How To Spot A Psychopath

Like Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, psychopaths can be intelligent and charming, while hiding a lack of empathy. So given their ability to manipulate others, how easy it is for you to spot one?

Self-professed psychopath Jacob Wells has revealed how he behaves in different situations and has listed questions that may help others identify whether they have any psychopathic traits - as well as recognise them in others.

Steely Tom, thanks so much for that video. Fantastic portrayal of the moral mess America is in!

It reminded me of my son when he was in the first grade. The teacher played a math game every week where the children were split into teams and the team that scored the highest, won. Only problem was, which ever team had Joey lost, because Joey could not memorize his math facts. So it became a ritual of everyone in fury when they got Joey on their team and Joey was horrified. He cried.

My son explained the situation to me and was extremely sad for Joey. He hated the ritualistic abuse of him. He said “I am not playing that game anymore.” It was his first assertion of justice and mercy...and protest against injustice.

I told him that if he refused to play, the teacher would be angry with him and probably be mean to him but that I would not be upset with him. You won’t be the teacher’s pet. She’ll probably pick on you, but she won’t be able to get me on her side. I told him to say why he was not playing in front of the whole class and he did. Three other kids said they were not playing that stupid game anymore, either.

The teacher called me in to tell on him and I said I agreed with my son. She was furious. But the word spread among other parents and soon the game was over.

I don’t want to brag, but it is true that my son was testing out at the sixth grade level in first grade in reading and math. It was hard to pick on him in any meaningful way. She tried bothering him, but I refused to meet with her. I was too busy. He said she just ignored him and that was supposed to hurt his feelings. But he knew why so it did not bother him.

Absolutely extraordinary The Beatles released 4 amazing albums in a 3 year period.

12/65 Rubber Soul
8/66 Revolver
6/67 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
11/68 The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album)

When the “White Album” was released I was living in Hollywood listening to KHJ when they played the entire album during a Saturday afternoon.

Before each track, some guy would describe what the song was about and a bit about the recording. IIRC, that guy was George something - can’t recall his last name...but he later went on to have a fairly successful solo career.

Again, you are thinking of a sociopath, not a psychopath.

This is a common mistake that has been compounded by the fact that the DSM has in recent years attempted to destigmatize the affliction with the more recent "personality disorder." There are ten recognized personality disorders, and sociopaths usually exhibit two or more, including Narcissistic personality disorder, Histrionic personality disorder, Antisocial personality disorder and occasionally Paranoid personality disorder.

There are treatments for these, but no recognized cures.

In other words, all sociopaths are, of course, psychopaths, but not all psychopaths are sociopaths. Does this help?

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