VN Ren'Py Friends in Need [Ch. 9 v0.60c] [NeonGhosts]

[Machete]

He is capable of reflexive cognitive and affective empathy and relating to someone's emotional state (unlike a sociopath who is just faking it). He is not only able to act normal but to also be normative.

Other traits of dark empaths include: Low self-worth and a need for validation, Struggles with anxiety or depression, Extroversion, and Confidence in their own abilities. Dark empaths may also seem humble and down on themselves, which can make it difficult to detect their qualities. However, their self-criticism may be more about wanting to improve than feeling remorse.

Shit... i think i might have a problem...

 

[Joshy92]

I'll be honest I hate eating healthy but if Mason sat on the table, spread his legs and said 'eat you vegetables sir and you can eat me out for dessert' I would be shoving those things down my throat so fast I'd have to be careful not to choke.

 

[Dogorti]

I'll be honest I hate eating healthy but if Mason sat on the table, spread his legs and said 'eat you vegetables sir and you can eat me out for dessert' I would be shoving those things down my throat so fast I'd have to be careful not to choke.

I thought you were vegan Joshy

 

[Joshy92]

I thought you were vegan Joshy

Hey dude do you think Mason would say something like what i wrote in game? Because I'm thinking of writing some fanfic but I don't want him to seem too different to how he is in game.

Or would that be too forward for his character?

 

[Mickademous]

Hey dude do you think Mason would say something like what i wrote in game? Because I'm thinking of writing some fanfic but I don't want him to seem too different to how he is in game.

Or would that be too forward for his character?

Would probably be something more like:
"If you want some motivation to eat something, you can eat my ass. If you prefer, you can even do that while I blow you... If you want to that is..."
All while looking shy and adorable.

 

[Dogorti]

Hey dude do you think Mason would say something like what i wrote in game? Because I'm thinking of writing some fanfic but I don't want him to seem too different to how he is in game.

Or would that be too forward for his character?

Maybe if he stuttered a little he would be more in character.

 

[NewTricks]

Wait are you asking a AI to give you answers? That hardly inspires confidence given the nature of how much gibberish they make up.

I know. Hence the attribution. It was just what was at the top of my search when I was looking for more information on dark empathy and thought to share it. Google is pushing its open AI quite hard, isn't it. I do think that the AI did pull a lot from other cluster b personality disorders like narcissism and borderline personality disorder. I just thought it was jolly how close it was to Guy's behavior in the VN.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

Both versions of Guy have the same personality disorder. He is what is called a dark empath. He is capable of reflexive cognitive and affective empathy and relating to someone's emotional state (unlike a sociopath who is just faking it). He is not only able to act normal but to also be normative. However, he isn't capable of somatic empathy. That "punch to the gut" feeling is something he only feels for himself. It is almost as if he is the opposite of a psychopath and his cerebellum functions perfectly but there is something wrong with his limbic system. In some ways, this is a preferable personality type to someone with an antisocial personality disorder, but it is also considered to be the most dangerous personality type. Someone who is empathetic but can turn it off as easily as a light switch can be an extraordinarily perilous individual to deal with.

Here is how AI describes a dark empath. Tell me if any of it sounds familiar.

Dark empaths are people who may exhibit a range of behaviors that can be manipulative, vindictive, and emotionally intelligent:

• Manipulation - Dark empaths may use their ability to understand others' emotions to control situations or gain personal advantage. They may guilt trip, gaslight, or use sarcasm to get their way.
• Vindictiveness - Dark empaths may bully, gossip, or intimidate others. They may also talk about others behind their backs.
• Emotional intelligence - Dark empaths may be able to cognitively understand what others are feeling, but they may not experience the affective nature of those feelings. They may use this calculated empathy to manipulate others instead of genuinely caring for them.

Other traits of dark empaths include: Low self-worth and a need for validation, Struggles with anxiety or depression, Extroversion, and Confidence in their own abilities. Dark empaths may also seem humble and down on themselves, which can make it difficult to detect their qualities. However, their self-criticism may be more about wanting to improve than feeling remorse.

So the qualities that make Guy the worst also make him quite effective when it comes to running a charity. He isn't emotionally invested in personal outcomes but rather focuses on the efficacy of the action and therefore treats his donations like investments rather than charity. His ability to assess and understand what other people need can be used or misused and only the player gets to decide which version we get.

Damn dude, this was such an interesting read! Never even heard of dark empaths.

But, you say he's capable of affective empathy, but the AI says he isn't. Which is it?

I don't know Guy seems pretty normal to me then again, I focus on the babes not him even though I do "insert" when playing games.

Besides if I'm being honest, I have some of those traits and I'm normal.

All that said I often wonder how different the story would be if I was the actual MC. What choices would I make and such.

Yeah, self-diagnosis is not very reliable except for straightforward things like dandruff or something. It's like reading about Covid or depression disorders and trying to make a determination; their symptoms are so common and identifiable by everyone on the planet at one time or another that it isn't really very useful except as a beginning to seeking expert evaluation. Mind you, 'dark empath' is less identifiable than those examples, but point still stands I think.

I mean, I'm pretty damn positive I'm not a dark empath, yet on the other hand, I have definitely done very selfish things thoughout my life. And I can get off to dark path stuff, too. I'm probably further along some kind of spectrum than the pure guys & gals who only play the romance route lol, and I wish I was more like them so I wouldn't feel the need to hide my kinks. Yet I can't even watch people fist fight at the local gas station without getting a little pit in my stomach, or read in-depth stories about someone's abuse. I get desensitized the more I see or read that kinda stuff, but that's perfectly normal. And stuff like that could make someone worried that they have that kind of personality disorder when the reality is far more complex than that.

