Sunday, December 4, 2011

Do sociopaths know they are sociopaths?

This is a question I have been getting a lot recently. The short answer is yes, sociopaths are generally aware that they are sociopaths. This is one of the differences between sociopaths and narcissists. Sociopaths know they are different from other people, but can force themselves to think and act like a neurotypical person. Narcissists think they think and feel the same as other people (just better) and are consequently less able to alter their behavior, even if it would be in their best interest (compare, narcissists, who really struggle with this).

The longer answer is that it may take a while for sociopaths to learn that everyone else is not like them. Most young children have sociopathic-esque tendencies: self-centeredness, lack of empathy, lack of consideration for others, dominant primal emotions, etc. It may not be immediately obvious to sociopathic youngsters when and if their peers have progressed past these "limitations" on their way to emotional maturity.

Meanwhile, the sociopath is undergoing his own changes. The sociopath is gaining a greater understanding of self. High functioning sociopaths learn that not only can they manipulate others, they can also manipulate themselves. This self manipulation can perform the same function as self control.

After the sociopath acquires greater self knowledge and self mastery, he may still be unaware that he is different. Instead, he may assume that other humans have just completed their own similar transformation. When the sociopath learns that he is the only one like him, it can be disappointing. It can be exhilarating too, but it will always be lonely. Not like most sociopaths mind (at least most of the time).

908 comments:

  1. Wonderfully written. I've been looking into that very question recently.

    For me, I knew from a young age I was different and I felt like I was behind everyone and couldn't catch up, so I was going to have to fake it if I wanted acceptance. You hit it dead on how I was then. In my mind everyone else was just like me but had "passed" to the next step but I couldn't even understand the test, so I lied and cheated into "normal" life.

    I'm now aware that I was right but also wrong, not everyone feels and thinks like I do, in fact most don't. Sometimes it really gets me upset but it also makes me feel a cut above, you know? As if what I lack socially is that way so I can focus on other things to reach the greatness I was meant for and wouldn't be able to achieve it with the baggage of an empath.

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  2. This is an interesting thing to me. I was just considering good and bad, and the desire to be either good or bad. Most if not all people have a desire to be good (although it might be a small or twisted desire). Even mobsters have a code, and feel that they are good, loyal, take care of family etc. Typically this is expressed through conscience.

    My question is do sociopaths want to be good (in whatever way they define it)?

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  3. I don't fit the textbook description of "antisocial personality disorder". That's because there appear to be two types of sociopaths... intelligent ones and stupid ones. The stupid ones break the law (and get caught), lie (and get caught), hurt people (and get caught), and therefore have relationship problems, etc - and get the psychiatric label. Intelligent ones, on the other hand, become politicians, businessmen, etc. At least I assume they do, because not being stupid, they don't get labeled with a psychiatric disorder.

    So with my definitions, I'm an "intelligent" sociopath. I don't have problems with drugs, I don't commit crimes, I don't take pleasure in hurting people, and I don't typically have relationship problems. I do have a complete lack of empathy. But I consider that an advantage, most of the time.

    Do I know the difference between right and wrong, and do I want to be good? Sure. One catches more flies with honey than with vinegar. A peaceful and orderly world is a more comfortable world for me to live in. So do I avoid breaking the law because it's "right"? No, I avoid breaking the law because it makes sense. I suppose if I weren't gifted with the ability to make a lot of money in a profession doing what I like, I might try and profit by crime. But with my profession, I'd have to really hit the criminal jackpot to make it worth a life of crime.

    When you're bad to people, they're bad back to you. I'm no Christian, but "do unto others as you would want them to do unto you" works.

    So to any other sociopaths out there reading this... don't be an idiot.

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  4. Do I avoid breaking the law because it’s the “right” thing to do?

    NO. I avoid breaking it because by doing so, it would only further inconvenience me with the aftermath due to the technological world we live in. There are just too many snags, too many unfortunate chances that can’t be preplanned out in order to avoid. The truth is that the perfect crime is the crime never conceived, let alone fulfilled.

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  5. YOU PEOPLE ARE NOT SOCIOPATHS! IF YOU ARE PROVE IT

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  6. You are so funny, trying to troll on a sociopath-related blog

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  7. If you google "Do sociopaths know they are sociopaths?" then clearly you have a reason for it...like being a sociopath or atleast trying to educate yourself about what makes you that way if you are just realizing it.

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  8. Dear "Anonymous",

    Wow...your comments are extraordinary. I have chills just reading them. Clearly, you are indeed a sociopath, but I'm relieved to hear that you do not delight in causing people harm. The reason I'm writing this to you (all) today is to say two things: 1. Like me, there are millions of people out there who fall victim to the cold-blooded wrath of a sociopath, and seeking help online is just one tool we use to learn how to function in this situation. 2. I was wondering of I could find a sociopath, like yourself, so that i could ask some burning questions. My biggest question is how to prove to a third party that someone is indeed a sociopath. The sociopath I am involved with is in denial that there is anything wrong with them, and has, for almost six years now, been deliberately trying to ruin my life, my reputation, my family and has been trying to extort money from my family for years. I have since learned that this person is what they call a "covertous sociopath" - if they can't be married to someone amazing then I shouldn't be; if they weren't raised in a huge mansion then why should I be allowed to live comfortably; if they aren't famous then why should I enjoy life, etc., etc.; etc.

    So, if you're out there, I would be very grateful for any insight.

    BGal

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  9. Anonymous said...
    ''If you google "Do sociopaths know they are sociopaths?" then clearly you have a reason for it...like being a sociopath or atleast trying to educate yourself about what makes you that way if you are just realizing it.''

    oh, so i'm a sociopath now.

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  10. When I was 16, I realized I was a sociopath.

    Sometimes, I deceive myself, sometimes I myself find myself believing the powerful image I put up for people, just for a split second.

    There's only certain times when I realize I'm 'different'. It's like I have to sit back and watch my own life replay in front of me to see what I really do, because what I do so carefully (lie, manipulate) is more of a 'reflexive' behavior than me taking the time to think it all out. I just always know what to do.
    Though, I do sometimes plot. But it's not till I replay my life do I realize that I'm different.
    Because I just don't care what I do to you, as long as it gets done and I'm content.

    It's like a natural instinct that you know, I have to hide this from people, or else I won't survive. Almost like it's already programmed into you, and you don't have to learn it.

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  11. Some people have a different definition of 'greatness'.
    The 'truth' CAN set you free.

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  12. When I was younger at one point I had a narcissistic delusion: I was the only person in my social circle who was honest with themselves. Everybody else, inside they were like me, they thought like me, internally we were all entirely selfish, nobody really had "empathy" they just acted as if they did. The entire world was a stage, all the people actors, and I could admit this to myself.

