don't find them right away, being influenced by your surroundings, you have formed an opinion and you will keep digging until you find something that confirms it.
Once you have an opinion that differs from the one adopted by the group, instead of curiosity, you will most likely be met with an aggressive defensive attitude that negates your opinion. The pressure and groupthink are sometimes so great that its members will not hesitate to use violence to defend themselves against something contrary to what they have been taught.
And this leads to greater indifference, because why make the effort? Why expose yourself to criticism and negative reactions?
You can also ask yourself, How do you feel when someone questions your beliefs or the beliefs of the group in which you live? Feeling angry? Can you endure the discomfort and ask yourself whether this person is right or wrong and... why?
The excess of information itself leads to a passive attitude and indifference . It used to be that you had to think, search, and figure something out to get an answer. Now you type the question into your phone and it's right in front of you. That's good? It seems so, but on the other hand...
A skill that is not used, does not develop, does not strengthen, and therefore disappears. Remind yourself of something you could do easily years ago but haven't had the chance to do recently. Maybe it's cycling? On roller skates? Will you do as well now as you did when you did it often? So what about solving math problems? Can you still use the triangle theorems? It is the same with thinking and assessing the information that reaches us.
As you may have already guessed, you will need critical thinking skills to stand out from the crowd of NPCs .
The earliest known records of critical thinking come from Plato, who in turn pointed to the teachings of Socrates. Socrates conducted conversations with people in which he questioned their beliefs, doubts and assumptions. He asked questions, doubted dogmas and delved deeper, triggering discussion and reflection on a given issue. He often showed his interlocutor that he had no idea what he was talking about. Young people were supposed to adore him, but as we can assume, older people were probably not happy with being called out for their ignorance.
Critical thinking is a complex process that many have attempted to define. However, most agree that it is thinking aimed at objectively assessing and analyzing a problem in order to draw conclusions from information and arguments.
When approaching a problem, we must be aware of our own biases and tendency to take shortcuts. It will often be necessary to question your conclusions to confirm that they are correct. As emphasized by Dr. Hab. Tomasz Grzyb :
“We are naturally predisposed to emotional reactions, not rational ones. However, a critically thinking person allows himself to think that things may be different than what his emotions tell him.
Critical thinking therefore requires constant monitoring whether we are not allowing ourselves to have a too personal relationship with the problem. Perhaps the way we see him is only a result of our sympathies or prejudices .
Okay, but how to use critical thinking in practice and thus develop your character?
First, start asking questions. Start answering them too. Criticize your questions and challenge your answers.
The obvious foundation of exercise is to keep using what you want to get better at. At first, putting your mind to work will not be easy and you will encounter a lot of resistance. In such a situation, meditate, go for a walk or just stare at the wall. Or… think about what else you can do. Identify the problem.
At this point you may be asking yourself – can I really learn critical thinking with this material? No, not really. Here I am just trying to introduce you to this topic. But if you already have an idea of what's going on, you can think about why you shouldn't eat banana ends. Or maybe that's what it should be?
Regardless of what conclusion you come to, you may fall in love with radical eaters or radical opponents of eating banana ends in your environment who will try to force you to maintain their views. It may sound funny, but what if you take up other topics that are not allowed to be questioned in your environment? This may not end well for you if you cannot cope with it.
Using critical thinking will certainly make someone around you dislike what you do and the decisions you make, especially if they go against what they are used to.
Source: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/yes-you-all-are-wrong
For this, you need a set of features, which we commonly call strong CHARACTER, necessary to take risks and face the consequences.
I mean, how do you tell your traditional grandmother that you won't go to church or your progressive sister that you have doubts about accepting immigrants from the Middle East?
Personality and character are often used interchangeably. But these are two different concepts, although closely related.
The first covers a broader scope. These are cognitive, emotional and behavioural patterns and characteristics that are interconnected and form the overall adaptation to life. The second is the personality element. It refers to ethical and moral features that influence the actions you take and the values you profess.
How does this relate to critical thinking?
To be interested in what it can bring us, we must feel responsible, at least for ourselves, and be willing to act in accordance with our own beliefs. Without perseverance, conscientiousness, consistency and self-control, it will not be possible to complete the critical thinking process. Honesty itself, or taking care of your own principles, will push you to draw the right conclusions.
