According to The Sociopath Next Door by Dr. Stout, the U.S. hosts 11.7 million psychopaths, and New York City is home to 320,000 of them. She knows this because people with clipboards have determined that four percent of the American population are psychopaths. Such a staggering fact obviously raises a host of questions: Who are these psychopaths? Where do they shop? Do they all vote Republican?…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - I know sociopaths
This is obviously spoken by a person who has never truly experienced a dangerous sociopath. Your lackidazical nonchallance toward them is atrocious with regard to the dangerous sociopaths. They are not bitches or assholes, they are extremely dangerous.
But, few people experience them.
I did.
27 - Tex Mex
Perhaps you should read Martha Stout's book, particularly the chapter concerning "covetous sociopaths." This is the sub-category which I was addressing, based on personal experience which left me with a lingering case of posttraumatic stress disorder. They didn't just go after me in their obsessive, twisted game-playing, but after members of my family, including pets. As such, I would be the last person to have "lackidazical nonchallance" toward any variety of sociopath. A human being without conscience can be terrifying.
You speak of your experience with dangerous sociopaths. Can you offer specific examples, or was it just said for dramatic effect?
28 - Been There
Dated and fell in love with one. What everyone has to fundamentally realize is this comes down to good and evil. A conscience is ultimately a soul. With this in mind what destoy's someone's soul? Sin. I have read a lot of research that sociopaths are born not made. I agree but disagree. Sin leads to death and once your spiritually dead you belong to Satan and you are now souless. As time goes by your actions eventually catch up with you as evils inevitable destination is destruction.
This is a sad % of the society and I agree are extremely dangerous, not just physically but emotionally and spiritually. Their ONLY goal in life is to feed. Feed off other people's good. Think of them like locusts or harvestors of soul's. That is all they desire and want to do! That is all! The SECOND you mention the King of Kings, Jesus, watch these bastards squirm. FYI they are not all male, not by a LONG shot! In fact most sociopaths are female but do not make the news because men are more prone to voilence and other very noisy attractions.
The bible WARNS US OVER AND OVER about these people!!! I feel under one's trap because I rebelled against the lord. You can bet your ass that won't happen again as these people are cunning enough to get ya WITHOUT the wisdom the lord provides.
Think about it most sociopaths cannot feel but most ALL of them are addictive to sexual and lude lifestyles. Is this more about finding the only thing that stimulates them or about harvesting????
OJ Simpson is a sociopath and although a horrible person I think he is a fascinating candidate to study about. Again Evil ALWAYS leads to inevitable destruction.
Thank you Jesus, King of Kings for your grace.
29 - Andrew M.
Yet another highly misunderstood condition.
It's very easy to paint sociopaths negatively. The fact that without remorse or shame committing crimes or feeding off of others becomes far easier.
This doesn't mean "regular" people don't do these things, it's just harder for them. In the same sense, just because someone is a sociopath, doesn't mean they -will- do these things, it's just easier. Starting to get it?
Don't be so close minded about these people, some do follow their own code of ethics and do good things, even if it may only be to fit in. Really, most of us are just trying to understand all of you.
30 - everyday is halloween
Straight away I would like to agree with the other posts regarding the interchangeable use of the terms psychopath and sociopath.
Still, my main reason for stumbling upon this article: I was looking for people posting (or boasting) that they are sociopaths; I have, however, read Dr. Stout's book and found it to be a little cavalier toward sociopaths. Not all sociopaths should be feared, although human beings do have a history of fearing things they do not understand. I'm terribly afraid that for all her credentials and case studies Dr. Stout is merely a member of the audience. Where she offers insight into the sociopathic mind, I can give people a behind-the-scenes view, you see I personally am a sociopath, the star of the show. I am writing a book under a pseudonym about my life as "a shadow-free monstrosity". Please note I use the term shadow to represent the conscience, you know, wherever you go your shadow is there...well, for most people. I won't get too far into it here, sufficient to say "Everyday Is Halloween" (working title) may prove helpful to people on both sides of the quest to in any sense understand the sociopathic mind that is for most people unimaginable.
You are probably asking why the nom de plume? Three very important reasons:
1) To protect my identity. This one should be obvious; I am afterall a Sociopath and as the standard profile suggests, I have an extremely high intelligence level and am fully aware what the majority of the population thinks about this condition. I know what kind of repercussions being honest about my deepest thoughts would have on my life, the damage it would do to the career and world that I have made for myself. Which brings me to...
2) Honesty. I know some of you believe that we are all liars, but it is only when we are afraid of the consequences attached to telling the truth. Only in anonymity can I be totally honest about what goes on in my mind during my day to day life. Otherwise I wouldn't expect the readers to take my writing seriously.
3) Last but certainly not least:
"The Pity Party Factor".
Along with dishonesty this is another element that it is necessary to eliminate in order to maintain my credibility. Example: I noticed that in other posts there were sociopaths accused of posting for pity. I'm not using my real name as to minimize the chance of my book being reviewed as a solicitation of pity. If you don't know who I am why should I care if you feel sorry for me? In all honesty, I don't care in my normal life either, but I do want my book to be taken seriously, so I am trying to remove some of the hurdles I will surely face when I publish it.
