[Book: The Sociopath Next Door] 4% of Americans may be sociopaths

As I understand it, sociopathy is physiological. It's not the result of societal change or poor parenting or whatever. Sociopaths are born that way, physically unable to experience empathy or connection with others.

 

Actually it's the opposite. Sociopaths are largely a result of their environment, while psychopaths are that way mostly by genetic lottery.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Psychopath_vs_Sociopath

 

and something like 95% of them don't do anything untoward, illegal or even that fricking weird


Big *ss SHrUG

Rocket River

 

Sociopath?

 

Sounds like you just resent anything that appeals to or accommodates young people, college included. Social networking and texting actually facilitate interaction and all the emotional, behavioral and ethical self-awareness that come with it. No idea what your advertising complaint is about.

 

I agree there's lots of sociopaths out there than we care to see. And maybe its not growing but internet allows us to see the existing ones on display more. And message boards like Clutchfans represent a higher percentage than average. (I can get amazed at how some people on here earn lots of rep bars who I don't have 1 drop of humor, who are never supportive only antagonistic, or who are never serious. Functional trolls)

I saw a report that sociopaths CAN display feel bits empathy for another person they do something bad to, but that they just easily compartmentalize it away.

Its actually why I always say logic and "efficiency" can be overrated. Because life is more than just data and point a to point b thinking, problem solving computations and divorcing yourself of all feeling. Genius level thinkers don't like that "dumb" people's simple sensibilities count and it obstructs "innovation, but its just the truth.

I tend to agree with some of his points

It is interaction and emotional. But its also VIRTUAL. And more and more get caught up in the technological progression and want the full-on augmented reality in place of their real emotions. (Not saying it will be successful. But humans do lots of things to DULL feelings)

And it all generally makes people more desensitized. Not it doesnt necessarily mean its violent physical threat. It can actually be safer physically, but just weirder, more apathy and "white collar" indiscretions.

 

Most are in an elected office; and I am not kidding.

 

Eh it's a spectrum, extremes are rare. But if I had to lean one way, I'd rather be a successful uncaring sociopath than an oversensitive autistic failure.

 

Here we go. It was only a matter of time before the SOFs showed up.

 

If anything, that number seems a bit low. I'm admittedly a bit sociopathic at times, and while I don't have any data to support it, I get the feeling that the tendencies will be more and more common for those living in the information age during their formative years.

 

Scary stuff. I doubt that it is really happening more than before; we probably just know what to look for.

I used to always be afraid: "What if I have a child and he/she turns out to be a sociopath?" At least, if this one's mostly environmental then you have some control over that. Heard too many freaky stories, I guess, but sometimes you only hear one side of the story.

 

How do you categorize people who genuinely like people and animals but have been known to cheat on their significant other with no remorse and are usually not phased when people they don't know are harmed, like a murder on the news. That's just... normal?

 

About reflexively resenting or mistrusting authority, probably not.

 

I think in the information age, there will be a tendency to overdiagnose this disorder the same way ADD-adhd gets