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Posted

Greetings!

 

Allow myself to introduce... myself.

 

Obviously Ragnar Danneskjold is not my real name, nor am I a pirate. I've opted to use a fictional name because I have to exist in a world and a profession where I am surrounded by people who are intolerant of other people who's views do not match their own. I don't like hiding my identity, but for now I feel it is necessary.

 

Through much of my life, any of my ideas that were counter to the mainstream way of thinking were instantly attacked and I was always told or made to feel that I was selfish or stupid by those around me. I've even been called brainwashed. I've been told that I must hate poor people, sick people, old people, the "unfortunate", and on and on. I've been told that I am a terrible person.

 

I'd never met anyone or even read a book that seemed to see things even remotely close to the way I saw things. No one around me ever asked the questions that I had been wanting to ask but was afraid to, knowing that I'd be made to feel like I was a bad person. For example, I remember in history class in grade school where my history teacher ridiculed me in front of the entire class for daring to question something. Wanting to fit in, I suppressed my true self, stuffed it in a deep dark prison and threw away the key.

 

After reading Atlas Shrugged, though, it resurfaced my feeling that the world around me didn't make any logical sense and I was again driven to find answers which eventually led me to Stef's YouTube channel, voluntarism, anarcho-capitalism, and the persuit of self-knowledge.

 

At the time, I was in my third year of therapy for some severe social anxiety that made me physically ill just going out to dinner or a movie with my friends (it was even worse if I didn't know everyone). Therapy helped me get to a point where I could go out again and overcome the anxiety enough to go out (and even manage to have a good time), but it's still there... lurking.

 

 

I'm going to pause in my introduction because I've just had a bit of a revelation that I think may be important enough to share (especially since I know that there are other freedomainradio members with severe anxiety out there who may get some value from this):

 

It never occured to me before, but it seems rather obvious to me now as I'm writing this introduction, that a big part of my social anxiety is very likely due to having to suppress my true self all this time. I probably never put 2 and 2 together until now because I didn't really have anyone to share my true self with before. In my day-to-day life, I still have to hide my true feelings from those around me because I know they will not understand and may even attack me for having them.

 

I suppose that brings me one step closer to self-knowledge. It also emphasises the fact that I need to find and surround myself with a different group of people. People who actually *are* tolerant. People that I can openly share my ideas with.

 

 

... And now back to your regular scheduled introduction ...

 

Anarcho-Capitalism, as much as it does interest my inner geek, is really only a side-persuit for me.

 

There are probably 2 things that attract me most to freedomainradio.

 

1. Stef's ideas on non-violent parenting.

 

I hope to some day become a dad and when I do, I never ever want to spank, yell or scream at my children nor do I want a wife who will.

 

I think that another major source of my anxiety is likely tied to the fact that I was hit as a child (although, thankfully it stopped by the time I was 8) and screamed at (sadly, this never stopped until I was in high school).

 

Having listened to a number of the call-in shows starting this winter, nothing could illustrate just how important these ideas are to me than the mistreatment of so many of the people who call in. I don't want my future children to have to call in to Stef's show to get the attention, understanding, emotional support, and kindness that they need and so rightfully deserve. It honestly breaks my heart that so many callers were so badly abused.

 

Which brings me to #2...

 

2. Stef's capacity for empathy. His willingness to spend 3 hours on skype talking to people (what? 2 or 3 times per week?) makes it clear to me that he cares. Really cares. I don't know of anyone else out there willing to devote so much time to helping other people sort out their problems or giving them the attention and support that they need.

 

It makes me want to be a better person, myself. So thank you, Stef.

Posted

Another victim of the Old Russian Witch's Voodoo...

 

Welcome aboard! Regarding social anxiety, I am happy if you are happy with your therapy, still I hope you also know that every effective treatment always starts with the GTFO pill: no serious doctor would pretend to cure, say, PTSD, while the battle's still going on.

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