I will respond to one last question that I am sure is on the edge of your brain, why write the book in the first place? On the surface I have not always known that I am a sociopath, in my mind I believe I have always been aware that on a very basic level I was different from everyone else in my world. It is only in the last two years that I figured it out. Like anyone living with (for lack of a better word) a condition, I've done everything to better grasp what it means to be a person with sociopathic tendencies. After being misdiagnosed many times, failed medications, etc. it's quite a relief to get an answer. As you can imagine keeping all of this inside takes its toll, even on a Sociopath like me. In short, 'm not sure what I hope to accomplish with the book, the most likely reasons may be to have a catharsis* that I cannot have face to face or to defend myself against common misconceptions about sociopaths, or perhaps I am merely bored with being bored..
*I know what you're thinking, there cannot be an emotional cleansing for a shadow-free person such as myself, right? I maintain that I'm not without a soul nor completely emotionless. It has actually been my experience that a major emotional factor (where sociopaths are concerned) has been overlooked by all the psychologists and therapists alike; something that only a real sociopath would know. I also believe that there are many inaccurate self-diagnosis in regards to Sociopathy due to the fact that so many studies fail to fully understand or clearly illustrate this emotional factor For a better explanation, read the book when it comes out.
31 - DCroissant
When I read the book, I did so because I knew I had seen "those eyes" and that my life had actually been jeopardized by sociopathy. (I think that's what the person's problem was). The giving of love without receiving in a close relationship ends up totally draining one's psyche to the point of clinical depression. I felt so unlovable and so unnecessary, no matter what I tried. I had been reduced to being nothing but a possession. The anger and the nastiness I had to endure as I fought for seven years to get out of this situation was horrifying. (You don't dare leave if you are someone's possession.)
However, one particular passage in the book should have been expanded upon, I think. Stout briefly touches on the difference between a Narcissist and a Sociopath. I think the damage done by a Narcissist in a close relationship may be as deeply harmful; but I also think that it may be sadder; and I also wonder if the person who I dealt with may have been a Narcissist instead. Those people who have posted about their diagnoses and who have asked for understanding--I wonder if they fit the Narcissist category instead, and I wonder how that makes a difference.
I liked the book's examination of the deeper philosophical ramifications. There is so much to learn about human nature and so much our society needs to know as we pass laws and elect officials.
Lots to think about.
32 - gnlv
hello all try and make this short.ok theres this girl i have been with for almost 2 years and i have fallen in love with her .she told me she was in love with me also and wanted to spend the rest of her life with me.and i beleaved her.she told me her boy friend was in prision for a year for drugs.{she is white 26 years old has 4 kids with a diff man{the bf in prison is a 52 years old black man. i am a 43 year old white man.} ok she told me she would never go back with him that she was done he did alot of bad things to her and her kids.well the day he got out she up and stole money from a friend of mine and she denies even seeing him and has bewen back and fourth to me and him ..well i guess he got feed up with it and beat her up real bad 3 weeks ago and she called me cryiing so i picked her up and the kids and they stayed for like a week and she took my car 1 day and was sapposed to take a gift to her daughter friend birth day party.and just drop it off. well 6 hrs goes by and no sigh of her i no right htere she had went and seen him even after he beat her and her son 13 . so anyways this is what really gets me.when i speak to her she talks to me like a real bi-ch and trys to blame me for what she has done or doing?? and she has never admited to doing any thing wrong or ever even appoligized for.. and she has made me out to being this bad guy to all we know and she provolks me into doing bad thing ?/i think so in her mind it justicfys what she has done?/ she has lied cheated and stolen things from me.. yoiu would never beleave that if you seen her and talked to her she carrys her self so well and she is so pretty but she has some very serius mebtal issues that i want to know is there help for this person ??? the black guy is a meth dealer she does do meth. just wanted to throw that in as well. .. so is there hope what should i do?? try and help her or run or what??/
33 - Anon.
You do realize that by this definition, all people living in and born out of a shame society can be categorized as sociopaths, right?
Woohoo. I hope you do go ahead and exterminate us. It'll be an amusing bout of hypocrisy before humanity either destroys itself, is destroyed by natural forces, or is obliterated by technological singularity.
34 - bliffle
There's no hope with such people. They never change because they are incapable of change.
Run.
35 - Douglas Mays
My god!!!!! so glad you posted this article. It is so real of a phenom!!!! The nature of a sociopath is that they slip right under the radar with their social crimes they commit.
IT IS TIME FOR LAW AND PSYCHOLOGY AND THERAPY TO WAKE UP TO THIS!!! One very close to me has had a life invaded by such a person, claiming to be a 'best friend' (forging relationships since they are unable to have 'real' friends).
In the case I talk about, I am astoundied how poor the world of law, psychiatry and therapy is in not recognizing this. I see such industries (excuse my French)'sucking the dick' of such sociopaths. The sociopath acting as 'the friend' trying to help the damaged victim (damage by the sociopath).
So-called professionals, eh? And they charge you money to shove the victim into the sociopath's control. And the victim is stuck with this 'mental illness' stigma when all they are trying to do is have their own life. I call that 'accessory to a crime'
If one goes to the website www.myspace.com/x15, click on the blog entitled 'women, feminists, radical women'. It shows study results finally identifying an aspect of this syndrome. Women, free yourself!!!!!!
