Comments on: Views on generosity, greed, and morality as a child http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/12/02/views-on-generosity-greed-and-morality-as-a-child/ Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:49:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: How beliefs linger after faith is gone: My tale as a kosher atheist | Cyde Weys Musings http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/12/02/views-on-generosity-greed-and-morality-as-a-child/comment-page-1/#comment-36909 How beliefs linger after faith is gone: My tale as a kosher atheist | Cyde Weys Musings Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:17:55 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/02/views-on-generosity-greed-and-morality-as-a-child/#comment-36909 [...] for no other reason than having to avoid rehashing all of the same material again). I developed a pretty healthy sense of morality at a young age, none of which derived from religion. Some of the people in my family were once very religious, but [...] [...] for no other reason than having to avoid rehashing all of the same material again). I developed a pretty healthy sense of morality at a young age, none of which derived from religion. Some of the people in my family were once very religious, but [...]

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/12/02/views-on-generosity-greed-and-morality-as-a-child/comment-page-1/#comment-11337 Cyde Weys Tue, 04 Dec 2007 04:56:07 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/02/views-on-generosity-greed-and-morality-as-a-child/#comment-11337 I don't consider myself to have exceptional memory from childhood. There are only a few occurrences that I really remember in a lot of detail (like this one). Pretty much everything is accurate, though the 30 minutes figure isn't exactly remembered, but rather, my best guess. The neat thing about memory is that as you age and mature, your memory schema changes many times as your brain gets more advanced (for lack of a better word). Memories encoded under previous schemas are irretrievable, and thus lost. However, this can be circumvented in some circumstances of memories that are frequently recalled. So I have a few good memories left from childhood that I've recollected every so often since then. But the day-to-day memories are totally lost. As for morality, well, I wouldn't call it a good morality. I manipulated that poor kid. That was not even close to the only time I did something like that as a child, either. I remember playing mind games on the other kids during recess. That was my enjoyment. I was an nth agent between two cliques, telling each I was spying for them on the other, when in fact, I didn't really have any allegiance either way other than to myself. I simply enjoyed being manipulative. You'll be happy to learn that I've long since stopped doing this. I suppose it's acceptable to derive amusement from it as a child when you don't really know better, but if you continue doing it on through adulthood, that's psychopathic. I don’t consider myself to have exceptional memory from childhood. There are only a few occurrences that I really remember in a lot of detail (like this one). Pretty much everything is accurate, though the 30 minutes figure isn’t exactly remembered, but rather, my best guess.

The neat thing about memory is that as you age and mature, your memory schema changes many times as your brain gets more advanced (for lack of a better word). Memories encoded under previous schemas are irretrievable, and thus lost. However, this can be circumvented in some circumstances of memories that are frequently recalled. So I have a few good memories left from childhood that I’ve recollected every so often since then. But the day-to-day memories are totally lost.

As for morality, well, I wouldn’t call it a good morality. I manipulated that poor kid. That was not even close to the only time I did something like that as a child, either. I remember playing mind games on the other kids during recess. That was my enjoyment. I was an nth agent between two cliques, telling each I was spying for them on the other, when in fact, I didn’t really have any allegiance either way other than to myself. I simply enjoyed being manipulative.

You’ll be happy to learn that I’ve long since stopped doing this. I suppose it’s acceptable to derive amusement from it as a child when you don’t really know better, but if you continue doing it on through adulthood, that’s psychopathic.

]]> By: Dyneus http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/12/02/views-on-generosity-greed-and-morality-as-a-child/comment-page-1/#comment-11335 Dyneus Tue, 04 Dec 2007 03:52:33 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/12/02/views-on-generosity-greed-and-morality-as-a-child/#comment-11335 wow you were 5 and you remember all of that in detail? are you sure you're not filling in any of the blanks with some creative writing? i barely remember anything from when I was 5. and you were pretty devious as a kid, giving away your toys to your friend knowing you'd get them back, and exposing him for what he was. i don't know many 5 year olds with that kind of morality. wow you were 5 and you remember all of that in detail? are you sure you’re not filling in any of the blanks with some creative writing? i barely remember anything from when I was 5.

and you were pretty devious as a kid, giving away your toys to your friend knowing you’d get them back, and exposing him for what he was. i don’t know many 5 year olds with that kind of morality.

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