    Then it came, the "dehumanising" moment when you realise that's not true. I guess you could say I learnt I was alone on the stage, and all those people I thought were actors were actually the audience. I like to think I put on a good show.

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  13. Well well I dont know for sure if I am a sociopath or not. I am no doctor, I know that I read the symptoms fpr the dissorder and fit almost all of them. I dont really care to be diagnosed ither. I simply googled this,cuz I want to know why I am the way I am. If I could change. Ive read I wont be able to. I guess thats fine. I have a son who I know I love and would never hurt him. I feel no emphaty for pretty much no one else. I lie and manipulate everyone out of habit. I cant keep a job for nothing. Pretty muuch cuz I am not manager. Or in charge some way. I have this stealing problem I cant stop since I was like way young. I get angry so quick and become viloent if ur in my way. I cannt help it. I would like to change. But I know I cant. I been trying to change for years.

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  14. Anonymous 8:28 PM,

    Yeah, I've read that definition too. But get this: I have a ... very close ... friend who was diagnosed as a psychopath when he was 18 yrs old, and believe me, he fits the profile.

    But he also has a high IQ (148), and yet he has been imprisoned numerous times and for quite harsh crimes too.

    My point here is that whether someone is a successful person in society is not entirely a question about intelligence. It's also a question about social inheritance.

    Yet there's truth to what you claim. In my friend's case ... he should be incapable of turning his life around, in fact he should not even be able to having learned how to use a computer giving the fact that he's spent most of his life among drug addicts living on the street.

    So all taken into consideration he's made it well, only not in terms of what we normally think of as "well" and not in terms of what you are describing about yourself.

    I wonder, many of these "intelligent successful" people, how would they have made it had they been in my friend's situation? ... Why I know how they would have made it, and the picture isn't nice.

    Despite my friend's background he carries himself like any high profile lawyer or doctor, if and when he chooses to, and he does it well.

    A "successful", "normal", life without crime is not in itself a question about intelligence. You have misunderstood something, my friend!

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  15. Anonymous @ Sept 19th "Almost like it's already programmed into you, and you don't have to learn it."

    I tend to realize something similar. The more I've searched for information online the more I've come to learn that self-proclaimed sociopaths seem happy and content with learning and using their power and the key word there is "learning", where as I find what I do is more subconscious and uncontrollable. I'm not even thinking about manipulation and it just happens. It's not something I TRY to conjure, nor try to avoid. I did not wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and say to myself "I'm going to destroy this person's life."

    Am I happy you're hurt? No.

    Do I feel guilty? Don't make me laugh in your face at a time like this.

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  16. beware the sheepdog

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  17. To the person saying they have questions you would like to ask a sociopath. Are you that naive. The sociopaths posting on here have no reason at all to be honest with you. 0.0% reason. They get nothing out of exposing thier "traid secrets". It's just another chance to mess with a regular person = fun = benifit to them. My ex fiancée I'm sure is a sociopath. The best thing you can do is know that nothing can make sense to you because basicly 99% of how you think involves someones feelings. 0% of thiers do. The best option for you is to say "Ah, ok" & move on.

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  18. @Zhawq - IQ only measures a specific type of "academic intelligence". People can have high IQs but be incredibly dumb in their day-to-day lives. Mine is just below that considered to be genius but if you looked at my life you wouldn't guess - I've fucked up big time on far too many occasions. A high IQ doesn't mean you won't make bad decisions, or act impulsively, etc. It's how you use your intelligence that matters anyway. My problem is that I'm too ruled by my immediate urges - I can sit around pondering what is the best thing to do and come up with a good solution, but in the moment that all goes out of the window and I act against my own best interests.

    I think I'm drawn to this blog because there's something in the psychopath I can identify with. I know I'm not one, but I do know there is some level of empathy I lack, and a bit of a "gap" in my emotions. I feel the most primal kind of empathy - I cry at other's serious misfortune (real or fictional), and I'm squeamish about their injuries as I kind of feel the pain myself. I'm also empathic on a more intellectual, analytical level - working out why someone might feel the way they do, putting myself consciously in that person's shoes to understand how things might look from their perspective. But my observations of "normal" people suggest there's some level between those two, something that creates a bond between people, makes my friends do annoying things like call me "for a chat" (I generally only phone people for instrumental reasons. I do enjoy talking to people, it's just the idea that I'd sit around thinking about calling someone to chat, and that I would assume that the other person would want to chat too, that I don't get). There's a kind of blurring of boundaries between self and other; personally I find it quite intrusive and irritating, this need for connection that most seem to have just feels to me like clinginess. That's not to say I don't feel a need for closeness with others, or love, etc. But I don't seem to experience this quite the same way as most (e.g. I don't really get the concept of "missing someone" - even my husband/children; I sometimes think "I wish they were here to share this moment", just because I think they would enjoy it too, but I'll quite happily spend weeks away from them). I'm not an introvert, either; I find social situations stimulating, and I enjoy chatting to people and finding out things about them (although I'm interested in different kinds of things about them than most seem to be). I just don't get the need others seem to have for this.

    Interestingly, I find that the instinctive empathy based on blurred identity that others seem to have is less accurate than my more analytical empathy. People seem to make the basic errors of projecting their emotions onto others and assuming other people are like them. So if someone has wronged them, it is almost as though the anger they feel becomes part of their conceptualisation of the other person, and they will attribute all kinds of malicious intentions to the other that probably weren't there. Again, I think this is down to the blurring of boundaries - if your sense of self is partly merged with your sense of the other, then the emotions you feel are bound to get mixed up with the emotions you attribute to them. Some of the people I know who believe themselves to be very empathic are also the least accurate judges of other people, and are the most clingy.

    Sorry, that's a long comment. Weirdly, I'm a little more comfortable sharing this with people with psychopathic tendencies than I am with others; I tend to get strange looks when I share these thoughts with "normals"! Especially the thing about not missing my kids - some people seem to equate not missing your children with not loving them.

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  19. what if a sociopath has 5 brothers (likely psychopath/socio genetically)? will he still have a "lonely life"? i'm sure they don't talk about that part with each other...

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  20. The other day one of my parents died and I have never had to mimic sorrow before. I'm obviously pretty terrible at it because my family can tell something is wrong when I am around them so I have been trying to avoid contact with them, which in turn causes them to worry about me. Any suggestions? I feel if I told them what I was they would see me as a monster.

