THE SOCIOPATH- A DANGER ALL AROUND US. PARTS 1-5.

 

FEATURE ARTICLES.

THE SOCIOPATH-  A DANGER ALL AROUND US.  PT 1.

Look for what lies underneath the surface. When certain acts of violence are reported in the media, how often do we hear the following;

• "How could he do that to his best friend?"
• "Why would a mother hurt her own children?"
• "He's such a nice guy and a good family man, he can't be guilty."
• "The victims were so innocent, why would anyone want to hurt them?" 

Of course, there are numerous other examples I could use, but the point is clear.  Even after thousands of examples throughout the centuries, we are still caught off-guard by acts of seemingly senseless violence and brutality. However, we shouldn't be.  There is now, and perhaps has always been, a certain segment of Humanity that thrives on the misery they cause to others. THE SOCIOPATH.

I will define the Sociopath as; An individual with a fully developed and ingrained personality that;

• Uses others as tools to satisfy individual desires.
• Lacks remorse or empathy for the pain and suffering they cause to others.
• Has a Grandiose, Inflated self-image that makes them feel like they are the center of the universe.
• Enjoys Deceiving and Manipulating people, often for no other reason than a sense of power.
• Positive words such as Dignity, Honor, and Duty or negative words such as Cruelty, Prejudice and Suffer are meaningless. They represent concepts foreign to the Sociopath.

To put it simply, the Sociopath represents a personality that most of us cannot comprehend or identify with. That is where the Danger lies.  They use this lack of knowledge to cultivate new victims who are unaware of their true nature.

See pt.2 in a future posting.

FEATURE ARTICLES. THE SOCIOPATH- A DANGER ALL AROUND US. PT 2.

The Sociopath has often been labeled as mentally ill, or even insane.  As human beings, it is often difficult for us to judge extreme behavior.  Since we often cannot place ourselves in situations that would lead us to act as the Sociopath does, the result is defining such actions as a product of a diseased mind.  However, the Sociopath has no physical or chemical abnormalities.  They process information in a rational manner, and act on what they perceive to be in their best interest.  The difference is that most people consider the effect on other individuals and society as a whole to be of value to them physically and/or emotionally.  The Sociopath doesn't.

Don't get me wrong,  There are certain conditions that can cause an individual to act with great violence and cruelty, for which they cannot be held accountable either morally or legally. This is commonly called PSYCHOTIC BEHAVIOR.

Often, the Sociopath and the Psychopath are grouped together as being one and the same.  However, this is not true.  The person with a diagnosis of Psychosis has a real and identifiable condition, resulting from a physical abnormality and/or chemical imbalance within the brain. The Sociopath has no such problems.

Look for pt.3 in a future posting.

FEATURE ARTICLES. THE SOCIOPATH- A DANGER ALL AROUND US.  PT 3.

Too often when we judge the extreme behavior of others, the conclusions drawn are based on faulty assumptions.  When someone is labeled with terms such as "Crazy", "Maniacal", "Deranged" etc, by the general public, it is based solely on the perceived mental state of the individual.  Their actions, based on our concept of proper moral behavior, are so outlandish we conclude that they must be mentally ill.

This is an unfortunate line of reasoning, for the Sociopath is basically given an excuse to avoid responsibility for their actions.  However, this judgment is not made through proper mental evaluation, BUT HOW IT DIFFERS FROM OUR OWN SET OF MORAL PRINCIPLES.  SINCE THE BEHAVIOR SHOCKS US AND FLIES IN THE FACE OF HOW WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO BEHAVE, IT MUST BE MENTAL ILLNESS.  THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF TAKING A PURELY MORAL JUDGMENT AND ASSUMING THAT IT ALSO GIVES AN ACCURATE READING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. THIS IS A CONCLUSION WE CANNOT REASONABLY DRAW.  MORAL BEHAVIOR AND PSYCHOLOGY ARE TWO DISTINCT AND SEPARATE DISCIPLINES.

You must realize the Sociopath does not feel they are mentally ill, so they do not seek treatment.  They are perfectly content with their lifestyle and see no reason to change it.  Ironically, they often feel that it is everyone else who is suffering from a mental malady.  Since the Sociopath is not hindered by feelings of guilt and cannot empathize with others, they conclude these traits are personality flaws that can be exploited.(Continued in a future posting.)

FEATURE ARTICLES. THE SOCIOPATH- A DANGER ALL AROUND US. PT 4.

Now you may be asking yourself,  "How can I know if I am dealing with a Sociopath, what are the signs?" First of all, one important fact must be placed on the table when we try to answer this question;  Sociopaths come from all walks of life.  There are no economic, racial, social, or intellectual traits that have been identified as exclusively Sociopathic.  A Sociopath could be your parent or sibling, Aunt or Uncle, Close family friend, Business acquaintance, Teacher...etc.  Sometimes the hardest part of identifying a Sociopath is facing the fact that it might be someone close to you.

You have to realize, the Sociopath is playing a part.  They create a facade that best suits their needs and desires, projecting an image to others that makes them seem to be something their not.  They are very adroit in adapting their behavior to given situations and use this ability to manipulate others.  Once a perceived weakness is spotted in another, the Sociopath decides how to exploit this characteristic and acts accordingly.

However, there are certain things you can look for, if you think that you are dealing with a Sociopath.  Keep in mind, these examples are not universal in nature.  Not every Sociopath will exhibit all of these behaviors.  In turn, many of the following examples may be found in people who are not Sociopaths.  Yet, if you find an individual who fits multiple examples, you may have reason to be cautious.

I would like, before I begin the list, to point out that Sociopath is not a mental illness that is the result of a physical defect of the brain.  Unfortunately, one is not born a Sociopath, where early diagnosis could lead to proper treatment.  However, before I get into what circumstances may create a Sociopath, let us go through the list.

See PT.5 in a future posting.

FEATURE ARTICLES. THE SOCIOPATH- A DANGER ALL AROUND US. PT 5.

THE SOCIOPATH-  A DANGER ALL AROUND US.  PT 5.

Here is a sample list of behaviors generally attributed to be indicative

of a Sociopath.

•  Pathological lying.
•  Lack of empathy.
•  Refusing to accept responsibility for their actions.
•  Inappropriate behavior in certain social situations.
•  A wholly unrealistic image of their personal worth to individuals and groups.  
• Superficial personality with no real depth, which is often masked by being extremely outgoing and friendly to others regardless of the nature of the relationship.
• Takes much more than gives from friends or relatives.
• Inability to work closely with others, especially if they are not in charge.  Rarely takes orders or commands without being resentful.
• Manipulates people and situations with ease, for only the outcome counts.  No thought to the effects on others.

This is by no means a complete list.  For further information I recommend researching the pioneering work done by Dr. Robert Hare.  As you read through this list, and research other types of behavior that are associated with Sociopathy, look for what they have in common with each other.  The most obvious commonality you may find is this;  Sociopaths are the most selfish and egocentric group you may ever encounter.  In no given situation will the Sociopath ever think about possible effects that their behavior has on the well-being of others.  That is, of course, unless it serves their own purposes.

How do we identify a Sociopath?  Sometimes it means understanding what created them.

(See PT.6 in a future posting.)