Creepy People: Misunderstood or Mislabelled?

Based on a recent paper that covered what it was that people found ‘creepy’ it occurred to me that the world, as advanced and ever changing as it is and no doubt will continue to be, it apparently still remains the same as it always has been and shows minimal signs of changing. Ironic, don’t you think?

The paper, which was based off some study done by some researchers somewhere in the world highlighted a few characteristics that proved to me that the people of the world are hesitant and wary of things that are different and out of the ordinary. So much so that it triggers their instincts and marks the designated ‘thing’ as ‘creepy’ and in effect wrong. As one would know the things people find categorized as creepy tend to be the things one avoids and tries to get rid of. So then is it not easy to say that what people want to get rid of is the things that are ‘different’ from what they expect from the world, what they value as normal or ‘better’ behavior?

Who knows, the truth of the matter is those that are different still exist among us and exhibit these behaviours whether they are aware of it or not. But is it their fault? Taking a look at the list of characteristics I have to wonder. For example some of the traits stem from what you would normally find in a socially awkward individual, i.e someone who stands too close, laughs at odd times or has a peculiar smile. While other character traits are biological things that seem ridiculous to label someone for, such as long fingers, pale skin or being too thin. Then of course you have some traits that anyone having a lazy day would probably be guilty of, things like having unkempt hair, wearing dirty or unmatched (odd) clothes, or perhaps having bags under your eyes due to long nights watching movies or the like.

But what really gets my grit is that having a mental illness seems to be a character trait that has made the list, indicating how misunderstood people with mental issues really are, granted there are some who misrepresent those out there diagnosed with mental illness. The list goes on, as you can imagine, and admittedly there are some good points to some of the traits made however, I can’t help but noticing a pattern within those mentioned traits. It seems to me that the majority of people, or at least those interviewed, misunderstand the actions of many and because of that they label those uncertain intentions as ‘creepy’ leaving a vast majority to walk around being tagged as potential serial killers or whatever so called ‘creepy people’ are supposedly accused of doing in their spare time. How sad.

So then, what does one have to do to change this attitude, or at the very least shift the idea that being a different kind of ‘different’ isn’t so bad or ‘creepy’? Because let’s face it viewing them in such a negative light makes it all too easy to discriminate against them and thus see them as lessor than the rest of humanity, at least for some individuals it works like that. So it’s clear then a change is needed, in order to accept their differences and embrace the change so as not to fully ostracize these individuals. But where to begin, that is the question?

Personally I think the change occurs with the labelling of said ‘creepiness’. What defines someone as creepy and why does it do so? Am I creepy because I haven’t washed my hair in a while or because my fingers are long? Maybe it’s because I stand too close or have pale skin? These are very specific things that can be misunderstood so easily yet cleared up quickly when approached with an open mind and less judgement. That’s all it takes, I think. But I could just be a naïve soul thinking the world is simple and easy like that, who knows…

Still being open minded and free of judgement has been the cure for many a bias thought and maybe it could work for this, you never know. The worst that could happen is that the bias remains and the world carries on, changing yet not changing in its ever beautiful contradictory self.


Images: Pixabay