a hierarchy of paranoia

paranoia under the moonlight - click to enlarge

One recent psycho-sociological study found that:

• Over 40% of people regularly worry that negative comments are being made about them [ed's note: who cares!?]


• 27% think that people deliberately try to irritate them [ed's note: I believe in this number. . .it's roughly the same number of people--or, even less, than I probably set out to deliberately irritate on a daily basis]


• 20% worry about being observed or followed [ed's note: don't worry; you are.]


• 10% think that someone has it in for them [ed's note: It's almost stunning only 10% of the people believe this. . .maybe they don't have office jobs or interactive jobs. If you're really living life, someone has it in for you. . .you're probably not thinking that the person in the next office would feel nothing (or elation) if you failed to wake up the next morning; guess what?: they would.]


• 5% worry there is a conspiracy to harm them [ed note: this doesn't apply to most of us. But there are myriad cases where some, or many, of your compatriots, co-workers, fellow group members, associates, family and relatives, fellow parishioners or dharma center members wouldn't mind it all if your last breath happened right now. ]
  
  

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