So, Sherlock doesn't have a personality disorder, he just has a hard past and a too intelligent mind. (This doesn't mean that he doesn't suffer from depressive/bipolar episodes though.) That's a very, very interesting concept. Most of fandom(that I've seen) is more concerned with defining Sherlock with words; asexual, sociopath, manic, etc. whatever they feel fits...but I've never really been able to do that with him myself. I think he's just different, wildly different, but no definably(with labels) different. I don't think he'd like being labeled; he's already misunderstood enough. And I really like the angle you take; the idea that Sherlock is more-or-less normal, but with an extremely high intellect, which has transitioned him from normal to abnormal. Smart kids often suffer from social/emotional issues because of their disassociation from everyone else. They're at two different levels, and they can't relate to either. (That's kinda from experience; I've always been above-average, but also really anti-social and, to be honest, lacking in "normal" graces. It's never helped by the fact that I've never looked my age(in my teens I looked like I was in my twenties, and now I look like a teenager) or been in my proper grade. But I still get lonely. Achingly lonely. Smart and detached doesn't always equal loner. /csb)
Okay, now here, you're like "But if Sherlock doesn't have a personality disorder, how come he doesn't understand human suffering?" And I'd like to say: Sometimes I don't understand human suffering. I put things into boxes. YES. All this. Another thing about Sherlock that I can relate to. I feel things, sure, but hardly ever to the intensity that others seem to. When I DO feel intense things, it's usually about small things compared to large ones. One of my very favorite people, my art teacher, died several years ago, and I never cried. I missed her, and I missed talking to her, and I was sad that I'd never get to talk to her again, but I never really thought about how it would effect me emotionally, and it didn't. I was more sad for her family than I was for me losing her, if that makes sense. I compartmentalize, and that happens a lot with my emotions, to the effect of feeling unfeeling. Though, unlike Sherlock, I've gotten good at expressing feelings that I don't actually feel, or feel very strongly. I don't know if I'm explaining it right, but I think it stems from like what you mentioned with Sherlock; the effect of a disconnected childhood leading to a disconnected adulthood because you never developed the traditional emotional pathways that everyone else did; you don't develop social skills because you have no chance to exercise them, and then when you reach adulthood, you either learn, learn to fake it(which, honestly, it stupid; you know what to do, but you don't actually LEARN it), or just don't give a shit. I prefer to fake it, while Sherlock just doesn't care. Which isn't to say I'm on the same level as Sherlock; I already sound arrogant enough with the comparisons. But I definitely see a little better why I've always identified with him, and why whenever everyone slaps him with these labels I get a little uncomfortable and wish I could say "but do you think he's REALLY like that?" Of course, now I wonder what elements about John make me love and enjoy him so much? Maybe because I've always wanted someone like John? Gah. Why are all your posts so thought-provoking?
RE: the whole not good scene where Sherlock technically blows it with John; you're so right. He thinks he's lost everything until that moment at the crime scene, when he looks over and sees John, and suddenly he's happy, because he didn't scare him off. He doesn't have to be alone anymore. (and, having just read all the way to the end, you agree! Glad I'm not the only one to see that)
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timeasmymeasure
Part 1
Date: 2012-06-22 11:00 pm (UTC)That's a very, very interesting concept. Most of fandom(that I've seen) is more concerned with defining Sherlock with words; asexual, sociopath, manic, etc. whatever they feel fits...but I've never really been able to do that with him myself. I think he's just different, wildly different, but no definably(with labels) different. I don't think he'd like being labeled; he's already misunderstood enough. And I really like the angle you take; the idea that Sherlock is more-or-less normal, but with an extremely high intellect, which has transitioned him from normal to abnormal. Smart kids often suffer from social/emotional issues because of their disassociation from everyone else. They're at two different levels, and they can't relate to either.
(That's kinda from experience; I've always been above-average, but also really anti-social and, to be honest, lacking in "normal" graces. It's never helped by the fact that I've never looked my age(in my teens I looked like I was in my twenties, and now I look like a teenager) or been in my proper grade. But I still get lonely. Achingly lonely. Smart and detached doesn't always equal loner. /csb)
Okay, now here, you're like "But if Sherlock doesn't have a personality disorder, how come he doesn't understand human suffering?" And I'd like to say: Sometimes I don't understand human suffering. I put things into boxes.
YES. All this. Another thing about Sherlock that I can relate to. I feel things, sure, but hardly ever to the intensity that others seem to. When I DO feel intense things, it's usually about small things compared to large ones. One of my very favorite people, my art teacher, died several years ago, and I never cried. I missed her, and I missed talking to her, and I was sad that I'd never get to talk to her again, but I never really thought about how it would effect me emotionally, and it didn't. I was more sad for her family than I was for me losing her, if that makes sense. I compartmentalize, and that happens a lot with my emotions, to the effect of feeling unfeeling. Though, unlike Sherlock, I've gotten good at expressing feelings that I don't actually feel, or feel very strongly. I don't know if I'm explaining it right, but I think it stems from like what you mentioned with Sherlock; the effect of a disconnected childhood leading to a disconnected adulthood because you never developed the traditional emotional pathways that everyone else did; you don't develop social skills because you have no chance to exercise them, and then when you reach adulthood, you either learn, learn to fake it(which, honestly, it stupid; you know what to do, but you don't actually LEARN it), or just don't give a shit. I prefer to fake it, while Sherlock just doesn't care.
Which isn't to say I'm on the same level as Sherlock; I already sound arrogant enough with the comparisons. But I definitely see a little better why I've always identified with him, and why whenever everyone slaps him with these labels I get a little uncomfortable and wish I could say "but do you think he's REALLY like that?"
Of course, now I wonder what elements about John make me love and enjoy him so much? Maybe because I've always wanted someone like John? Gah. Why are all your posts so thought-provoking?
RE: the whole not good scene where Sherlock technically blows it with John; you're so right. He thinks he's lost everything until that moment at the crime scene, when he looks over and sees John, and suddenly he's happy, because he didn't scare him off. He doesn't have to be alone anymore. (and, having just read all the way to the end, you agree! Glad I'm not the only one to see that)