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  21. I have been going through some weird things, and the comments here have really started to help me. Reading Sas's comments woke me up a lot. I'm just the same. Have these emotional reactions to characters and situations in films and books that make me feel as if i have real empahy, and even in real life can feel like helping someone in need, but in real life seem to have this gap, this dead thing. My mom just died, and I helped my dad with it, and did all the arrangements and kinda worry that he's okay, but then dont call him for two days. I have a long term girlfriend I've left on a couple occasions, and now realize that i dont want to lose, but I don't feel remorse for previous errors. Just don't like handling the consequences anymore, as someone else said, and want to believe that I wont wander anymore. But will I? I don't know. It's all so weird. And i am so damned lonely. Feels like I'm starting relationships dishonestly, tryingto fill gaps, rather than caring about people. Don't want to be in self denail, but really don't want to embrace that I'm a sociopatrh

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  22. I had an awakening about two years ago. "Rising above the confusion" as Boston calls it. Clarity, uninhibited ambition and moderate but real self confidence followed like a garden in spring. Then a year later my enstranged and beloved brother commits suicide and more introspection ensues, mainly to identify any remnants of my entertainment of suicidal ideation in the past, pre-awakening period. Here I sought professional help, where as before, I just read some self-help books. Later that year my girlfriend turns out to be a sociopath and pathological liar. I was flabbergasted when I caught here blatantly concocting a story and lying to me just to win an argument. I cut her off before she could do any more damage to my healthy but still vulnerable mind, although at the time I was unaware of the real damage she was capable of. I thought she was almost normal (she was into Wicca and shit, and her step dad supposedly beat her sadistically.) But this experience really bridged the intellectual gap between normal and crazy for me. What really scared me was realizing how similar she was to me (other than having a killswitch for all emotions.) Now my own sanity came into question because we did have a lot of common traits, in childhood and adulthood. This launched a further introspection into my life, starting from my first memories as a child to my "pre-awakening" period. I had never dug that deep before into my past, looking for answers. When I was 8 or 9 years old I remember fantasizing my parents would die and I got adopted by some rich famous people. Also somehow I knew that if they did die, I would not cry. I wasn't terribly abused when I was young, but I resented corporal punishment and it was a way for me to avenge my bruised ego. Being Russian only complicated my psycho-analysis, but studying Russian literature and history helped me eliminate the social idiosyncrasies I inherited, i.e. fatalism, contrition, etc. Auditing my whole past throughout all the phases I went through and labeling them helped me realize that my transition had, although marred with abnormalities and challenges, a common denominator: I was always open to change because I always believed I was innately empathetic i.e. good. I had blips with hate and envy, but at the end of the day I wanted everyone to be happy. I clearly see how she was intentionally taking advantage of my trust and empathy, at times sympathy for her and I distinctly felt mind raped. For a short time I thought I might have been permanently infected or something, but as long I didn't get sucked into that psychological blackhole that most sociopaths call home, I knew I'd be okay.
    This discussion reminds me of Andrew Bird's song "Oh No."
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upqcu2DWK8g
    The first time I heard it, I had no idea what it meant, or who sociopaths were. Going through all this helped enrich my knowledge of the world around me, and helped me understand this all encapsulating song. I've hurt some people in my life, but not out of sadism or some hidden agenda, but out of ignorance. I've since apologized and made amends where necessary. Am I a sociopath? I can be. But then, when I am an asshole, I become so to control other assholes. Am I playing with fire? maybe, but I notice I am more able to effect change when I act like the person I want to influence.

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  23. I'm a 50 year old attorney who was put in a psyche ward for suicide attempt and learned there that I'm borderline and bipolar. In the ward, there was a charming nurses aide who came on to me (Im married) big time. I never strayed, but the sociopath got me to do his seperation for free. ($2,500) There after another aide
    (26) asked me to help him with his custody issues (2 babies by 2 women by 23-I spent a ton of $ to help him get his act together. I fell for his pity act. AND I GOT HIM A JOB WITH MY HUSBAND ($30/HOUR)Suddenly, after telling me I'm his "mother", best frient, mentor etc.(O the Flattery!) and seek advice-until it abruptly stopped. He bullied, harassed me and thretened me. I have no idea why. My guess is I was very close to seeing him for what he is. The lying was so gratuitous and I called him on it all the time. I still want to believe he has the potential to become a gentleman as he asked me to help. I don't feel used, just stupid. Those guys saw my vulnerabibity in the PSYCHE WARD. I feel sorry for him. What a place to employ sociopaths!

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  24. "Sociopaths know they are different from other people, but can force themselves to think and act like a neurotypical person. Narcissists think they are the same as other people and are consequently less able to alter their own behavior"

    Possibly I'm misunderstanding the context in which this was meant. But going by what I know about Narcissistic Personality Disorder, I always thought Narcissists were people who considered themselves highly superior/special compared to everybody else. Surely that's a pretty different thing to believing they are the same as others? Unless of course what was meant here was that they believe everybody else around them has exactly the same kind of thinking/motives they do. Wheareas a Sociopath would be aware that's not the case - in which case I would have to agree that makes sense.

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  25. im 15 and i'm not a diagnosed sociopath but im sure i am one and im pretty pleased with being one. I've been knowing i was a sociopath for about 3 years and i wasnt upset at all to realize it i was actually alittle proud but that doesnt mean i go around telling people that im a sociopath. if i did id probably have ruined all the fun in my life because who is gonna trust a sociopath? and if no one trusts me and i cant mess with anyone than what am i supposed to do for fun... which reminds me ive been getting extremely bored lately because im at a loss of things to do so ive been reseaching sociopaths to find out what to do with myself... any suggestions?

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  26. I agree with this article wholeheartedly. I've felt this way for years. I'm nearly sixteen, and as a child the only reason I kept myself from doing bad behaviors was fear of retribution. I felt nothing when it came to morality. My intelligence is also at a genius level, which may be part of my self-induced "liberation" from normal moral codes.

    And about stupid and intelligent sociopaths... I agree with that too. I think most politicians and indeed people in high places, so to speak, have no conscience or at least a very low amount of one.
    Idiot psychopaths are the kind who do destructive behaviors and have not yet learned how to harness a decent amount of self-control to live a normal life.

    What annoys me the most, however, is people who try to act sociopathic so they can be part of a social group.

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  27. Anon 9:31 PM

    "To the person saying they have questions you would like to ask a sociopath. Are you that naive. The sociopaths posting on here have no reason at all to be honest with you."

    You've got it backwards. We have every reason to not be honest outside of the Internet, and we're here at this very site because here we have no reason to lie!!

    In other words, the opportunity to be honest is one of the main qualities of a website such as this one that attracts us.

    And another thing is that your (the general public) have a very distorted picture of Psychopaths or Sociopaths because all the information you get is about the differences between us and you. You hear only about crimes, violence, deceit, manipulation, and lying, etc., and thus you believe we can only lie, deceive, manipulate, be criminal, etc..

    Who is naive now?

    I have met this strange belief before. I had a discussion that went well over a month with some who just could not believe that I actually can be friendly and give guidance to some people, while towards others I can be mean and make them feel horribly bad about themselves.

