Degrees of NPC

24 Aug, 2025

While I very much appreciate that “Non-Player Character” (NPC) has recently entered the lexicon of the masses—as a scathing insult no less, I’d like to commandeer the term for use as a frame of reference (one intended for productive self-reflection).
Starting with some base assumptions:

• An NPC is an entity defined entirely by their environment & evolutionary instincts (much like a “dumb animal”). They react predictably to the pressures acting upon them; they are rarely ever proactive.
• Humans, in general, default to NPC behavior. To borrow physics terminology, it is our lowest energy state; the state our mind & body “want” to revert back to.\

If you accept those two axioms, the reference frame—the framework—comes into view: No one is a binary “total NPC” or “0% NPC”; there’s a sliding scale of NPC… ness. Moreover, one’s position on the scale is not static. NPCness obviously lessens as we grow up, but it can also fluctuate substantially over the course of a day—even from moment to moment.
Another assumption I’m making is that we should seek to minimize NPC behavior/thinking within ourselves. How should we approach this goal? There are many rabbit trails to explore here, and far too little time to address them all now. Thus, from the broadest viewpoint, keep two things in mind: Contemplate the why’s behind your actions/thoughts & maintain awareness of your current vulnerability to “defaulting”.

Contemplating the Why’s

If you tried to question everything you did before doing it, you’d be effectively paralyzed; you have bandwidth limitations. Thus, you must chip away at this task slowly over time. Try to notice patterns & pain points in your life. Mull over the causes & effects: Is the cause avoidable? Can you change your reaction to the causal force? ...Would changing your reaction create internal conflict within you?
Hypothetical Example: Your significant other did something that annoys you (Causal Force), your instinct is to start a quarrel about it (NPC Behavior), but you’re willing to curtail that instinct (Change Your Reaction) because your vision of a good life doesn’t include frequent verbal fights with your partner. (Additionally, in most cases, you should utilize effective communication to mitigate the causal force.)

Even in this simple example, it’s much easier said than done. You must practice “catching” your NPC instincts & algorithms before they get too far. But the good news is, with enough repetition, the practiced restraint (and/or the substitute behavior) will get offloaded to your subconscious systems. The NPC behavior will get replaced with a habit that’s aligned with your goals/principles!
To wrap up this thought, the methodology can be articulated something like this: The amount of time/energy you spend contemplating/questioning a behavior (or a way of thinking) should be proportional to the importance of that behavior. Once you’re satisfied with the reasoning behind a behavior/mentality, offload it to your subconscious systems.

Awareness of your Current Vulnerability

Quite simply, if you're fatigued, stressed, angry, or otherwise hindered from contemplating the matters at hand with monk-like mindfulness, there’s an increased likelihood that you’ll default to your NPC algorithms.
Also quite simply, when you know your vulnerability is high, avoid situations where you should be at your best (and recover from the vulnerability as soon as feasible).

Caveat (in defense of NPCness)

To be clear, if you look upon the path your life has taken, and judge that the path was largely directed by your NPC algorithms, there’s not necessarily anything to be ashamed of. Sometimes, the NPC path is a perfectly fine & respectable path. Such a path is, after all, driven by utilitarian evolutionary instincts. However, there’s more to living a good life than maximizing utility… But that’s a rabbit trail for another time.


A Preview of Future Blogs:
As you go about implementing this “minimize NPCness” framework, you’ll inevitably have to contend with “what is my worldview?”; asking the small & big “why’s” behind your actions will prompt you to contemplate which higher principles you actually stand for. Deciding on & solidifying your values can be a fraught journey; I hope to be a helpful companion along the way.