I ask anyone who can direct organizations, lawyers, etc. to assist a person here in Seattle who is a poster child to this syndrome. As I said, this woman has been beaten down so much she sees no way out to escape the control and oppression of this pathological sociopath. The law and psychology world are ignorant, just suckering up to the mind of a sociopath's control.
I have an ugly story on my hands. The detail (the truth) will blow your mind. ANYONE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND BACKING AND POWER TO HELP, CONTACT ME. IT WILL FREE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SUFFER FROM THESE DANGEROUS SICKOS.
Stand Up!!!!
DM
36 - Douglas Mays
gnlv (comment #32), as I have posted in other comments, go to www.myspace.com/x15. Below the song listings is a blog link entitled 'women, feminists, radical women' Read that. It might give guidance to what you (and she) are really dealing with.
Heavy, but real stuff. Spread the word! Horribly oppressive stuff. People may not get it at first, but it is very real....
full on, brother!
DM
37 - Duped
I didn't know that I had ecountered a psychopath because I didn't know what one was. I later discovered, a person, who I thought was my bestfriend I grew up with was psychopath/sociopath while I was trying to figure out what happened. They are evil. I do believe some may be born that way, but many evolve. I had friends in high shcool that were assholes, but grew out of it. This guy just kept getting worse, but smoother with time. The proof is that they "learn" about their victims and what is normal, and use it destructively, purposefully. A good test to prove they are evil is to very sincerely call them a psychopath or sociopath and watch how quickly and naturally their indiginity and rage comes about. They feel no emotion for others, but eveything for themselves. They are dangerous and destructive. If your gut senses a person is off or is dangerous listen to it. If you grew-up with the person like I did and realize they are a psychopath/sociopath try to part ways at a natural break like leaving for college or the military. If it has gone on too long for that tell them the truth about why you're leaving and break it off swift and clean. You'll always be painted as the bad person by the evil person, but you can get on with your life and they will eventually crumble.
38 - vividlyplain
can say all you want about anything you want. half of you are about as on track as a slug launching a space shuttle and the other half are wetting themselves over nothing and making a big ado about nothing. dont need to be socio or psycho to be a pain. depressive people are the most annoying of all mankind. a good push off a ledge would end their trifling babble. socio and psycho are such a small percentage of anything that the failure to realize your lack of simple logic is why your life doesnt work well. No two people are purportedly the same and am guessing that would hold true for socio/pscyho. The problems in this world are from sad little people all roaming around whining about how mistreated and abused they are. Blame someone else for their short comings. Lable anyone anything you want, but at the end of the day if you are conned or taken advantage of it is your own fault. Learn to live life as the world is, not expect it to conform. Sociopaths and psychopaths have their issues. But they at least have a term for it. Whats your term? This is to all, not just one person. I doubt it helps learn more about how to deal with one or the other, but lets face it, if you need a book to help you, its too late.
39 - Douglas Mays
vividlyplain,
hhhmmm...I question the point of view of your rant (#38). I mean, sure, the world is not a sociopath. But they are out there for sure, by the thousands...
Armchair psychiatrists may misdiagnose, so-called professionals don't have a clue.
some very good points have been made in this thead. for instance, that 'look in the eye' is a giveaway. I saw it mentioned in this thread, saw a segment about Ted Bundy. There it was, that exact same look I see in a particular sociopath that has crossed my lines.
Nowadays, you can take a pill for your depression or bipolarity. You can get lazer surgery for your eyes. There are little things that can be put in your ear so you can hear like when you were a baby.
BUT YOU CAN'T FIX SOCIOPATH!!!
hhhmmm...I wonder about your rant. It could be a sociopathic defense, blaming everyone else. I can't say at this point, but it is showing...
best,
DM
40 - Brian
DM, I just needed to tell you how lost you are.
You obviously have no idea about anything you're talking about. You are using stereotypes and malinformation to not only make your own conclusion, but to force it onto others.
Get back into the shadows, you're not helping.
41 - Douglas Mays
Brian, I challange what you say. You have just said nothing. I know very precise what I am talking about with experience and education to back it up.
Stereotypes? Misinformation? Where? What are you talking about?
Get back in the shadows? Hell no, I step out of he shadows and hit a nerve in you. Caught ya! I wonder about your reality.
You know, just to be viewed as a clinical observation. I have seen response exactly like yours out of true sociopaths. Utilizing very week points as if some major point scoring blow to a debate. You statement above actually just throws you for a loss in the gridiron of sociopathic identification/defense.
Outa here,
DM
42 - D
The entire paradigm of psychology is vastly incorrect. Thus it fails to provide any insight whatsoever into this "condition." The "condition" itself is a construct which can only exist in the presence of dozens of fallacious assumptions. All of this verbal ring-around-the-rosy is just a way of saying "we don't have a clue about any of it." Ultimately, psychologists are forced to fall back onto mystical/irrational/religious concepts to explain that which they can't understand.
Furthermore, the transparent attempts to equate a "dangerous mental disorder" with capitalism and pursuit of self-interest are laughable. Using an imaginary disorder to push a political agenda... just as pseudoscientists have been doing since the beginning of civilization.
When people think for themselves instead of allowing a "voice in their head" (conscience) to guilt trip them into kowtowing to society's will, that's called being an individual. Those who "fail to socialize" have merely avoided brainwashing at the hands of social engineers such as the authors of these sorts of books.