    But if I had not been frank about me being a psychopath, if I had said what I usually say and not mentioned anything about, they'd have wondered perhaps how I could be mean to such an "extreme" (apparently that's what they thought I was at times), but they would not have wondered how I could be friendly and give advice also.

    So news for ya: We are people too, and we can be nice, honest, law abiding, philosophical.


    Nihil,

    "I felt nothing when it came to morality. My intelligence is also at a genius level, which may be part of my self-induced "liberation" from normal moral codes."

    This is part of the story of my childhood too.

    "Idiot psychopaths are the kind who do destructive behaviors and have not yet learned how to harness a decent amount of self-control to live a normal life."

    This part must be generated by your youth, since no one with a genius IQ can possibly apply to such a generalized popular statement.
    Hence I'm confident that in a few years you'll be wiser than this. ;)

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  28. Sorry to burst some of your bubbles. But I am an empath type and do to circumstance (moving around as a child alot, making the conscious choice to prefer truth over myth or compliance, curious by nature so always questioning the "norm" or why and how) I too exhibited the so called acquisition of greater self knowledge and others. I have observed people much of my life. in fact due to being the new kid, constantly, I had to acquire this ability or forever be an, outcast. Had I had a different upbringing, I likely would have been too distracted by my relationships to attain this as most people are.

    Just wanted to chime in that I am proof that it is not lack of empathy that gives you this ability it is lack of being distracted by outside influences and you own emotions. As far as manipulation, I know a few sociopaths and they are amateurs in ability but very good at implementation. Due to my empathic nature I would not feel satisfied in any gains I got from it. To me the rewards would be as fake as the deceptions I needed to use to fool people. To put more clearly the ability some of you think you have is like due to a correlation of your sociopath symptoms not a example of causation. Due to circumstance I share a lot of insights that many sociopaths have but yet I am quite firmly empathic. So what does that make me? It seems a shame I can see into your world but you cannot but hope to see into mine, so to speak. Excuse me if that sounds arrogant, but unlike some of you I didn't acquire these abilities by pure chance, i wrked for them..suffered for them and am proud that I was able to obtain them. Due to circumstance I acquired them as a fulfillment of a need so I feel a sense of acomplishment.
    As for a lonely life. Although being quite social, I am often lonely due to being able to understand others but the vice versa not being true. I very rarely meet someone which can relate to me on both levels. Just thought I would share. Interesting conversation here.

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  29. Would it make sense if I said that I used empathy to help me manipulate the people around me?

    I.E. the whole "Being in another man's shoes" thing. Trying to sense things from someone else's perspective and using that information to get what I want.

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  30. On Monday March 14 2011 at 6:18am I became self aware of what I am for the first time. At this point I am not sure how to take it. In some ways I am relieved while deep inside I feel the urge to practice my skills now that I understand the various abilities I have.

    I feel like I should announce it but would that take some of the fun out of my daily rituals? Lets see how the next few days work out. If only I had known what I was 30 years ago I could have taken advantage of my life situations.

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  31. As a non-sociopath, I'm pretty disgusted by the comments by sociopaths on this site, but am aware that you don't care.

    Just a word of warning, although there are some sociopaths who make the distance and are a "success" in business, politics whatever, but the ABSOLUTELY greatest number are hated, found out, sacked, frozen out, and die lonely and alone. And this is because they treat people poorly - - since they lack empathy, and eventually people get people pissed off enough that they get even. And having pissed off enough people - the sociopath finds themselves friendless and hated in the organisation/social group/society. And I work in Finance, where these types are meant to flourish... Short term maybe, medium term there are enough long knives out for them to end them as soon as they falter.

    The reason I've found this site, is because in joining a new financial institution recently, I got a sociopath as my managers manager. As soon as I joined he forced me into a role I didn't want and hadn't signed up for, all to suit his short term interests. His lack of empathy meant that he couldn't realise that it wouldn't work, and would actually harm him post short-term. And when I tried to get my original position back, he refused and tried to scrw me over, but, I saw through his manipulation and lying, and because of his attempts at intimidation he left himself wide open, and hey presto, I turned the situation around 180 degrees, and he still doesn't understand how he got DONE.

    Got the role I signed up to back, am out of his reporting line, and as much as he may bluster and threaten, I know that not only can he not touch me, but should I ever want to or need to, or feel inclined to out of revenge for something he does or tries to do or if I just get tired of him treating others so poorly, I can get him sacked anytime I like. ANYTIME. Why? Because he lies, manipulates, cheats, and intimidates, and everyone hates him for it, and enough people in high (and low) places always find these people out, so all it needs is a good enough excuse to end them (his peers, subordinates, HR etc are dying to see him fall). And should I want I can give him them that excuse.

    So should I ever need to I can end him, in fact just typing this I'm getting and itch.

    So word to the un-empathetic. Screw with the empathetic and you lose (generally you end up in jail).

    Not going to appeal to your morals, or humanity, since you have none, so will try your sense of self-interest. Being hurtful, manipulative and aggressive may get you short-term results, but long term screws you.

    So here are some words to live by.

    Don't be a dick. Don't be a cock. Don't be an asshole.

    If you can stick to those rules you'll do much better in all but the shortest of runs.

    If you ignore the rules, then know that the empathetic hate you, there are more of us, we understand each other (we can empathise, get it), and we will get you eventually.

    So sharpen up, look out for number one and stop being dicks.

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  32. Nice painting.
    I'm not a sociopath, I'm just studying on it because I had a dream that I caught a serial killer and then he was trying to kill me. (It was weird because I woke up in the middle of the night from that dream and as soon as I went back to sleep it continued.)

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  33. You are all shit heads this is a technical name for the condition you people have. You are suffering from shit in your head, lots of it, its coming out of your ears. Why dont we get rid of police officers, courts and prisons and just have psychiatrists and asylums?

    The reason: BECAUSE THE REST OF THE WORLD KNOWS YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL FULL OF SHIT!

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  34. to the guy that got fucked at his office job by his sociopathic boss,id manipulate the shit outta you too haha.the difference bettween you and me is that you serve others whether or not its recipricated, while i dont. the difference between the predator and the prey, those who get what they want and those who ask.

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  35. to the guy above who posted the somewhat ignorant post, we are all out there. chances are you knowand or love a high functioning sociopath. you may think we are crazy. we just think. we are not sheep and find the corrupt code that our world is based around and use that vlun to our advantage. we control we lay traps. chances are if your phone or anything has been stolen then your mate fucked some guy up to get it back for you chances are that he took it gave it back to create control and put you in his debt. or a similar situation. we blend in. we are invisible. be afraid you monsalabic moron.