A person with a strong character is steadfast and will not bow to group pressure, will maintain his or her own authenticity and makes rational decisions regardless of it.
You probably recognize something here. Something that most of us have been through and that allowed us to start thinking for ourselves. It's teenage rebellion .
Rebellion is crucial to character development. It is opposition to everything that limits a young person as a child. You reject the values and patterns imposed by the environment in favor of your own exploration. You try to have your own opinion and believe in more idealistic beliefs.
Currently, there is no rite of passage that would mark the boundary between specific stages in life. Rebellion itself and reaching the age of 18 allows us to do more compared to earlier years, but it does not necessarily mean that we take full responsibility for our lives. We still most often live with our parents under their care and supervision, we still go to school and most of us do not have any specific plan for ourselves. Then we still want to have fun and enjoy the carefreeness that childhood offered.
We have no ceremonies, as in tribes, that would physically and mentally separate us from the earlier stage.
In the conditions in which we live, the closest thing to this is the need to become independent and find one's place in a new place. For example, when you go away to college and live in a dormitory. Your parents don't send you enough money to enjoy your student life 100%, so you have to take up paid work. You have to find a job, face your responsibilities and manage to reconcile it with your life and studies. Then you also come into contact with people who grew up in different environments and you have to learn to deal with different beliefs and lifestyles with which you may not agree.
But not everyone has the opportunity to do something like this. Places in the dormitory are limited, renting a room is expensive and not all parents are willing to finance it. Not everyone wants to go to college either. College itself is also called an "extension of childhood" because, apart from potentially living away from home, you still actually go to school and play with your friends.
The prospect of jumping into the unknown, with no guarantees of survival in a new place, does not convince you to leave your comfortable family home. And most of us don't have to make this leap. You can live with your parents until you are 30. It's cheap and convenient. Due to the constantly rising housing prices and rental fees, there is less and less criticism towards people who still optimize their living costs in this way . And rightly so, because you won't be living with several people in one room just to gain someone's approval.
To sum up, to develop your character, first of all, you need to experience more.
Each new experience will leave its mark on you and make you better know what you want. Therefore, do not allow yourself to sit in the same place all the time and intentionally engage in new situations.
Consciously choose the kind of people you hang out with. People subconsciously adapt to the group they are in, which can have a positive (or negative) impact on your character. Being around lying and inconsistent people will only weaken your positive qualities. And don't be afraid if the environment in which you developed was not favorable in this respect. Focus on finding your moral compass and do not give in to the pressure of groups that do not want to take responsibility for themselves and their lives.
Today's world does not help us learn to take responsibility for our own decisions. You can stay with your parents, in a safe place. Don't put yourself at risk. Vegetate.
There is a danger in this, however. Often, such vegetation makes you feel worse. You look at others and envy their courage to live in accordance with their own beliefs. You suffer because you allow yourself to be an NPCet .
Because breaking away from it is uncomfortable and exposes you to the risk of rejection and failure, but it's up to you whether you allow yourself to suffer or free yourself and discover the peace of living in harmony with yourself. I hope this blog will make you reflect and start living the way you want.
Sources:
1.Musich S., Wang S., Kraemer S., Purpose in Life and Positive Health Outcomes Among Older Adults , “Population Health Management” 2018, no. 21, pp.139-147; access: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5906725/, [access date: March 13, 2024].
2. Personality – APA Dictionary of Psychology (online), access: https://dictionary.apa.org/personality, [access date: March 13, 2024].
3. Pluta E., Critical thinking – how to learn it? And why exactly? (online), access: https://web.swps.pl/strefa-psyche/blog/relacje/18957-myslenie-krytyczne-jak-sie-go-nauczyc-i-wlasciwie-po-co?dt=1708889822124 , [date of access: 13/03/2024].
4. The Rise Of NPCs: Why Critical Thinking Is Dead (online), available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikjNj7CfeUI, [access date: March 13, 2024].
5. The Anthropology of Real Life NPCs (online), access: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6zO4kbdHf0 , [access date: March 13, 2024].
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