Some personality problems, like abandonment issues or low IQ, I think of as due to genetics or adverse childhood events not the fault of the person…other traits like being a person who litters or being greedy I think of as personal failings - my questions is where would you put attention seeking behaviors like being super entitled about your wedding or lying about traumatic events?

Are these caused by social problems, and if so what might they be? Or are they just people wanting attention because it feels good and they feel entitled to do whatever they have to to get it? I have cognitive dissonance on this and am curious to hear other people’s take and why.

  • LibertyLizard
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    4 months ago

    I think free will is an illusion so the distinction you are making here is not morally meaningful. You are simply listing some things where science has come to an understanding of the contributing factors and others where it has not. But that does not mean some things are out of our control and some things are subject to it. We are all products of our environments and genetics, none of which we necessarily chose. Some things are just less studied or harder to understand.