Here's my theory on Howard's angst

**Goo For You** · 01-22-2013, 06:53 AM

The guy talks bs for a living. Doing so, he quickly becomes a master at it. He learns to control every aspect of his medium, and to spin stories every way he wishes. He feels like the master of universe. But every once in a while, because of his keenly developed senses, an unpleasant thought creeps in: His game isn't making him happy or particularly smart -- even worse, his skills gain him no advantage when dealing with his wife or children. This thought is so unnerving that he quickly learns to suppress it. He does everything in his power to avoid dealing with the void in him. But because he has become a master at perception, he can't help becoming more and more aware of his shortcomings, as well as of the fact that the people around him -- Robin and Dominic in particular -- are profoundly ignorant and despicable human beings. His hairline receding from around his hair plugs isn't helping him. Every attempt he makes at communicating with real and wholesome human beings fails. He hates everyone as well as himself. He becomes a recluse. In his desperation, he mistakes his infatuation with an escort as a panacea for his problems. This relationship gives him something else to think about, but soon, the magic dies. He's back in his cellar; and at this point, he's grasping for straws. He has heard good things about chess so he takes it up. It takes a while, but eventually he comes to realize that chess is teaching him the lesson he should have learned a long time ago: progress (as well as all the good things that come with it) comes from patience, honesty and perseverence. He shudders at the thought and quits playing. He's wasted too much of his life to give up his bs. The only problem is, the void remains, and it keeps eating him up...

Lyrics

The games....people....play

**HowieStearn** · 01-22-2013, 06:56 AM

needed em, short attention span

**WillyBest** · 01-22-2013, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by HowieStearn

needed em, short attention span

Howard is trapped in a vicious cycle of his own BS.

**lilbuddy67** · 01-22-2013, 07:05 AM

Wordy fucker....

**143** · 01-22-2013, 11:38 AM

y'all should read it.
t'was a good post.

**Kool** · 01-22-2013, 11:41 AM

staff member?

**Rocinante** · 01-22-2013, 11:51 AM

He was ingrained with a typical Jewish mentality from his parents: Don't waste your time on pursuits from which there is no monetary gain. He quit chess because he was not getting better at it and couldn't gain from it. He took up photography because he knew that rich people would hire him as a goof. Howard does not know how to just relax and enjoy something just for the fun of it. There has to be some sort of payoff. Notice how he incorporates this mentality during his interviews with questions about money and success. He doesn't understand why an artist would continue with a career that was not successful.

**Chuck Kongo** · 01-22-2013, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Rocinante

He was ingrained with a typical Jewish mentality from his parents: Don't waste your time on pursuits from which there is no monetary gain. He quit chess because he was not getting better at it and couldn't gain from it. He took up photography because he knew that rich people would hire him as a goof. Howard does not know how to just relax and enjoy something just for the fun of it. There has to be some sort of payoff. Notice how he incorporates this mentality during his interviews with questions about money and success. He doesn't understand why an artist would continue with a career that was not successful.

^This for the most part.

Anyone whose main focus/pursuit/goal/desire/love/anxiety/ect. in life is collecting marbles will NEVER be happy.

You'll never be content because you'll never ever have enough marbles....

**killallposers** · 01-22-2013, 11:56 AM

howard likes to act like he's addressing his shortcomings by going to a shrink 3x a week. but it's basically him paying a guy to do an adult equivalent of a mom saying "you went poopy, good boy". anytime he hears of others being on meds, he brags that his shrink isn't a pill pusher. apparently he isn't a progress pusher either.