The greatest men and women who have achieved things that others cannot fathom were only able to do so by virtue of being "sociopaths." Self-aggrandizement? Disregarding societal norms and expectations? Those are all absolute requirements to surpass the mediocrity of the masses and make something of yourself.
Criminal behavior and harming other people are not in anyone's self-interest. It is not the pursuit of self-interest, but rather the miscalculation of it, which leads to criminal behavior.
It is no wonder that so many people go astray when they feel the urge to extricate themselves from the masses when the act of doing so is viewed as inherently evil. Psychologists would be more useful if they were "life coaches," teaching people how to rationally pursue their self-interest (including avoiding breaking the law). Instead we get social engineers bent on upholding the culturally-relative and socially-accepted norms of a particular place and time, using mystical cop-outs such as "he was born without a soul!"
43 - Marcia L. Neil
The origin of sociopathy is not secret -- it originates when someone who NEEDS a certain type of help goes to school to get an academic degree and/or license to practice/set up office instead. As example, people who suffer from sudden habitat loss (say, from a dam flooding their homes or a skyscraper built where the family store once was) NEED psychological support, but might be 'mentored' in ways that accrue benefits/income to an educational institution that protects them, gives them a certificate, then expects them to counsel others. The result can be sociopathic behavior, usually through the telephone in this day and age.
44 - article reader
what a thread!
ya, living with a sociopath can lead you to PTSD. Been there personally.
don't believe in people that don't believe in you. if you're living with a sociopath and it bothers you - move out! yes, easier said than done but if you're uncomfortable better get outta there than having to see therapists afterwards.
the worst is that they will make you feel confused, inhuman and isolated while it is them who are really isolated from everyone else, because normal people's brain doesn't handle well a combination of lack of reciprocity and cohabitation. seek the company of loving people who reciprocate genuinely. you know who is genuine, follow your gut.
45 - Douglas Mays
Yes, sociopathy exists heavily in this modern world. Is it dangerous? Yes, of course. The way the danger is acted out is a result of the sociopath's environmental influence.
The result can be Ted Bundy, An abusive/contolling friend, a petty thief, etc. It's existance must be made awatre of. It is a dangerous element in society. How it is dealt with goes with each socioplath. Those with such an element can go off at anytime, to a major degree.
Interesting in the above thread how a few sociopath's checked in trying to defend their behaviour.
Good article, Paul!
best,
DM
46 - summer
Mine ruined my life for almost two years. He married me while he was still engaged to another woman and seeing others. He had a long rap sheet for fraud and thief. He enjoyed gambling and lying more than breathing. He also enjoyed it when I was in pain and he would talk of me dying for him. At one time I was afraid he was going to posion my drink. When I first met him he told me he was anti social, at least thats what his head doctor said. I did not know what that meant at the time, I do now! They can not change.
47 - Douglas Mays
OK folks, this is something to think about. especially you psychiatrists and therapists out there.
One form of sociopathy/pathological out there has been identified by the Dangerous Relationships Institute with amazing groundbreaking studies. Take a case I am involved with for example:
To review their studies, go to www.myspace.com/x15 and click on the blog entry entitled 'women, feminists, radical women' (appears under the song list). Very educational.
Anway, what happens is that a sociopath and the control over their victim they have... this includes fooling the victims doctors, psychiatrists, therapists. I am stunned at how uneducated the industry is in the existance of such an element in the victims life. Usually the professional just shoves the victim back to the sociopath as the good guy trying to help. The person actually responsible for destroying our victim.
PSYCHIATRISTS, THERAPISTS!!!! YOU ARE AN ACCOMPLICE TO CRIMINAL ACTION!!!!! Yeah, I see many so called professionals taking on cases way over their heads and treating it with generic level knowledge. Further damage ensues....
anyway, looks like a whole new level of malpractice lawsuits could be on their way...
DM
48 - sara
Well it's certainly telling that this thread has the legs it does. I agree this review is a bit shallow. If the author had experienced a sociopath personally he would be writing much the same as many of the posters. And yes, those of you who are worrying about being a socio/psychpath, the fact that you are is the best sign you aren't. I would worry more about those who seem to be boastfully excusing harmful behaviour. There's a large gap between enlightened self-interest that has the common good in mind and "not the pursuit of self-interest, but rather the miscalculation of it, which leads to criminal behavior." Game theory is a psychopath's specialty.
What to do? Psychopathy as a personality expression is more and more proving to be a permanent, hard-wired condition of the brain (see Robert Hare's MRI studies), ie there is no cure. The portions of the brain that "empathize" simply do not function in these people. Putting psychopaths through "treatment" just makes them better at conning normal people. So the only answer to dealing with them is to educate their would-be targets. That's you, folks. A psychopath would have a much harder time getting a toe-hold in a relationship, community, or nation (Bush anyone?) if the majority of normal people knew the facts. These people are what they are, like any other predator. The gazelles learn what to look for to protect themselves. Stout, Hare, Sandra Brown, Andrew Lobaczewski (Political Ponerology) and others are showing us what we need to look for to protect ourselves.
The last author is very interesting as his book deals with how psychopaths affiliate and infiltrate all kinds of groups and bend them to the psychopaths' purpose, generally an insatiable lust for power. (www.ponerology.com) Even they themselves say they can recognize another "like them" even when they are still very young. "Those eyes" give it away, among other things. You can see the pattern played out over and over again from petty street gangs to our very own neocons. We suffer at every level.