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

Yeah, so I just couldn't help myself and had to google 'dark empath' and read up on it a little. Also couldn't help but paste the highlights here if anyone's interested.. I wouldn't rely too heavily on AI to explain complicated things like this, as it kinda confused me and seems it got some things wrong. Might as well google it and look for relevant articles instead of wondering if the AI got it wrong. Even pop-psych articles at least consult & quote experts. Anyways, direct quotes are in italics:

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"A dark empath is a person who basically has the cognitive knowledge of empathy—they know how to relate to somebody, they know how to understand if someone's going through something or is feeling something—but they don't know how to follow through with any actions,” says Alyza Berman, L.C.S.W., founder and clinical director at The Berman Center.

Research published in 2021 in the journal Personality and Individual Differences suggests that dark empaths can be aggressive, extroverted, and agreeable, and exhibit dark triad traits at varying degrees.

Dark empaths don’t necessarily lack empathy, however. They just have a “calculated way of experiencing empathy, which is expressed in a cognitive way versus an emotional way,” Adams says. They might use it to manipulate, gaslight, or bully others, instead of genuinely caring for or helping someone.

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People who exhibit the Dark Triad personality type—narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism—are associated with the power to manipulate and use others for personal gain. When you add a high level of empathy, which is the ability to see the world the way others do and know what they’re feeling, you have a person who has been categorized as a Dark Empath (Heym et al., 2021).

The Dark Empath personality has high levels of narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and empathy.

Psychopathy is a trait that removes the barriers or guardrails that most people have that keep them from acting on their more destructive impulses.

Narcissists are often initially attractive to others due to their self-confidence—and we are naturally attracted to self-confident people.

Machiavellian individuals use flattery and deceit to manipulate others into doing what they want them to do—and we like people who flatter us or show signs that they like us (Boothby & Bohns, 2021).

Empathic individuals are able to respond to others in appropriate ways due to their cognitive understanding of what others are feeling—and we like people who engage with us in ways that show they understand us or are like us (Simas & Kirkland, 2020).

Empathy comes in three main types: affective empathy, cognitive empathy, and compassionate empathy. Affective empathy is the ability to feel the feelings that another person is experiencing—like crying at a sad movie. Cognitive empathy is the ability to register the emotions another is experiencing, but there is no reciprocal “feeling” of the feelings. Compassionate empathy goes beyond feeling or understanding as it adds another component: Helping someone in need.

Some people have all three types of empathy, some people have just one or two, and some people have an absence of empathy. The Dark Empath is believed to have a high degree of cognitive empathy, the form of empathy which Dark Triad individuals have been found to possess (Wai & Tiliopoulos, 2012). This allows them to know exactly what to say and what to do in order to expertly manipulate their targets and achieve their aims.

The Dark Empath tends to be higher in extroversion than a Dark Triad individual, so they are going to be more likely to be seen in a greater number of social settings and be more engaged in social interaction. While they don’t tend to experience a wide range of emotions, they are able to cognitively understand what others are feeling...

So, based on all this, it sounds to me like a dark empath is just a dark triad who has a much more effective mask because they actually understand what another feels, i.e. cognitive empathy, but they don't actually feel it, i.e. affective empathy.

But still appreciate the response from NewTricks, as I've learned more from what I've read! I'm very convinced now that Guy is a dark empath. Fascinating stuff.

 

[Dee_Daa]

So, based on all this, it sounds to me like a dark empath is just a dark triad who has a much more effective mask because they actually understand what another feels, i.e. cognitive empathy, but they don't actually feel it, i.e. affective empathy.

i think that relates to me...cant feel shit or once i do i feel it for litterally a second or two and its gone....but i do still understund other peaples emotions...cant manipulate others tho im straightforward guy and i rarely lie , im literally ryan goslin.

 

[Dogorti]

Im literally ryan goslin.

 

[TigerWolfe]

Yeah, self-diagnosis is not very reliable except for straightforward things like dandruff or something.

And autism strangely,

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, which is weird.

 

[Machete]

Yeah, self-diagnosis is not very reliable

Yeah, of course i was kidding. I just could see myself in many of those traits

 

[PHIL101-YYouPPHard]

Yeah, of course i was kidding. I just could see myself in many of those traits

No worries, I took it as a funny joke

Honestly, though, I had to check myself in the mirror too after reading a few of those traits. Like I said, the AI got some stuff wrong, made it sound like a dark empath could actually feel something when someone was suffering, I was like... oh shit, could that be me? But nope.. they're basically just the T-1000s of dark triads

 

[Ragnar]

i think that relates to me...cant feel shit or once i do i feel it for litterally a second or two and its gone....but i do still understund other peaples emotions...cant manipulate others tho im straightforward guy and i rarely lie , im literally ryan goslin.

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[Dessolos]

i think that relates to me...cant feel shit or once i do i feel it for litterally a second or two and its gone....but i do still understund other peaples emotions...cant manipulate others tho im straightforward guy and i rarely lie , im literally ryan goslin.

same here I feel like im a Witcher at times, don't really feel shit outside of AVN, video games , tv for fictional characters but I can't hurt a fly , probably too nice of a person at times where I shouldn't be. So I say I only have some of the traits but don't got any of dark bits like manipulation.

 

[allanl9020142]

I'm probably further along some kind of spectrum

Hey! Don't worry about that, Phil. We're all somewhere on that spectrum.

I thought you were vegan Joshy

Well, he did say "eat your vegetables".