Maybe we all experience moments in which we feel like we're *"from another planet;"* I know I do — and I know I have *(on a regular basis)* for most of my adult life.

![0816-BigSurFog.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWLtZwcSretud6rEzEsK1WBF1dC4sFUh1AzLfhzyPGwsK/0816-BigSurFog.jpg)
*The fog rolls in...*

One of my pet peeves — which I find is alarmingly often brushed off as *"human nature"* and generally earns me the recommendation to *"get over myself"* — is the destructive tendencies of so many people.

It's a tough bit of psychological dysfunction to describe accurately... but it tends to manifest as *some version of* someone seeing another person *have* (or *do*) something, feeling covetous, and responding by destroying or interrupting that other person's efforts.

Is this simple *envy* turned violent? 

And this is where I often end up feeling like an *alien,* because when I see someone else's success my inclination is to (a) feel happy for them and (b) if I truly want that success, I'll take steps towards *working* towards getting something similar of my own.

It's the *"destructive"* bit I really don't get, though.

![0877-Thistle.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTGrqmWxL24Ew3tedkXAzqwnQ4i76ALb97MweJUYSc6q9/0877-Thistle.jpg)
*Blooming thistle*

I can fathom the notion that someone would be envious of something another has/does and then they try to *steal* it. Not particularly *pleasant,* but at least I can follow the underlying reasoning... *"You have something, I WANT it..."*

But simply *destroying* things that have been built, or are *being* built?

In a way, I am reminded quite a bit of online *Trolls,* whose motivation seems to be more *destructive* than anything. Having been admin/manager of several large web communities over the years, the vast majority of trolls I've encountered don't seek *change* or to *convert anyone* to their point of view.

They simply seek *chaos and destruction.*

Half the time — in those rare moments of lucidity — they can't even identify *why* they are disrupting one community and not another. 

![0882-BlueSkies.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUJJi66YB3KrpfjA4j1pUFVmUw9xpoA5xf9yfnJ6r6ztB/0882-BlueSkies.jpg)
*Blue skies after snow*

Even destructive hackers tend to have an *underlying motivation* that can be identified. The person who kicked over your castle in the sandbox when you were little... without actually even *disliking* you — just *destroyed.* And there are plenty of sandcastle kickers in the adult world, as well.

Call me a slow learned or cognitively blind... I just don't *"get"* the root psychology. Assuming, of course, that all human actions are somehow *motivated* by *something,* however sick or twisted it might be.  

Maybe that's my false assumption? What do YOU think?

*(Another **#creativecoin** creative non-fiction post)*

***Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!***

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*(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for this platform.)
Created at 20200207 13:53 PST*
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