Posted on 12/28/2006 6:11:56 PM PST by Valin
The Sociopath Next Door
by Martha Stout Broadway, 2005 Review by James Pratt on Dec 26th 2006 Volume: 10, Number: 52
If the statistics are correct, one person in twenty-five can be classified as a sociopath. That means that almost all of us have met at least one such person (assuming you are not one yourself). It is on the basis of this chilling fact that Martha Stout has written The Sociopath Next Door. If all of us know at least one such person, then many of us may need the advice she offers on how to handle the sociopath you know, and how to protect yourself from that person.
For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, a sociopath is a person who lacks the capacity to feel sympathy or compassion for others. They are often described as people who know the difference between right and wrong but don't care. Insofar as they make the distinction between right and wrong, they do so at a purely intellectual level. Otherwise, the only thing that constrains the behavior of sociopaths is the fear of adverse consequences to themselves. In short, they lack what we call a conscience. If there is such a thing as an evil person, the sociopath is the prime candidate for the role. They are charming and ingratiating, but also predatory and utterly ruthless. Thankfully, they have a tendency towards laziness: once confronted they give up easily and move on to the next victim. Once spotted, it's usually fairly easy to get rid of them. Thus, Stout offers what is in essence a "spotter's guide".
First, a terminological point: the words "sociopath" and "psychopath" are for the most parts synonymous. If there is a distinction to be made, it is based mainly on one's theoretical commitments with regard to the etiology of the disorder. Those who describe it as sociopathy tend to believe that its causes are social or cultural, while those who describe it as psychopathy tend to believe in a biological basis for it. Stout seems to fall into the former category, and not only on the basis of her book's title. She leans towards a cultural origin of sociopathy. For example, she contends that although other cultures have such a thing as sociopathic personalities (including the Inuit, who supposedly describe them as kunlangeta, and who traditionally would invite them out hunting and discretely dispose of them), the prevalence of sociopathy in American society seems to be on the increase. However, Stout seems fairly non-committal on this point, and gives due attention to other possible explanations, including biological and developmental ones. Whatever its cause, like most other experts, Stout views sociopathy as an incurable personality disorder.
I'm not a doctor either, but that is the basic definition.
LOL, yes, sorry. Had a couple of threads open simultaneously and got 'em mixed up. :-(
"Well; they must be born that way so we must afford them special privileges. "
We already do. They can, for instance, drown their children without getting the death penalty.
They're a matched pair.
I recall the 1st time I really heard her, she was doing a bunch of quick calls to Ralk radio shows and called Joe Soucheray's show "Garage Logic". She was talking about how she missed the midwest, and how dissappointed she was that there were no garages at the WH blah blah blah. And I thought "What a phoney". This was right after the election.
Dexter!
My hero ;)
O.J. Simpson, Bill Clinton and (can't recall name - senior moment) the guy who killed his pregnant wife and threw her body in San Francisco bay.
....All perfect candidates.
LOLOL!
As long as you're getting up, I could use a beer.
SCOT PETERSON
I believe bill is a sociopath, hillary is a devout communist.
LOL. Sociopath. ;-)
Well its the sociopath thread so I can see how you'd think you were on the Couric thread.
YUP.
Her unroyal lowness, her hideous heinous--bw*tch Shrillery Antoinette de Fosterizer de Machiavelli de Marx de Stalin de Pol Pot de Mao de Castro de Arafart . . . de Sade
is certainly an Olympic class sociopath.
AS well as a traitorous, duplicitous, angry, clueless, demonized, heartless, . . . globalist idiot.
And that's for starters, only.
That is my understanding as well. A psychopath is a highly disordered sociopath. Bundy was a psychopath while Stalin was a sociopath.
In hindsight the psychopath's behavior looks crazy and has strong psychosexual elements to it while sociopath's behavior looks ruthlessly opportunistic and exploitative. Compare Ted Bundy to Jeffery Skilling. Skilling was Id'ed as a sociopathic by his own classmates at HGSB during ethics case studies. Skilling, normally a brilliant student, was baffled by the very moral principles the cases represented.
... blend in to normal society
... they have a tendency towards laziness: once confronted they give up easily and move on to the next victim. Once spotted, it's usually fairly easy to get rid of them.
True. Confront them and whoosh. Sad, though, as everybody has been used up and she's alone this holiday season. Even her daughter has vanished.
There is a woman named Yolanda in the North East who is all of the above
Interesting.
Do you happen to remember the source for that?
I'm biting my lower lip, and I have a tear forming. :-(
Damn. Your good. Here's the beer.
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