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  36. to the person with the agro boss i know sociopaths think tik work ect ect be careful no one else here will tell you to becareful because they simply dont care but if you TRY too taunt your boss it will not work chances are he has given you a false sense of security do you honestly think a sociopath will let you have cobntrol?? no never you are living in his controlled workplace be careful shutup dont threaten and dont try get him fired because simply you will become a interest to him and you will end up getting hurt.

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  37. This labelling of people is all wrong. I know folk feel safer labelling others, however, I prefer not to. The way people's minds work is just down to them being themselves at that particular point in time, and there is nothing wrong with that. If folk choose the dark side to channel their fears and anger into the world to make themselves feel better, then its up to them. Not the healthiest way for society as a whole as the prey will suffer, however, there is absolutely nothing wrong with these people. Theyre people first, and theres probably many reasons why folk express themselves in such a dark way, and if this is the way they are now lets be accepting of it, whilst also having our own responsibility of watching our backs for the odd sucker punch and perhaps we can rub along ok.

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  38. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  39. I believe all sociopaths eventually come to light. I can detect a sociopath and pretend to go along with their fake self believing attitude, but really it's not so bad when your steps ahead of them without them knowing and easily turn the tables on them. Just be aware of their traits and question all motives, whether they are perceived as good or bad. I've delt with a few sociopath's in my time and never let them know I was full aware of it, but I always knew how they were going to plot and sceam their next move.

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  40. how exactly do they test if you are a sociopath? is it a questionare? if so i wuold be improperaly diagnosed; my personality changes depending on who i'm with and the environment im am in...is there a name for that?

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  41. Weird, that's how I am, too. I have vastly different personalities when with one friend than I have with another, but it also depends on where or how we meet and whether I'm with someone else when we do. Same with other people. I wouldn't go so far to say that I'm a sociopath, but reading about what sociopathy is exactly has made me realize that I've got many characteristics of one, and if I were one, it would explain some of my biggest 'life-questions'.

    Several of my pets recently died, and while I felt a short bit of chest pain I would categorize as 'missing them', I didn't feel anything after that and simply wanted a 'replacement' - though I feel like I should feel horrible thinking that way. I still want them back, but I'm not depressed about them being gone and want more to fill their places.
    Something that's directly contradictory would be that I can hardly bring myself to kill an ant, and once the initial act is done I feel really, horribly guilty, and then I go back to normal; but when I think about it I feel guilty. I don't kill without a reason to kill; I even stopped after a few times because I just couldn't take it and instead I put them outside whenever they came in. The only other reason I would kill is if an animal is fatally injured, which happened recently. I shouldn't feel guilty for that, but I do. I don't know if that makes me 'ineligible' to be a sociopath, I've no idea, but it's relevant right now so I thought I'd mention.

    My sense of love is kind of warped. I have a ‘true love’ of two living things in this world that I know personally. I have an overall ‘forever love’ of animals and I do my best to protect them. I have affection for my friends and sisters. But that’s it – I don’t really care about others or what happens to them. I act polite and to the point with teachers and people over my age, but I can hardly speak to other people; I can't speak if I don't have anything to say, and it makes me seem very shy (which I am sometimes, but who isn’t). I thought I was shy and would grow out of it, but not so. I have a certain respect for people I don’t know, since I don’t know them – but when I learn enough about them that changes to either respect or disrespect, for being smart or not. I have a strong want for affection from certain people, I want people I meet to like me. I thought until very recently that I was just one step behind everyone (which is what led me to read the comments on this in the first place), because they always seemed to know this one thing that I didn’t and then, a long while later, I would finally ‘get’ it, and feel more ‘grown up’.

    I feel bad for people sometimes. People I like. I fear for people I love and for animals and innocent people. I get excited and feel emotions when I watch or read or play things. I try to imagine what a person must be going through so as to try and get a feel for it, if it’s interesting to me. I don’t like it when people do things for me or say things about me that are good, but that I think are untrue; especially when I know they’re untrue. It makes me lose respect for them.

    I had to cut this comment up several which ways because it was too long, but I think it gets my point across. I hope it makes some sense, and that maybe someone finds it useful or could help me a little in figuring myself out.

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  42. I agree with everything said in the OP.

    I never thought i was any different to normal people (psychologically) I thought everyone was as cold as me, and that everyone just acted polite and caring. I never really understood what people meant by empathy and considered/consider it a fake emotion.

    But recently i have come to realize that i am most likely sociopathic, i'm not going to see a psychiatrist or anything about it because honestly, it's not really a problem. Love, empathy, sympathy, conscience, these are all lies and delusions. If they are real, then they are unnatural and therefore anyone who does have them has the real disorder.

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  43. When you think differently from others around yourself they tend to give a negative reaction from what you intended them to respond with, at least in my experience. I noticed early on that in order to get what I want, from who I want, with the least amount of hassle, its best to test those people with basic/empty/random questions. I mean really, why deal with all those inquisitive questions from someone that is no fun to mess with and challenge everything you reply with an argument of their own. Of course, my dislike to that type is due my personal preferences. I’m sure there are endless variants that others like, but I’m too tired to bother with that right now.
    I began to examine myself after a while, all because people kept bothering me about how I was ‘heartless’ and it was starting to become apparent that I didn’t share the same interests and emotions that the rest of my age group was experiencing. At its worst point, my family had started to talk amongst themselves over my mental state and the possibility of sending me out for some evaluation. Of course, when you’re young its extremely easy to lie your way out of a stupid questionnaire, plaster on a cheery smile, and babble on about all the crap the others talk about. So nowadays I am out of the radar of appearing ‘insane’, and more likely thought of as simply ‘eccentric’. I have learned my lesson well, so now I know how to avoid that problem completely, short-term-wise. In short, this comment was just a large-ish reply of agreement and worthless testimonial.
    Ser

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  44. Separated From God Is To Be Without Conscience
    BIBLE SCRIPTURE Romans 1:28, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"

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  45. Where is that image from? If you don't mind answering :)

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  46. I recently realized that I grew up with a mother who is a sociopath. Unfortunately for me and the rest of my siblings, she uses her "abilities" as a way to get whatever she wants, no matter how it hurts us. As soon as I realized this about her, I started googling. But I quickly understood that most of the stuff out there is for "normal" people, like me. I want to understand my mom. I want to understand how I should go about interacting with her now that I know this. It's so interesting to sit back and watch her as she plays puppet master in my younger sibling's lives. Interesting, and sad, I should add. Sociopaths, should I bother bringing up to her that I know? If so, how should I go about that? Or should I forever stay quiet and continue to let her think she's still fooling everyone including me? I love my mom and wish to continue to have a relationship with her. But with all of the hurt she has created in my life and the lives of my siblings, I'm not sure how I can without first understanding her; getting HER side of the story. Thanks.