There's a lot more interesting information at this site too. There's a group of articles called "Insiders and Outsiders" on the left side bar (scroll down a bit). Highly recommended. To those of you who KNOW what you've been through, know your opponent. Educate yourself! These books plus "Women Who Run With the Wolves" are a great start. Good luck.
49 - Douglas Mays
Sara,
Yes, yes!!!! So good of you to mention Sandra Brown. Her studies at the Dangerous Relationship Institute finally label a horrible human crime that has been slipping under the radar and basically making traditional relationship therapists look very unknowledgable and unhelpful. Gemeric therapy does not cut it with victims of the pathological/sociopath.
Got to run. Must go visit wife who is in the hospital due to a 'pathological friend'.
Spread the word!
best,
DM
50 - landers53
It is interesting reading the comments to see that some are making light of what psychopaths and sociopaths are. This is just exactly what a psychopath does. You can see how they turn things around and blame others for thinking that there is a problem with psychopaths/sociopaths. This is one of the things that they do, blame others for their actions. Should we be afraid of psychopaths? We should be aware of who and what they are. We should learn all that we can about them so we recognize them before we get ensnared by them.
Those who say that psychopaths/sociopaths are not a problem either don't know what they are talking about, or are one of them. They will try to keep the rest of us from learning about them. Make us seem foolish for questioning who and what they are. This is what they want, for everyone to remain ignorant about them. For if everyone were to educate themselves and learn about just how uncaring and empty they are inside; how they have no conscience or empathy; how they care only about getting what they want no matter the cost or who they have to step on and grind into the ground to get it; they would no longer be able to blend in with those of us who have a conscience and actually care about others. They would not be able to get into positions of power over others. And this is what they fear the most - for others to be able to tell who they are and keep them from having power over others.
I have read the books by the authors that sara has mentioned. And think that it is extremely important the as many people as possible read them also. The only way to overcome psychopaths/sociopaths is to learn about them so that they no longer have power over us.
51 - Douglas Mays
One thing that stuns me is the so-called professional world in therapy/psychiatry. The world of sociopathy opens up a door that very few are actually trained in. so what happens? The therapist goes into denial when confronted with the fact they completely missed the fact that they were being duped by a sociopath.
For those in the business, your arrogance is your stupidity.
Every therapist/psychiatrist better go study the findings of Sandra Brown. If you don't, that malpractice insurance of yours will be used heavily as the lawsuits spring up like dandelions as the word gets out about these advanced findings.
Hey, any attorneys out there want to create a massive class action suit? I am amazed at so called professionals in the behavioural science world. They keep blaming the victim and driving and beating them down just like the sociopath. In a way, they are the sociopaths also. Or at least teaming up with one in crimes against the patient/victim.
lander53, love your comment, you say it well. Hey, look out for 'those eyes'. Any interested attorney, contact me. I have miles of hard evidence already submitted into the local courts regarding this matter. Got to take it to the next step.....
best,
DM
52 - sociopath
Some people can't help themselves.
53 - someone
I agree.Some appear to be born that way and seem doomed to fail.
54 - michelle
actually, I really liked this review, I don't understand why a hint of sarcasm is undermining. when you're dealing with hard to deal with issues, some amount of humor is necessary.
having lived with a FEMALE sociopath, who actually is a carping hag, I have to say one thing, your description was fairly close to truth. Freaky frozen eyes, superficial charm, assumed good traits like "generosity"
something I would add, these people tend to also do a lot of stupid things. some things are not as offensive to the law but this woman actually committed a fairly serious felony. i filed a police report as it directly concerned me, still need to fill out a form or something with my bank.
honestly...if you're renting in new york city, share an apartment with at least 2-3 other people or if it's a 2 bedroom, someone male. they're easier to read. female sociopaths are far more adept at..overall concealment.
55 - Anon
'Psychopaths' are people who have worked out how logic functions and do not base their decisions on emotions. They show you just how pitiful and pathetic you truly are. They expose your illogical emotional ties and live to do what an organism does best - Live for themselves.
'Sociopaths' do not live for themselves in the same way. They live to feed their emotions like all the normal people but do not mind exploiting others. They are no better than any other person as they are just as foolish.
'Normal people' are people with illogical emotional ties to irrelevant organisms or objects. They are the people with 'love' for a photo, or 'love' for a person, or 'hate' for that broken DVD, or 'fear' of the dark, or 'boredom' when alone for 5 minutes, in short a normal person is a worthless fool that fails to understand itself.
There are no morals. There is no right and wrong. There is no good and bad. Humanity is always right because of natural selection and evolution. We are all hairless apes with no more of a purpose for existence than a dead animal in the road. If you believe anything else, you are a fool.
Fuck your loneliness. Fuck your problems in bed. Fuck your grades. Fuck your family. Fuck your countries. Fuck your wars. Fuck your raids. Fuck your cancer. Fuck your emotions. Fuck your illnesses. And most importantly, fuck you.
You're on a spinning ball in the middle of the vacuum of space. There is no meaning in life. There is no reason for human existence. There is no grand purpose or scheme. You are the result of random chance and natural selection (which seems to have failed in many of your cases). If you believe anything else, you are a fool.
