Genuinely Fascinated By People

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Definitely true, have you ever had to deal with a pathological narcissist?

I suppose in a way. You are probably interested in figuring people out that is why.

I like people watching, usually it’s purely observational with some reflection, but I also like to play a one-person game… will they react to something/behave as I predict, or will they surprise me.

That's not a game with me....it's my every interaction as I try at every minute to figure what they say while keeping track of the conversation. Real juggling act there.

I don't imply you are playing games with people in a pejorative sense. I just mean that my mind is so wrapped up in trying to keep track of anything, it has no time to have any sense of "am I right/am I wrong" on the fly. I have to wait until later and play the game tape in my head to review the passes and fumbles.

Edit: OH! And, when I do play the game tape, I use it to practice conversations in my head. I have all kinds of practice conversations in my head. All the time, day or night.

Goodness no, it’s not a game I play with people, while I am actively interacting with them! If I am sitting somewhere busy, usually waiting for someone/thing, I will people watch, sometimes playing that game while I am in a passive role…
e.g. will she turn left or right, will he let that pretty girl onto the bus ahead of him, will anyone offer a seat to the elderly lady and which person is most likely to give up their seat, who will notice the homeless person begging, she has a purposeful stride and expensive shoes, will she stop at the taxi rank, or get the bus?

People watching has to be one of my favourite pastimes.

Not so much when I was younger though, it might have had something to do with the fact that I was constantly at odds with myself and the world around me.

However, after i was diagnosed and learned more about myself, I also found other people fascinating as well.

I enjoy learning from what I see and I can pick up techniques.

Yes, very interesting indeed.

Great thread by the way.

I certainly did not mean to imply such a thing. Part of my communication issues. I stripped that part out simply to de-clutter the information. Had to have something boiled down for me in another thread. Too much info I guess.

But, in any case, I am with you on the passive observer side. When I am removed from a situation and not so many details to clutter my senses, I can generally predict a few things. But, I must be far removed from the situation.

I sometimes leave necessary information or words out of my communication, but don't realise/cant see it! So there could be a pair of us contributing to the confusion, lol, but, watching from afar leaves no room for such miscommunications .

That is me all up one side and down another. I did not realize it until recently. I was recording something as a demonstration. In my head, the words and communication were clear. But, when I replayed the actual recording for editing, I became aware that what I thought was coming out of my mouth was not in fact what came out. Very jarring. The flip side is this:
If I am recording something that is pure information (A how to for example) it is not so garbled. It is when I am communicating with a person that it happens.

Anyway, no offense, and it is a relief to have a give and take with a person who can understand and take no offense.

I have enjoyed reading the responses in this thread, glad you have too.

EVERYTHING has been an eye opener here. Has helped me sort through things a lot. And, a lot has been filed away for future reference as I assimilate all of this. It has been overwhelming.

The best thing is relief. I can finally communicate with people in a way never before.

Yes. How did you guess ?

I just guessed. It seems to me that pathological narcissists tend to find the truth more offensive than other people, and take things way more personally when their safe little worlds, which protects their enormous albeit fragile egos, are shattered.

I am fascinated by people. I'm interested in learning how people think, why they behave the way they do, and what causes people to become mean or evil. I'm also fascinated by mental disorders and the way they present in people. I'd love to be able to read minds.

Oh god no!! I don't want to know what they think. My brain is scary enough!!

It would be awesome to be able to read minds, but it would have to be something I would be able to turn off, I think.

What would you do if you saw that a person was saying nice things to you, but thinking ill of you at the same time? That would make a conversation even more difficult to follow then it already is.