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  47. I is a sociopathMay 8, 2011 at 1:26 AM

    @ak I would probably not call her on it but would talk to the other siblings about it. I am a sociopath and someone in my family called me on it and you know what i felt? Nothing. If your mom is like me she would just try to make ur life hell till she got tired and did something else. I would probably not make my mother's life suck but i wouldn't try anymore. Your mom no matter what you say after calling her our with choice a option she feels will help her win the game. I will admit i have talked to one other sociopath in my life and we think alot alike. Its about having fun and trying to win what ever game you think of that is how i live everyday.

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  48. I see in the past year people asking sociopaths questions in order to try to get some pat answer which would somehow explain and categorize us in some way which you could get your mind around. You could not understand us, else you would be us, and given the choice you would not want to be us.

    I saw in this same section a question regarding whether or not a sociopath knows they are a sociopath. The simple answer is yes, we know, though we might use the self-definition of "psychopath" during a mid-level stage of "self-awareness" in our condition and sociopath later, after more research.

    I won't bother with childhood save to say that in High School in the early 80's when the guidance counselor had everyone look at various jobs to try to determine what job we would be suited for, inside I had two main choices: hit man or cop, and for a very short time seriously considered each.

    Going through a short list of stereotypical cliches:

    Empathy? None to speak of.

    Intelligence: very high, but of course I haven't had an official "test" in years and I am rating myself so make of that what you will. I do have an extreme intolerance for "stupid" and a general contempt for much of the human race.

    Callousness: yes, as well as a disregard to injuries to myself. Frankly I rarely notice when I get hurt and am bleeding until well after, when I then wonder where I picked up the injury.

    Relationships? I'm on wife number 4 and throughout my 20's dated strippers and porn stars. Yes the relationships were destructive, though now that I am middle aged I take more care to make sure my wife is happy, as much as I can, as I do not have the time to start over again.

    Family life: none to speak of. I keep to myself, and speak to family as little as possible. This doesn't mean I do not attend the odd holiday gathering, and am not well thought of by some people in my family. They know I am tortured by my inner demons and am "safer" kept at a distance, though they still love me and would be the first person they ran to if anything really bad was happening.

    Impulsive? Yes, and very selfish and self centered, and find I must consciously do things against my gut in order to keep the relationships I have operating.

    Violent? Very. I am, as they say, able to pull the trigger and kill something, collect weapons and feel most comfortable with them at home, and am very competent with a wide assortment of arms, from bullwhip to bows, throwing weapons to .50 cal. rifle. I do not, however, hunt, and would be more apt to shoot a poacher found on my property than kill a deer grazing in one of my clearings.

    Manipulative? Very and passive aggressive.

    Boredom? Often, which is why I spend a lot of time online reading multiple news sources and using multiple laptops at once.

    Not really in the cliche list of stereotype behavior, I know that while I do have artistic talent, in both drawn art and music, I have no talent for creativity. I can copy just about anything perfectly, but I cannot create something myself, with one exception I am a very skilled writer, especially of poetry, and especially when I am feeling my worst.

    There is an old parable which describes a sociopath perfectly, in which a turtle is talked into giving a scorpion a ride across a river. The turtle argues that the scorpion will sting it to death. The scorpion replied that he would not, as that would cause both their deaths. Half way across the river the scorpion stings the turtle. As they both are dying in the water the turtle asks why the scorpion would do such a thing. "Because I am a scorpion," the scorpion replied, and this explained everything.

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  49. This is an interesting site! I am an empath who has had many run-ins with sociopaths. One of the ladies who likes the "bad boys". Luckily, I've learned from these experiences and become a better, stronger, and wiser person. I can now also spot a sociopath a mile away!

    I think in these comments there are 2 categories of people: people who are feeling "disconnected" from others and those who are just self-centered and pure evil.

    Now all of you know right from wrong. So if you are in the first category you're probably not doing as bad as you think. Everyone feels disconnected to some extent. Also, not everyone reacts to the loss of family, friend, or pet immediately. Maybe it would be worth talking to someone.

    If you're in the second category: F*CK YOU! Everyone (even sociopaths) have someone or something they care about. Everything you dish out will eventually come back on you.

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  50. I know a real sociopath would not flinch at the death of their kids. Sociopaths with homicidal tendencies can kill their own children (butcher them) and then walk downstairs and eat dinner and watch a TV show.

    Sociopaths who don't have homicidal tendencies would not kill their children, but they would not feel any sadness or be upset if they were killed.

    Which of you claimed sociopaths can relate to this?

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  51. So as they grow up they can realise this, but people with Aspergers are seen as naive and gullible, also being socially withdrawn.

    Does this mean that those with Aspergers could also be sociopaths without actually noticing, due to being told that everything they feel different, yet dont understand, is explaiend in the aspergers label?

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  52. So I have found others like myself. I'm 48. Been out of prison since 1995 - Absolutely no arrests or police contact. I dont even have a D license (unless i feel like making one). I have made my living the past 10 years by taking (stealing - what ever u call it) images off the net, edit them and resell as a new product. I own a home and property so no one can tell me what to do - cause of course - I am me. - I have single handly destroyed a particular niche in the collectible industry because of 1 persons comment to me over 8 years ago. I live with my long time psychopathic girlfriend for bout 15 yrs - yes it is possible if you both are crazy- somehow. So to seal this - in my manipulative way - I tell my long time GF that I need sex daily and go into my long story of bullshit - so basically my brain now gets really great handjobs anytime I want. (as I have showd her the spot to put her thumb). But - I am totally isolated from people - as no one likes me... ha

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  53. Would a psychopath go to the lengths of faking another psychotic brake down and upping/changing medications for the shake of a manipulative scheme?

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  54. It is not a lonely life.
    What you see as lonely, is truly
    FREEDOM.
    And unless I can benefit from you in a major way.
    I don't care.
    This post is amusing.
    Slightly.
    And you are lucky I took the time to write.
    I had some time to, well, kill.

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  55. And dont get me wrong here i only used that phrase to shock.
    Glad it has been made clear.
    I don't kill for fun.