If you have ever needed to utilize a hospital in order to preserve your life, you are a defective human who should be disposed of for the sake of the gene pool. If your life has ever been saved by any outside force other than the primal instincts of your family or loved ones, you should not be alive. If you cannot preserve your own life, your life is not worth preserving. This goes for anyone who requires medication to live, anyone in a wheelchair, and anyone who cannot function in society without a helper such as a "seeing eye dog".
Fuck all of you. Fuck the whole world for saying they are atheists and then following the morals that religion created to suppress us. They are not atheists. They are fools. I am an atheist. They are all living in a little dream-world where people matter more than the shit I just took after killing the bug in my bathroom.
Fuck you all.
56 - Grow a brain
'Psychopaths' are people who have worked out how logic functions and do not base their decisions on emotions. They show you just how pitiful and pathetic you truly are. They expose your illogical emotional ties and live to do what an organism does best - Live for themselves..." blah blah blah Randian nonsense.
My, my, my, look at what we have here. I think "Anon" should be dropped into the wilderness somewhere. Here's a hint, psycho: we don't need your kind living with us normal people. I would much rather you be dead or on a desert island, you cyborg.
57 - freddy
The book is very insightful, although you wouldn't think so reading Kiel's jaundiced and shallow review....... although to be fair he reads like someone who has never encountered the subject matter. (Lucky him)
58 - scotty
yep the eyes are the give away, IMHO.
The eyes are completely DEAD - expressionless. The face moves around and all that, but there NO light in the eyes.
59 - sally
I agree with the poster who said that the Kiel clearly doesn't know sociopaths.
They aren't just your common or garden asshole or bitch - they are a different entity entirely.
60 - Monster
Sociopaths aren't evil, some are just cold calculating people that don't want to be bothered. They have normal hobbies and can find enjoyment the same as any person.
While they feel no remorse for their actions, they still understand cause and effect.
Hurt someone? Gonna go to jail...logic, Sociopaths don't want chance going to jail.
Sociopaths don't understand why people don't think like them... it's effecient.
61 - Marcia Neil
We are all sociopathic and psychopathic now to some degree since the recording industry uses 'freedom of the press' to seize and market all original music without 'tia' (truth-in-advertising).
62 - Anon
@#56
"My, my, my, look at what we have here. I think "Anon" should be dropped into the wilderness somewhere. Here's a hint, psycho: we don't need your kind living with us normal people. I would much rather you be dead or on a desert island, you cyborg." Blah blah blah in an overly-defensive retort.
My, my, my, what curiously pathetic creatures have surfaced on this comment section? "Grow a brain" and I, of course.
I think "Grow a brain" [I wonder to whom that should really directed at?] should also be dropped into the wilderness somewhere. I recommend Nye County in Nevada; particularly at_a distaste event_, if you accept ironic statements.
Here is a hint, wretch: Intelligent people do not need your kind living with us gifted folk. We do not need your emotional responses and humourless ideals. I would much rather you learn how to think but, if that is too difficult, you can simply cut your femoral artery much like your children (assuming you have them or will) will do a similar action to their wrists while at adolescence crying about how "nobody understands them" when they finally realise that you are a bullshitter that is, in effect, a sell out. Although, I use the term 'sell out' in the assumption that you were once intelligent and objective but you choose to eradicate such talents for the purpose of 'tribal survival'. But I digress, the femoral artery is located on the inner surface of the upper thigh. All you need to do is cut it. Once. One instance in the concept called time. Once. One action in the myriad of things that we call life. Once.
Why not have a nice, deep, hot, bubbly, relaxing, bath...and cut your femoral artery? Go on, do it, you tool.
Now_that_is a reply.
63 - DagnyAtl
First I thought my mother was a narcissist, but I now know she is a sociopath. Although I always knew something was "wrong" with my mother, it took me 47 yrs to figure out exactly what it was and I've been in therapy - to no avail! I concur with Douglas Mays and others who write that sociopathy (and in my opinion narcissism as well) seem to be outside the realm of today's therapists/psychiatrists education and training. It strikes me as amazing that almost 70 yrs post-Hitler/Stalin the general population is still uninformed about sociopaths, their behavior and the havoc they wreck in the world - on whatever scale. And yes, to the earlier post, Bush is a narcissist, as is McCain in my opinion. Thanks everybody for posting, it good to know I'm not alone is this fight to get some attention regarding this scarily serious mental condition. Adios from the Land of Enchantment (NM) where I've come to escape the crazies. Cynthia
64 - victim
sociopaths are real, and many are very malevolent.
It's ridiculous ot think they are just assholes. They harm people physiclly and mentally and what's worst is that they do it without you noticing until if you're lucky one day you wake up and realize something is seriously wrong.
They will drug you, slowly posion you to make you perenially sick, abuse you while you sleep, destroy your psychological balance, pit you against family and friends so that you are left alone and defenseless by being isolated. Anone trying to warn you will be their next victim or will alreat have been a victim and will be seriously harmed if not destroyed.
If its a parent, they will always make you sick, control your life and everychance you get at independence they will ruin it, and you will let it hapenned because since childhood you will have been conditioned to not be assertive. If they knw you know they will make sure to convince everyone that you have mental issues and everything you say is a lie so that they can also control you via other people by telling them that they know whats best for you since you are very troubled and cant possibly be allowed to have control of your life.
