1. Encountering the Demon of Superficiality
Superficiality is defined as the state of being shallow in thought, as delineated in the sixth edition of the Kōjien dictionary.
Truthfully, I had minimal direct experiences of struggling with superficial people up to this point. This might have been due to a lack of deep engagement on my part, or perhaps such individuals were unable to adapt to my specialized academic environment. Consequently, I was genuinely shocked to discover the profound impact that superficiality can wield. I have come to realize that the underestimation of superficiality can also evolve into a societal issue, prompting me to pen these observations.
2. Societal Distortions Caused by the Demon of Superficiality
A quick search about superficiality reveals discussions on “groupthink” and the escalating trend of slanderous activities on modern social media platforms. From this, one can ascertain that superficiality is a contributing factor to societal distortions and that there are individuals raising alarm bells concerning this phenomenon.
From my personal experience, regardless of the nature of my relationship with superficial individuals, collaborating with them on any endeavor poses significant challenges. If their deficiency were merely a lack of problem-solving abilities, then it could conceivably be addressed with support from more experienced colleagues. However, the reality is far more daunting. These individuals often dismiss advice from their seniors and peers, act unethically or immorally with little forethought, fail to consider the feelings of others, and persist in such behaviors even when corrected, making interactions with them exceptionally difficult.
Childish superficiality may be amendable through persistent education. Adult superficiality, however, is exceedingly difficult to recognize by the individual themselves. Furthermore, such people do not consider their superficiality as a shortcoming but rather as a merit, making them akin to demons for those who interact with them.
3. Lack of Critical Thinking and Convenient Interpretations
Various characteristics of superficial people can be discovered through research. The search might yield more accurate results with keywords like "individuals with shallow and frivolous thoughts."
Essentially, their traits stem from a "deficiency in critical thinking." Thus, these individuals exhibit multiple characteristics that are akin to those of narcissistic personality disorder. My research indicates that it is not superficiality that leads to personality disorders such as narcissism; rather, superficiality is one of the features commonly found in people who already have a personality disorder. Even without a diagnosed personality disorder, various factors can make an individual superficial, leading them to engage in socially disruptive behaviors.
4. Providing Concrete Examples
One characteristic that seems prevalent is the disregard for morals and ethics. For instance, they may hold the view that "it's fine to break rules as long as you're not caught by the police," and therefore easily violate rules and regulations. There's also a lack of empathy and a tendency for self-centered comments. Even when you explain to them that breaking a rule causes inconvenience to others, they do not show empathy. Hence, no matter how many times you explain, they keep repeating the same mistakes. Moreover, they do not admit their faults or offer apologies, seemingly under the impression that they are in the right.
They also do not consult with appropriate individuals and completely ignore advice. For example, if they are in a subordinate position and act thoughtlessly, they consistently neglect to consult or report to their superiors. On top of that, they disclose internal company information to outsiders without permission and act on advice from those outsiders. Even when the superior offers heartfelt advice out of concern, it is wholly disregarded. Unsurprisingly, they do not respond to any questioning about their improper actions, probably because they never consider that they may be at fault.
Why Does This Happen?
Such behaviors occur due to their characteristics of being unrealistically optimistic and misinterpreting others' words to affirm themselves. They also shut out any advice from their surroundings.
5. The Pitfalls of Extreme Optimism
Though being extremely optimistic might seem like a good thing at first glance, it actually leads to severe problems and conflicts. For instance, they act cheerfully even in critical situations and readily make promises without thinking. Their perpetual smile may give the impression that they are pleasant individuals, but this is merely superficial. They do not take responsibility for their actions, nor do they consider the long-term consequences. Even when their actions result in problems, they neither acknowledge their role nor even remember what they did.
6. Failing to Analyze the Causes of Mistakes
Whether due to their optimism, forgetfulness, or impulsivity, they never consider the causes when failures or troubles occur. Thus, they are unable to answer when questioned about the reasons. If pressed for an answer, they resort to making thoughtless comments on the spot.
Upon thorough consideration, one realizes the frightening implications of their thoughtlessness. Initially, it may not have been clear why such a lack of reflective thinking leads to self-serving interpretations, ignoring advice, and breaking rules.
7. How to Deal with Such Individuals
Regrettably, the best course of action is to avoid involvement. However, if that's not possible, those who interact with such people should minimize their own losses and manage situations cautiously. Trying to give good advice or urging improvement is futile. The key is to control the situation so that the losses remain confined to the thoughtless individual.
My Opinion Based on Experience
Unfortunately, I have come to realize that improvement is not to be expected from people whose behavior has worsened to the point of resembling a personality disorder.
8. The Harm of Uniform, Creativity-Lacking Education
The "thoughtlessness" discussed today is also a byproduct of an educational system that prioritizes university entrance exams, emphasizes rote memorization, and neglects to encourage critical thinking. Indeed, efforts are underway to make entrance exams more thought-provoking. However, it is unfortunate that years of memorization-based education have produced individuals who can clear both university entrance and coursework exams without critical thinking.
As language-generating AI and other generative AIs continue to evolve, the only ability that allows humans to demonstrate their unique qualities might be their ability to think.