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  56. Most people think I am too sweet,(I get told that way too much for my liking) I need to be more confident and more assertive. But the truth is that if they were all gone I would absolutely fine.(it’s not that I want to be fine with it but I don’t have a connection to you, think of it as a normal person hearing that a stranger died that they never even knew, and though I may know them, they do not know me, and our entire relationship is a lie; so they might as well be a stranger). I’m not assertive because for some reason it is one thing that scares me because I know it’s addictive, like lying is for me because it’s just easier and gives me the result I want. I come off as not confident because if I am quiet, it’s less likely you will want me to share personal things with you or get to know who I am. I have lots of friends who call, want to hang (way more than I’d like to) yet I never call anyone to talk about anything, I never pick up the phone and want to call one of them, not once. It is like there is an off switch where I can turn everything off if I need to and do anything, get through anything, I can go outside myself to see things. Then there is this other half that has seriously contemplated life and thought about what I want, who I want to be, and has realized being good and working towards good is something I need for my life to have any meaning. I believe in God deeply, life and good. I would never kill anyone but I could, and feel no guilt. Yet on the opposing side if I had to die for people, I would (more so for the ones I don’t know because I have more hope for them) the words that describe it best are “I find to my amazement that the more I love mankind as a whole, the less I love man in particular” there is some love/empathy for people in me but this ability to completely disregard it as well. If I am not a Sociopath, what am I?
    @Sas “I feel the most primal kind of empathy - I cry at other's serious misfortune (real or fictional), and I'm squeamish about their injuries as I kind of feel the pain myself. I'm also empathic on a more intellectual, analytical level… something that creates a bond between people, makes my friends do annoying things like call me "for a chat" (I generally only phone people for instrumental reasons. I do enjoy talking to people, it's just the idea that I'd sit around thinking about calling someone to chat, and that I would assume that the other person would want to chat too, that I don't get).” I am the same and for years I didn’t understand how I could have such empathy but have no connection, this gap. I am beginning to think that my once perceived great empathy is something else entirely. I can read people, get inside their heads, so strongly I could guess their thoughts. I also love to solve problems, challenges that require thinking. I’ve realized one reason I see them and problems so clearly is because I’ve studied them trying to learn the rules of the game we are playing.
    @Anonymous March 9, 2011. “I am proof that it is not lack of empathy that gives you this ability it is lack of being distracted by outside influences and you own emotions. As far as manipulation, I know a few sociopaths and they are amateurs in ability but very good at implementation. Due to my empathic nature I would not feel satisfied in any gains I got from it.” I had the same kind of upbringing and a lot of what you said sounded like this balance between a type of empathy and a sociopath, that I go through.
    I have loved the world more than some have loved their other half, yet reading tales of sociopaths is the closest I’ve came to feeling understood.

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  57. You have GOT to be fucking kidding me.

    Why do sociopaths look to faggy internet blogs with moon backgrounds to find people they can relate to? Why would you fucking care to find out if you are "not alone" if you actually didn't care about other people.
    Life without love sounds... really goddamn boring. Good job, boys. This is lame. I can't figure out why I'm suddenly so fascinated by sociopaths. I think it's because I'm pretty sure they're actually just completely full of shit weirdos who grew up with apathetic parents.
    This isn't a real thing. If you had no emotion, why the hell would getting what you want or fulfilling an urge make you happy.
    Being empathetic is just common sense. You are smart enough to know you are a human. You must be smart enough to know those around you are the same thing that you are. Therefore, you should be able to relate to them at least on that level. But apparently sociopaths don't..? This bullshit is confusing. You don't see people as objects unless you're shit for brains stupid enough to not comprehend that those around you are your same species and you'd have to be even stupider to not understand that claiming to not feel anything towards them is preposterous. If you don't feel anything for another human being and their brain, then you're saying you feel nothing for yourself. Why would you see yourself as more important, as something that you want to please and satisfy. Satisfying yourself is satisfying a human being. You have the ability to feel for a human being. You feel for yourselves. You're just selfish and spoiled and really, really disturbed. There's no such thing as sociopaths. I think you're all a little retarded for real... You ain't gonna drive my ass crazy. Goodnight

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  58. How about some sympathy for the devil?

    I went from inhibited RAD ( made not born ) to sociopathy when the anti-depressants kicked in two years and eight months ago (I keep count ). Every day out from under that cloud of hate and anger is the gift of freedom. Yet waking up to realize you are in a very different psychological state from the rest of humanity isn't a good thing. Yes, a lack of empathy and emotion can be seen as relinquishing bonds but the full range of human emotion is beyond us. I feel cheated.

    You like winning? Like the way it feels? How about manipulating people? Isn't it fascinating to see them try and catch up? What about being able to see through people? Today it is obvious to me that people wear their hearts on their sleeves. It's painful watching them tell you so much about their life, looking for empathy. They're reach out; to nothing. Still, interesting.

    Now what about love? It's supposed to be the best feeling a human can experience. All the recreational drugs can't compare to a chemical that runs through your brain with such influence that you'll see some couples truly happy decades after their marriage. A child? That bond between another human. Where does it leave us with this "flattened effect"? Intellectually we acknowledge the occurrences and situations as they unfold but are wholly unaffected by them.

    And alone. We live alone even surrounded by others. No one wears the sociopath's badge on their arm. How do you find another one (assuming co-habitation would be a good thing). Sure we experience life, taking risks both sexual and physical and it can be exhilarating but that's an emotion, an enjoyable one or we wouldn't keep acting in the fashion we do. Now what about the rest of the emotional rainbow? Moving from one sex partner to another is gratifying and in the high school boy's mentality; admirable but when you grow up you want more. I get nauseous looking in the face of these girls, knowing how attached they are getting and recognizing in me; nothing. Just going through the motions.

    Certainly there are many people on this site "self-diagnosed" ( the small team of doctors I've worked with would sign off on my credentials ) and I'm sure many are real. But to hear you take pride in a truncated lifestyle is truly insane. Humans have always wanted only one thing; to be special. To latch on to an impaired psychological state and brandish it like a banner; I can only think of goth punks and wanna-be vampires drinking "Bloody Caesars" in dark bars.

    Yeah, there's a freedom but at a cost we didn't agree to. There is no sympathy for the devil.


    EKO

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  59. To know yourself is probably the most important knowledge there is in life. It is especially important to be aware of one's sociopathic tendencies. Since there seems to be no effective treatment, the sociopath has a duty to himself and to others to control those tendencies. We all experience empathy to a greater or lesser degree. Those who can't feel much empathy can substitute other feelings and thoughts in order to behave in a moral and nonharmful manner. Although no one chooses to be a sociopath, we all choose our behavior and we are all responsible for it. If you think you are a sociopath, get help. It's the right thing to do.

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  60. "You're just selfish and spoiled and really, really disturbed. There's no such thing as sociopaths. I think you're all a little retarded for real..."

    This commentor doesn't get that a sociopath is missing something, that emotion that gives a person the means to relate to other people. It's not well understood, but it shouldn't be ridiculed or dismissed. People here are trying to cope with a disorder they never chose to have. Unless you're a sociopath, have some empathy for these people and try to help them, please. Sociopaths are human beings too.

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  61. "You have GOT to be fucking kidding me.

    Why do sociopaths look to faggy internet blogs with moon backgrounds to find people they can relate to? Why would you fucking care to find out if you are "not alone" if you actually didn't care about other people."

    Maybe because it's nice to know that that we're not monsters like I thought I was, that there are other people out there like you, because as much as I love being different from everyone else, it can get pretty lonely. And while sociopaths don't feel 'normal' connections towards other people, I do have a few people that I feel loyalty and affection towards. So if you're trying to insult people, know what you're talking about first.

