Can we stop pretending everyone doesn't do this?
this post was submitted on 29 May 2026
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True story incoming.
A while back I was dealing with a close family member's horrific psychological attacks. This person is a true born narcissist of the highest order.
It took me 4 decades to realize that my entire life is and has always been controlled by this person. The deceptive tactics used against me are unheard of, believe me, I dare not exaggerate.
Anyhow, as any normal person might do under these extreme circumstances, I began playing out potential future scenarios wherein I might find myself backed into a corner with no way out. I have no access to guns nor would I even have the balls to try and acquire one... So the next best option would be a knife. I would think about the various knife like options I have available, particularly, a bunch of utility knives. Left with me after my dad passed away.
One day, the aforementioned narcissist came for their monthly visit to the apartment they have me isolated in. However this time they brought along a co-conspiritor, another narcissist, in this case a "flying monkey".
During the visit, they mentioned, in passing, the various utility knives my father had.
I swear on everything that is righteous and benevolent, they were READING MY THOUGHTS REMOTELY. Thus the reason they mentioned the knives, because I was THINKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY USING ONE!! AGAINST THIS VERY PERSON!!
The reason the other person was brought along was them sending me a very clear message. We control you, we are constantly monitoring you including your own thoughts, and that particular thought, is a big no no.
"Don't fuck with us"
Sounds like you need psychiatric help. The good news is that if someone is trying to control you psychologically, they'll help free you from that as well.
Hey man, that sounds like a rough time. I'm sorry.
Have you ever talked to a mental health professional before, or perhaps just told your doctor about what you describe here? The reason I ask is that things like the feeling that other people can read your thoughts is a typical sign of mental health conditions that can be dangerous to both yourself as well as those you care about. But even if you are psychologically a 100% well, no one should have to live under such threats and control as what you describe, and you would need help in that regard.
Remember that you can trust your doctor. It is their duty to help you, it's their job to care about your well-being, and they have sworn an oath to do no harm. If you don't know where else to turn, then you can always talk completely confidentially to your doctor, and they well help you, or guide you towards whoever can. And if you don't like your current doctor, then remember that you are always completely free to change to any other doctor of your choosing.
I wish you all the best.
The other 93% have already shot someone else
Pollster: Have you ever thought about shooting someone?
Me: Well even if I never had before, now that you've asked the question and put the idea in my head, I have, so thanks for that!
Pollster: Follow-up question: Have you ever thought of a pink elephant?
Id bet that in recent years that figure is much higher
Thought crimes.
Do we want to arm the proletariat or ban all guns? Its so hard to tell where Lemmy is at on guns sometimes.
That's wild that 93% of Americans have never driven in New Jersey.
Why is it so low?
Maybe they asked like, "SERIOUSLY thought about shooting someone" or perhaps "thought about shooting someone at a time that you actually had the means to do it" or even "made mental plans to shoot someone."
Or maybe I'm more of a psychopath than I thought I was. Like I don't actually want to hurt anyone, and I don't even own a gun, but the number of times it crossed my mind...
I think the headline flattened the question. Most people have thought about it happening, I'd wager, but less thought about doing it.
Found a 7 percenter ^
If I ever get mad enough at someone to picture killing them it's usually a blunt force weapon, so I get the low value on shooting here.
That's way lower than expected and I suspect it is just because they didn't want to be on record.
Survey: how many people are willing to be edgy on a survey?
People answer surveys as their ideal self not honestly. So yea most people, considering the constant virtue signaling about how non violent they are (lol to be proud of non violence while a pedophile rules you is a definitely a moral choice), are going to answer these surveys saying they are non violent.
They are the most violent among us and they always have justification.
Yep, what a load of bollocks, the only thing this study is useful for is why would you do this.
Only 7%? 🤔
That's how many are willing to admit it to a pollster, which is a subset of who thought about it. We don't know how big the larger set is.
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The other 93% have shot someone.
Without thinking about it first, it seems.
That way it's a crime of passion 🤓
The text of the question seems to be "I have thought about shooting another person or multiple people" and 7% responded "Strongly agree/agree/somewhat agree." Looking at the 160 page pdf questionnaire, I'm guessing most respondents deduced the correct answer and didn't want to cast aspersions on any of their other habits.
I've thought about all sorts of horrible things I'd never even contemplate actually doing. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Absolutely, there’s a huge difference between thinking about doing something and then letting the thought go compared to doing anything on the path to actually doing it.
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Only 7%? Yeah there are a lot of people 100% lying.
Yeah it all depends on the wording and how honest they are. Sometimes I’m frustrated enough to get all sorts of dark thought to inflict on them. But I have impulse control.
One of the reasons we need better gun control is too many people don’t. Or maybe too many people live in fear enough to escalate to deadly violence
I'd say 93% are lying.
Mm, you can fixate on killing someone without using a gun.
You could use a knife, a rope, poison, there are any number of things you can use to kill someone.
Maybe that 93% just very specifically envisions harming others without guns!
Lol no, many of them are lying.
Woodchipper, car bomb, garbage compactor, fire, a single large rock, multiple smaller rocks, open windows, closed windows and some force... The list goes on and on
Update:
- drum of boiling water
- large cat exhibit at the zoo
- thrown from a highway bridge
- snake pit
- drowning in a cesspool
- explosive butt plug
- fire ant
- flying with Tom Hanks in a movie
A bit exotic perhaps, but strapped to a rocket and hurled at a building.
I choose butt plug, what do I win!?
Diarrhea.
With someone, you mean a really long list?
Approximately 1/3 of Americans own guns.
7% seems low just because so far as I can tell it's 7% of adults in American not 7% of those who own guns.
I haven't ever fantasized about shooting someone. Throttling them to death? Yeah. Dropping a piano on someone? Certainly. Shooting them? No. For one thing I don't want to clean up a shooting. But for another at the point where you're wanting to kill someone or maim them a gun is just impersonal and hands off. I'm not a murderer. I would absolutely have to be pushed to that point.
But I have met quite a few people who really do just want to shoot someone. They are looking for a reason.
If it weren't with a firearm it'd be with a crossbow, a knife, ball peen hammer, concrete saw, etc.
I don't know how you could be older than 12 and not wanted to shoot someone ever.
I can honestly say I've never wanted to shoot, stab, or otherwise greviously injure someone. I've gotten into some fistfights when emotions have gotten out of hand, but this is maybe why its important that everyone is not running around with a way to blast holes in people.
The president of the free world is a child rapist.
So, some people may not trust others that insist upon this answer.
Hand me a loaded gun and put me in a room with Putin, and i'll not even blink when i shoot him.
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As an anti-gun anti-american pacific redneck, I have also thought about shooting people, at least once per week. There's only 3 people alive I would actually ever shoot though, given the chance.
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Thinking about it is normal, not doing it is being civilized.
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