Secretly scary

injuries-in-dust:

To a telepathic race, Humans would be terrifying, borderline psychotic, monsters.
Let’s start with “Intrusive Thoughts”. You ever been walking alone and wonder what would it would be like to jump off the bridge, or leap into traffic, or just punch a random person? Those are intrusive thoughts and everyone has them but most sane people never act on them. They’re still there but we know to ignore them.
To a telepathic species, these random urges that cross our brains would seem like humans are constantly on the verge or violent and self destructive acts and some unknown force holds us back.
Second, let’s take into account grudges, dark imaginings and just general seething anger.
Recent events in my own life have taught me there is always one person in any group of people who is so stressed by the little things at least one other person is doing that they wish they could strike out. Hit them, shout at them, swear like a sailor, or destroy their stuff. I know because, apparently, I’m that person. But I hold it in and tolerate and say nothing to maintain the peace.
To a telepathic species we would seem like barely in control psychopaths who are waiting for this moment to snap.
Finally there’s “compartmentalisation” our ability to separate our thoughts and our feelings. We can go through such a stressful time at work, school, or other places, and we want to quit, want to leave it all behind, quit, storm out etc. Adults can wake up in the morning hating that they have to go into a job they don’t like, but once their out of the job at the end of the day, once we’re away from that place, everything is fine. Because those problems are “work” or “school” problems and not part of our outside life.
To telepathic creatures we would be schizophrenic sociopaths. Or masochists, because despite our apparent hate of or jobs we keep going back.