Sociopaths do their bet to create and mantian dependence and this involves never allowing financial wellbeing, never allowing savings, which might give you an oopotunity at independence. The posioning and beatings to your head while you sleep are so that you can no longer think reasonably but rely on reactinary emotional responses which are always how they pit you against others who try to warn you.
You end up defending your sociopath partner furiosly like a mindless guard dog, at that point they got you.
They only way to get yourself out is through logical thinking which leads to the realization of what happenned and has been happening. Most people will never believe people like sociopaths exist outside the movies, but the reality is much worse.
I was raised by one, had a relatioship with one and unfortunatelly years later happened to stay with a family member who had a relationship to one. After 2 I somehow survived, after this third, I'm barely alive and havent killed myself yet because i have no monay to buy a gun.
65 - bliffle
"victim" is right. The other thing about sociopaths (and their vile siblings: psycopaths, BPDs, narcissists...) is that they are smarter than you and they spend a lot of time constructing their thought universes which feature your venality and their own virtue. Their (imaginary) stories are much more convincing than your mere truth, so you lose.
Their stories are thought out in every detail, with every action calculated to resonate with popular misconceptions about people that are harbored by most people.
I'm put in mind of N. She came to a party that a few in our social circle were having and said her husband B had beaten her and she was leaving him. That he had attacked her drunkenly with a cellphone after the last social party. That she found sexy pictures of women that he had taken. Etc. She cited that he had a couple drinks at the last party. She wanted us to sign affidavits saying B had attacked her and been violent (tho no one had seen any of that). Good story, and well told. Everyone was willing to sign affidavits. To help her out. Except me, I had seen this kind of thing before: it had been used against me. I told them I would not sign. I warned my wife that she was on the verge of committing perjury, which could result in civil and criminal actions. She withdrew. But about half the people signed affidavits, perjuring themselves. In response to her sincere sounding pleas, L loaned her an old car he had and allowed her to stay in a house he was renovating. Over the following weeks he grew to regret his generosity as she used the opportunity to harass him for favors. Eventually everyone realized what a manipulator she had been, and the only reason no one was seriously hurt was because she was deported.
Sociopaths are much smarter than you or I and their stories are much more convincing than mere reality.
Beware.
66 - Douglas Mays
hhhmmm...just to make an analogy to paint the picture of how out of it our legal, psychiatric, medical systems are about some things...
To compare statements, I saw a stock market 'expert' comment on the fall of our economy. He used the term 'criminal neglect and imcompetence' to describe CEO's, etc. of major corporations.
I use the same terms for above stated systems in their denial of the infiltration of the sociopath in our society. It is amazing the response I have heard from police, doctors, judges, etc. when such a notion is brought up. Some are getting it, but it is like they are afraid or something. Or some have no concept of the reality. They just think a sociopath is Ted Bundy or Charles Manson. Sorry, sociopathy/psychopathy is played out in many ways...
However, there are those who do understand and are getting it. I have run across a few. Good. I had to bring that fact up to a group of Seattle Police Department officers by saying that I thought they were suppossed to be trained in recognizing the traits of a sociopath. WOW! I shocked the dudes. Their opinion of the credibility of a particular person they were sucking up to sure changed. The expression on their faces as they realized their mistake...
Sociopathy/psychopathy is played out in many ways. You don't have to be a Ted Bundy or Charles Manson directly, but the same dangerous, controlling games are still a factor.
I am watchng serious crimes committed daily by a 'sociopath next door'. It is tricky reporting the crimes. What does one do? I am watching serious felony crimes committed, I must report it. But the nature of a sociopath makes it difficult to prove. Wait till a reportable crime is committed? Like murder of the victim due to the sociopath's reactive behaviour? The victim I am talking about is a very fine woman who has been beaten down into submission. Very sick details...
Time to play FOX TVs new show "Are You Smarter Than A Sociopath?". Some of us are. As 'biffle' said in the comment above (#65) 'their stories are much more convincing than mere reality' but the beauty is that it all comes tumbling down if you can outsmart it. It isn't really that smart. It is actually really mentally ill dumb stuff. A mental illness there is no pill you can take, no cure. It is the understanding of the obtuse reality that makes them seem so smart. Once you get it, they are really dumb.
victim of,
DM
67 - Douglas Mays
hhhmmm... reading some of these later comments, I must say to Anon (#55, #62) that 'your arrogance is your stupidity'.
This blog is great! A bunch of sociopaths exposing themselves. High level intelligence can process emotion in logic. Lower level beings (sociopathic-psychopaths) with no guilt or emotional status are dangerous to all around as they are missing some software in the function of the planet. Straight logic is not advanced intelligence.
In response to comment #55, "eat shit, maggot fucker.."
All sociopaths must be removed from society and imprisoned. The crimes they have committed but are not even aware and society lets them get away with must end. Learn, open your eyes!
Understand this. There is no way you could convince Ted Bundy or Charles Manson that they did anything wrong. If they ever show emotion, it is only for their own gain. Crocodile tears is what is seen. Not reality of emotion. The only emotion you might see is one 'going off' because he/she didn't get their way...
be aware!