**Free Food** · 01-22-2013, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Goo For You

The guy talks bs for a living. Doing so, he quickly becomes a master at it. He learns to control every aspect of his medium, and to spin stories every way he wishes. He feels like the master of universe. But every once in a while, because of his keenly developed senses, an unpleasant thought creeps in: His game isn't making him happy or particularly smart -- even worse, his skills gain him no advantage when dealing with his wife or children. This thought is so unnerving that he quickly learns to suppress it. He does everything in his power to avoid dealing with the void in him. But because he has become a master at perception, he can't help becoming more and more aware of his shortcomings, as well as of the fact that the people around him -- Robin and Dominic in particular -- are profoundly ignorant and despicable human beings. His hairline receding from around his hair plugs isn't helping him. Every attempt he makes at communicating with real and wholesome human beings fails. He hates everyone as well as himself. He becomes a recluse. In his desperation, he mistakes his infatuation with an escort as a panacea for his problems. This relationship gives him something else to think about, but soon, the magic dies. He's back in his cellar; and at this point, he's grasping for straws. He has heard good things about chess so he takes it up. It takes a while, but eventually he comes to realize that chess is teaching him the lesson he should have learned a long time ago: progress (as well as all the good things that come with it) comes from patience, honesty and perseverence. He shudders at the thought and quits playing. He's wasted too much of his life to give up his bs. The only problem is, the void remains, and it keeps eating him up...

Lyrics

The games....people....play

**SouthernListen** · 01-22-2013, 06:04 PM

Psychological projection or projection bias is a psychological defense mechanism where a person subconsciously denies his or her own attributes, thoughts, and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, usually to other people. Thus, projection involves imagining or projecting the belief that others originate those feelings.^[1]

**Goo For You** · 01-22-2013, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by SouthernListen

Psychological projection

Just because I habitually rip your infantile worldview to shreds doesn't mean you have to get snarky with me.

**SouthernListen** · 01-22-2013, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Goo For You

Just because I habitually rip your infantile worldview to shreds doesn't mean you have to get snarky with me.

DenialDenial is the refusal to accept reality or fact, acting as if a painful event, thought or feeling did not exist. It is considered one of the most primitive of the defense mechanisms because it is characteristic of early childhood development. Many people use denial in their everyday lives to avoid dealing with painful feelings or areas of their life they don’t wish to admit. For instance, a person who is a functioning alcoholic will often simply deny they have a drinking problem, pointing to how well they function in their job and relationships.

**Goo For You** · 01-22-2013, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by SouthernListen

Denial

What does Wikipedia say of excessive copy-pasting?

Or better yet, people who use pejoratives like "educated idiot" and think they look good doing so?

You are quite possibly the worst troll in Internet history.

**Beth143nacho** · 01-22-2013, 06:30 PM

Da fuq is a panacea?

**Bye You!** · 01-22-2013, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by Beth143nacho

Da fuq is a panacea?

cure all

**Sickboy** · 01-22-2013, 06:39 PM

I think he just misses rosevelt and getting dp'd by irvin and the other lengthy black teens.

**Quite Frankly** · 01-22-2013, 08:38 PM

(Original post with paragraph breaks- brought to you by Colin Powell)

The guy talks bs for a living. Doing so, he quickly becomes a master at it. He learns to control every aspect of his medium, and to spin stories every way he wishes. He feels like the master of universe.

But every once in a while, because of his keenly developed senses, an unpleasant thought creeps in: His game isn't making him happy or particularly smart -- even worse, his skills gain him no advantage when dealing with his wife or children.

This thought is so unnerving that he quickly learns to suppress it. He does everything in his power to avoid dealing with the void in him.

But because he has become a master at perception, he can't help becoming more and more aware of his shortcomings, as well as of the fact that the people around him -- Robin and Dominic in particular -- are profoundly ignorant and despicable human beings. His hairline receding from around his hair plugs isn't helping him.

Every attempt he makes at communicating with real and wholesome human beings fails. He hates everyone as well as himself. He becomes a recluse.

In his desperation, he mistakes his infatuation with an escort as a panacea for his problems.

This relationship gives him something else to think about, but soon, the magic dies.

He's back in his cellar; and at this point, he's grasping for straws. He has heard good things about chess so he takes it up.

It takes a while, but eventually he comes to realize that chess is teaching him the lesson he should have learned a long time ago: progress (as well as all the good things that come with it) comes from patience, honesty and perseverence.

He shudders at the thought and quits playing. He's wasted too much of his life to give up his bs. The only problem is, the void remains, and it keeps eating him up...

**Free Food** · 01-22-2013, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by Quite Frankly

(Original post with paragraph breaks- brought to you by Colin Powell)

The guy talks bs for a living. Doing so, he quickly becomes a master at it. He learns to control every aspect of his medium, and to spin stories every way he wishes. He feels like the master of universe.

