This was a childhood fantasy of mine as well, wondering if I were the only real person. Its not uncommon. As the child becomes aware of self the child realizes he or she cannot feel what others feel, smell what others smell, see what others see. The child can only experience and interpret what comes through his own senses. The development of empathy requires the question "Am I the only real person with thoughts and feelings?" A healthy psyche concludes that others are real even though I cannot experience what comes to them through their senses. My friend says he is in pain but I can't feel it.Others can say "I smell apple pie!" but until I go over and inhale the aroma for myself I cannot empathize with their experience. Once I do, I know they are real as I am real because we both smell apple pie. For most the question is asked and answered very quickly and they never realize they even asked it. A higher IQ will demand more proof and the question remains for a longer period of time causing it to stick in the memory.
Is it normal to think everyone else is robots that all are teamed up?
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This was a childhood fantasy of mine as well, wondering if I were the only real person. Its not uncommon. As the child becomes aware of self the child realizes he or she cannot feel what others feel, smell what others smell, see what others see. The child can only experience and interpret what comes through his own senses. The development of empathy requires the question "Am I the only real person with thoughts and feelings?" A healthy psyche concludes that others are real even though I cannot experience what comes to them through their senses. My friend says he is in pain but I can't feel it.Others can say "I smell apple pie!" but until I go over and inhale the aroma for myself I cannot empathize with their experience. Once I do, I know they are real as I am real because we both smell apple pie. For most the question is asked and answered very quickly and they never realize they even asked it. A higher IQ will demand more proof and the question remains for a longer period of time causing it to stick in the memory.