DM
68 - Douglas Mays
Bliffle! "Sociopaths are much smarter than yopu or I".
Actually they are not. You get faked out into thinking they are smart. Once one understands the magnitude of sickness which their illness is wired, they become very transparent.
You can see thru a sociopath like they are made of glass. You just have to understand how sick they are. Then it makes sense...
protect from the sickness,
DM
69 - No Pity Play
DM, you are adorable. Really. Thinking your silly blather about "emotions" and "liberation" and "good and evil" will have any effect on anyone. When you little cognitive peasants form your pitchfork wielding mob and try to track us down, who do you think will end up as the leader of your group, who systematically destroys all those who disagree with his leadership because they're "psychopaths"? It won't be pretty little bleeding heart Douglas Mays. It will be a real psychopath. You "feelers" are just lucky there are more of you than there are of us - otherwise we'd squash you like the pathetic, irrelevant insects you are.
But please don't be discouraged - I'd love to have a frightened mob of feelers start searching for "psychopaths." It would make eliminating competition so much easier. So please, do try and lock us all up! Fight the good fight! Make sure the perversions that are psychopaths are wiped of the face of the earth! Up with empathy! Up with love! Up with whatever other abstract noun you like! All hail Douglas Mays, scourge of psychopaths everywhere!
70 - No Pity Play
And oh, by the way, for those in the peanut gallery, if you fell for that blatant bit of trolling, you really don't stand a chance against a real psychopath.
71 - Douglas Mays
No Pity Play.
Gotcha!
I am not afraid of any of you wankers. You be afraid of me. Why? I can see thru you like you are made of glass.
The problem for you is that I am not a 'sell out'. None of your games can lure me into a psychopath trap. You are ineffective.
I don't have to try. the problem with the psychopath/sociopath is that they finally make a dumb move and cave in when obsessively challenging the types like me.
Well, the dumb moves just add up actually. Just like a house of cards, it caves in.
I don't have to do a thing. The trick is just don't 'sell out' to the idiot level mentality of the psychopath. I happen to be in a position of witness to sociopathic crimes. I will not abandon the suffering victim of those crimes.
I do stand up and fight oppression and injustice. It is as simple as that.
You know, you as a psychopath made a big mistake. Some pretty serious threats just came over the internet torwards me.
We'll see if you hung yourself. You never know who reads these things. Reports these things. Traces it all right to your computer. Investigates your actions...
see ya,
DM
72 - Lee L.
"
The eyes are completely DEAD - expressionless. The face moves around and all that, but there NO light in the eyes."
Congratulations, you've declared most of the population with high functioning Autism sociopaths.
As for our friend above, notice, he's Anonymous. He's probably part of a troll group from the website 4chan.com. If you're not familiar with 4chan or 7chan, they're a group of trolls who go around causing mischief on the internet. They talk a good game, but in reality, if you saw a channer in real life (I know a few), they're all pussies. They do a lot of shit that'll end them up in jail but most of them couldn't last 3 days in jail, much less prison.
He's not a real sociopath, because a real sociopath wouldn't care what somebody said about sociopaths. A real sociopath would probably brush it off and chuckle at the description of the sociopath and then screw somebody else over.
I can spot a sociopath from a mile away and once they get too close, I have a switchblade waiting for them on our next meeting.
73 - Mégan Lee
okay, i am among two sociopathic children in my parents household. i am the eldest and now on my own. I am not dangerous, and not crazy. It's hard for most to even be able to tell that i'm a sociopath. I was taught the differences between right and wrong at a young age. I do not steal, but this is not because i would feel bad, it's because i know it's wrong and know the consequences. Because of this, my parents never had a whole lot of problems with me, other than my selfishness, my manipulative nature and not fearing anything, including their punishments. Some people believe that i can't care about things, this is not true. I cannot feel things, i cannot feel bad, i cannot love, i cannot hate either, but i wish that i could. I want nothing more than to be normal and so i try exceedingly hard to do so, which is almost impossible, especially when my boyfriend of 6 months tells me that he loves me and i know that if i had to choose between his happiness or mine, i'd choose me. My brother, however, was not raised in our home, we adopted him and then found that he, too was a sociopath, among other things. My parents treated him as they did me for 6 1/2 years, but because things were not instilled in his head until he was 7 years old and he is also scitsophrenic, a victim of fetal alcohol syndrome and many other harmful things, we felt as if we couldn't help him anymore and for the past year he has been at a boarding school that helps those with challenges, he loves it there and it has helped him so much. It's harder for my parents to deal with my brother and i, but it's not impossible. We've hurt them without trying, but raising a sociopathic child is do-able. Just to clear up some questions some might have...
74 - Douglas Mays
Very interesting, Megan Lee! A type of comment I was hoping to see. It brings up the question of of 'learned response' vs. the path a stimulus takes in the mis-wired (or non-function) socio/psychopath brain.
You recognize symptoms and behaviour. How much of it is congentital, how much is reaction to environmental conditions? I am currently dealing with a hardcore advanced stages socio/psychopath who was raised a spoiled brat. What a combo!
Yeah, it all is quite a challenge that must be recognized in order to deal with it. The damage I have seen, continues...
DM
75 - tom
Psychiatrists are fools. I had one who told me I was a psychopath. There was nothing I could do to convince him otherwise, so I had to kill him with an old wrench.