But every once in a while, because of his keenly developed senses, an unpleasant thought creeps in: His game isn't making him happy or particularly smart -- even worse, his skills gain him no advantage when dealing with his wife or children.

This thought is so unnerving that he quickly learns to suppress it. He does everything in his power to avoid dealing with the void in him.

But because he has become a master at perception, he can't help becoming more and more aware of his shortcomings, as well as of the fact that the people around him -- Robin and Dominic in particular -- are profoundly ignorant and despicable human beings. His hairline receding from around his hair plugs isn't helping him.

Every attempt he makes at communicating with real and wholesome human beings fails. He hates everyone as well as himself. He becomes a recluse.

In his desperation, he mistakes his infatuation with an escort as a panacea for his problems.

This relationship gives him something else to think about, but soon, the magic dies.

He's back in his cellar; and at this point, he's grasping for straws. He has heard good things about chess so he takes it up.

It takes a while, but eventually he comes to realize that chess is teaching him the lesson he should have learned a long time ago: progress (as well as all the good things that come with it) comes from patience, honesty and perseverence.

He shudders at the thought and quits playing. He's wasted too much of his life to give up his bs. The only problem is, the void remains, and it keeps eating him up...

Thank you, my nigga.

**IlluminatiJones** · 01-23-2013, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by Quite Frankly

(Original post with paragraph breaks- brought to you by Colin Powell)

The guy talks bs for a living. Doing so, he quickly becomes a master at it. He learns to control every aspect of his medium, and to spin stories every way he wishes. He feels like the master of universe.

But every once in a while, because of his keenly developed senses, an unpleasant thought creeps in: His game isn't making him happy or particularly smart -- even worse, his skills gain him no advantage when dealing with his wife or children.

This thought is so unnerving that he quickly learns to suppress it. He does everything in his power to avoid dealing with the void in him.

But because he has become a master at perception, he can't help becoming more and more aware of his shortcomings

A "master at perception" would not have fallen for Beth's ultra-obvious long-con.

And you don't have to be super-perceptive to be aware of his shortcomings. He's a living, breathing shortcoming. He's "shortcoming" personified.

Originally Posted by Quite Frankly

as well as of the fact that the people around him -- Robin and Dominic in particular -- are profoundly ignorant and despicable human beings. His hairline receding from around his hair plugs isn't helping him.

You're jumping around a bit, but I'm with ya......................

Originally Posted by Quite Frankly

Every attempt he makes at communicating with real and wholesome human beings fails. He hates everyone as well as himself. He becomes a recluse.

You said a mouthful there, and that's the key/crux of the issue I think; basic human decency completely bugs him out! He just can't deal with the fact that the world is singing, dancing, laughing, fucking, and partying on just fine without him.

And that's why he "mines" guests for pain; that's the only place he can "meet" and connect with someone.

He'd rather infect the world with his disease than become healthy and be "reduced" to joining it. He's special.

It's just so fucking dreary and cowardly.
You'd think he'd just get sick and tired of being so miserable. I've just about had it just writing about it.

Originally Posted by Quite Frankly

In his desperation, he mistakes his infatuation with an escort as a panacea for his problems.

This relationship gives him something else to think about, but soon, the magic dies.

He's back in his cellar; and at this point, he's grasping for straws. He has heard good things about chess so he takes it up.

It takes a while, but eventually he comes to realize that chess is teaching him the lesson he should have learned a long time ago: progress (as well as all the good things that come with it) comes from patience, honesty and perseverence.

He shudders at the thought and quits playing. He's wasted too much of his life to give up his bs. The only problem is, the void remains, and it keeps eating him up...

Yes, it's a void, and yes, it's getting bigger. It's like soul-cancer. I don't think there's one square foot of genuine psychic real estate inside him. He simultaneously tries to play each side of just about every issue, but doesn't really mean either of them, and it's so obvious................to everybody but him.

Great post, Goo For You..................especially if English isn't your first language!

Thanks to QuiteFrankly for breaking it down into bite-sized chunks..................and for that awesome av.