The Jobs With The Most Psychopaths

AOL Jobs ^ | January 2, 2013 | Dan Fastenberg

[2ndDivisionVet]

Have you ever experienced the feeling at work that everyone around you is unstable? That you're the only level-headed worker in a workplace populated by colleagues whose fits and outbursts are unpredictable, or even psychopathic?

The experience might be common to many workers, but according to a recent book, The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success, certain fields are more likely to attract actual psychopaths than others. The book by Oxford psychologist Kevin Dutton argues that "a number of psychopathic attributes [are] actually more common in business leaders than in so-called disturbed criminals -- attributes such as superficial charm, egocentricity, persuasiveness, lack of empathy, independence, and focus."

In a post about the book, author and Huffington Post blogger Eric Barker says that professions with high rates of psychopaths "offer power and many require an ability to make objective, clinical decisions divorced from feelings." Conversely, those fields with relatively few psychopaths "require human connection, dealing with feelings and most of them don't offer much power."

So what were the kinds of jobs most likely to attract psychopaths, and those least likely?

Highest Rates of Psychopathy:

1. CEO
2. Lawyer
3. Media (Television/Radio)
4. Salesperson
5. Surgeon
6. Journalist
7. Police Officer
8. Clergy person
9. Chef
10. Civil Servant...

[Zeneta]

Based on my experiences and what I’ve seen, I’d say this list is accurate. CEOs and police are the worst kinds of psychos, because people have to listen to them!

It's alright, We told you what to dream.

[antidisestablishment]

GMTA!

[Billthedrill]

I think that's too low on the list.

Quality over quantity, Johnny. 10 crazy chefs is not as impressive as one really batsh!t nuts chef who dices his entire staff with a butcher knife because they used Velveeta instead of Gruyere and then rides down Niagara falls nekkid in a giant soup tureen whilst singing "Achey Breaky Heart".

I didn't know you liked Country music...

[BykrBayb]

IBTZ! (But not before the coffee ran out my nose)

[a fool in paradise]

How many murdering CEOs are then on rampage or serial killing?

Lawyers can be paid to represent any side in an argument so principles can go out the window. Especially when it comes to personal advancement and needs.

[a fool in paradise]

I notice that psychiatrist and psychologist did not make the list. Several in that avenue HAVE gone on rampage in recent years. And some enter that line of study to figure out what is wrong with themselves.

[a fool in paradise]

Also, I didn’t see “actor” on that list. Many mentally screwed up people in that profession. Murders and users among them.

[a fool in paradise]

The most psychopaths per square foot are found among the actors and actresses in Hollywood Calif. Self-administered legal drugs and the illegal kind abound. There is no party without a pile of cocaine on the table.

Running starkstruck girls through the casting couch with false dreams of advancement, sometimes ending in accidental death and murder with full studio coverup.

No, no psychopaths in Hollyweird.

[Zeneta]

It seems that,

“Unemployed”

Should be at the top.

[a fool in paradise]

Environmentalist

Period dot BINGO.

They advocate ZERO population growth. Are against farming and development or even, as you point out, eradication of viruses.

They deliberately conspire to kill/main/injure the masses who reject their worldview.

[a fool in paradise]

Union goon is also absent.

[Salamander]

They posted this list last night during a show on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim”.

I LMAO.

[Salamander]

With this edit:

1. CEO
2. Lawyer
[Not surprising] 3. Media (Television/Radio)
4. Salesperson
5. Surgeon
6. Journalist
7. Police Officer
[Surprising] 8. Clergy person
9. Chef
10. Civil Servant

[Salamander]

“Creative artist is also on the lowest rates list. I strongly disagree with that one. Just personal experience. “

You are correct.

We artists are as mad as hatters.
No exceptions.

:)

[Finny]

A lot of people are confusing egomaniacs/self-centered people with psychopaths. A self-centered, self-absorbed egomaniac (often creative types, prima donnas, artists, chefs!!!) who thinks "it's all about me" is easy to deal with because you know exactly where you stand. While that person may be exasperating and occasionally immoral (behaving contrary to conventional morality), he/she's also capable of love, compassion, comprehension of morality, and has enough conscience to feel guilt or shame (though may not want to admit it) upon hurting someone. You can easily deal with an egotist by checking your own ego; the same approach is FUTILE when dealing with a psychopath.

A psychopath is empty, amoral (without reference to morality), blank, has a big hole, where empathy, love, guilt, shame, and morality are absent; anyone who knows the psychopath for long realizes that while the person may be charming at first, the person is also a vacuum and amoral enough to harm others and feel perfectly okay about it.

LadyBuck muses: No realtors? Then again, they are salescritters...

Your cheap shot forgot to include used car salesmen, dear. :^) I used to hold Realtors in contempt as is the fashion ... until I actually learned about their industry. Now I know that there are exactly proportionately as many asshat Realtors as there are asshat clerks, sales reps, waitresses, lawyers, actors, businessmen, FReepers, teachers, construction workers, etc.

Residential real estate agents, like any salesperson, MUST have the ability to connect/empathize with people or they won't be successful.

KoRN notes: CEOs and police are the worst kinds of psychos....

Unlike Realtors, salesmen, restaurateurs (chefs), beauticians, etc., the effective success of CEOs and police is entirely outside of needing to connect with people in order to earn a paycheck, so it's to be expected to see them on this list.

Both lists are off the mark. Psychopaths can go anywhere and be anything at least temporarily because of their ability to be charming and convincing. They can snow anyone temporarily. What they cannot do is KEEP their success in any industry that requires the ability to empathize with people on an emotional level. The psychopath must move on to other pastures ... unless he's in a job where the "clients" don't have much choice (cop, clergyman, doctor) and where success or failure isn't dependent on the marketplace. Psychopathic CEOs can move on to the next gullible company and snow big folks with big bucks; psychopathic Realtors earn so little income they have to change careers.

[Salamander]

The ultimate cheery stalker song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6ExyOIZW3s

[he also did Santa Claus Is Coming To Town...in a properly threatening manner]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In3sApWlY1s

[Fido969]

[Surprising] 8. Clergy person

It's not really surprising to me, I would have been surprised if they didn't end up on the list. I'm a religious person, I've been involved with several churches, and there are some great ministers that I love.

That said, many, if not most, are just bat-guano crazy.

[henkster]

“Based on my experiences and what I’ve seen, I’d say this list is accurate. CEOs and police are the worst kinds of psychos, because people have to listen to them!”

There are way too many cops out there who use a gun and badge to live out their fantasies of revenge for the swirlies they got from the football team everyday in 8th grade.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

College professor. Followed by DMV, Post Office, and any other government employee.

[Salamander]

The people at adult swim were surprised.

I thought of Robert Tilton and was not.

Teachers should’ve topped the list.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2976487/posts