    And why are you on this blog if thats what you think?

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  62. I came to this site looking for insight as well. I believe that my daughters father is a soicopath but I think there are a few differences between him and the classic soicopath so I wanted to kinda of lay the story out and see what ppl think. Ok first off I think the difference between him and the classic soicopath is that I truly believe he hates himself, I mean he has said it and he has tried to kill himself and acts like he doesnt care if he dies tomorrow and he alsobelieves he is a piece of shit and in drunken stuipers or bi polar breakdowns he has said it to me and if you new his past you could see what he would think like that, but on the other hand he is also so very clueless to how to act meaning I believe that whenever he is around crowds of people he looks to them to see how to act ( he is a 30 year old man by the way) and it is like he doesnt have a personalitie of his own and I know because of his past he has an extreme disregard for woman as well. But at the same time he isnt abusive ( physically to me but verbally he is a dozie... The reason why I think he is a sociopath is because he is totally self centered, he only thinks about himself he does find victims and he believes that the world owes him something and he doesnt find anything wrong with that when ever people cry or they are hurt he laughs and u can tell it isnt that he is just nerves he just doesnt get it and he also does and say things and then he acts like they never happened and he moves past them and they are things he did and he really feels well its over now so we are all set and some of the things are very serious but he acts like people have to forgive him no matter what he does or there is something wrong with them and also when he was a child he was told he had oppisite definence disorder ( sorry cant spell it) ... I am just really confused because he is also homeless doesnt have any job or income so some times I think that he has just found a way to block out caring at all so he can survie but even when he is doing well with a job a place to stay and so on he still has zero empathy at all and unless you think like him you are wrong and then when I read up on this to it said something like these ppl make big deals out of small little things but things that really mean something they act like nothing happened, he does things like that all the time and he also. I dont know if there was a checklist or something I would be better at explaining this. I mean this is just so many times I look at him and I am like are you serious, like about his reactions to things or what he says and does. I mean dont get me wrong I know that he has other mental illness as well he is def bi polar 2 and depressed anxiety and I he has boarderline muli personalities as well, except he doesnt answer to different names and stuff .. I dont know can anyone give me any advice ( except run)....

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  63. I don't get any of this. Just because the word 'sociopath' exists, it doesn't mean that the ideas and connotations of that word are true to reality.

    I have very little empathy, and even none for total fools. Yet I don't think I'm a f***ing sociopath. Empathy should be for those who deserve it, not for all and everyone.

    Plus, manipulation: everyone manipulates, so how the f*** does that define a so-called sociopath.

    How about this question: Do NON-SOCIOPATHS know that sociopaths don't exist and some nutter with a bunch of slave-moralist colleagues make up the word to fuck with people he didn't like?

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  64. I generally understand this, but I'm still a little confused. It might be because the fact that I'm fifteen but, for a long time, I've known that I don't act, think, or even have emotions of a "regular teenager". Things that "normal" fifteen year-old people find hilarious, I find juvenile, and things that they find "complicated" I find fairly easy and basically like common sense.

    Even now, I don't talk to a lot of my "friends" but I do in a way "get along" with my peers at an extent. Does that technically make myself a "high-functioning sociopath"? I find myself considering it, but I feel that self-diagnosing--in a sense--isn't always right, since the human mind feels, sees, and thinks what it wants to.

    Also to that comment above, the way sociopaths manipulate people are a little bit over the norm. Am I correct? Yes, people do manipulate on a normal basis, but I think what they mean by a sociopath manipulating people, it might be in a different, maybe more cunning way? I honestly don't think this was a word that was made up to fool with the mind or for revenge. It's a bit like asking why is there the term schizophrenia or OCD? I just think you aren't understanding it completely.

    Um, one more question for the author, can someone become a sociopath? I feel that I've always been one that was a bit dormant-like a dormant psychopath-but as the years went on, I went through some harsh events and I feel that has distanced myself farther than my peers as it has before. I've read a book on astrology in the college reading level when I was in the third grade and understood it completely, that's when I got the hint that I wasn't exactly the status quo. As time when one, though, I felt that side of myself showing and growing more than the side-I guess-I used to be.

    Just a question and a few comments, thank you for reading.

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  65. There is no such thing a a GOOD human, we should know this.

    SOCIOPATHS ONLY EXIST IN THE SENSE THAT ALL HUMANS ARE SOCIOPATHS.

    DON'T LET PEOPLE MAKE YOU TRIP ON WORDS.

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  66. I found this page because for some reason, I feel it necessary to try and label what the heck I am. I suppose just "bad person" would really cover it pretty well. I have my doubts as to whether I am a sociopath after reading some of the definitions. I do match a lot of the description, but I do have very strong emotions and feel very sad over things. Not just things that happen to me, but mostly.

    I have been worthless as long as I can remember. I have managed to lie, cheat and steal my way through life. Generally speaking, I'm not very smart. I am smart in regards to some things, but unfortunately, it's nothing worthwhile.

    I have never held down a job for very long. I often quit and I am never really brave enough to say I quit, I just stop showing up. I manage to con people into taking care of me. I give them the impression that I am very smart and have done great things in the past (lies) this makes most think that it's just a short down period that I am in and I will get better soon. I will never "get better" I'm really too stupid to even know where to start or if it would even be possible at this point.

    I can hold a relationship together because I lie very well and I make myself seem very interesting. I normally am with someone less attractive than me physically. Most of the time this means that they will overlook how horrid I am for a longer period of time. Of course, I cheat on them with better looking people. I manage to lie my way through that.

    The thing is, I really DO feel terrible about who I am and what I do. To the point that it brings me to tears just to think about it. But, how bad could I really feel? I don't stop doing it.

    I can with all sincerity say that the world would be a much better place without me in it. At least for the people who come into contact with me and my lies. I am way too big of a coward to ever end my life. I suspect that someone will do that for me eventually, just like life, someone else will have to take the responsibility.

    So, I don't know if I am a sociopath, but whatever I am is horrible, cowardess and deeply wrong on many levels.

    ReplyDelete
  67. I would like to raise two questions:

    -1) What does the Word 'sociopath' even mean?

    -2) What does the word 'know' (in this Blog Title) even mean.

    Talk and talk, but say nothing; this is what I see here.



    ~andrew

    ReplyDelete
  68. You are all mad.

    Some of you BRAG you are 'sociopaths'.
    Some of you BRAG you are 'empaths'.
    Then you tell each other how much better you are than each other. I see the boundaries between so-called this and that blur.

    The rest of you whine on about how shit you are, or ask stupid questions about things that don't exist.

    Plus, you all seem (especially the self-proclaimed moralists) to miss the idea that if Sociopaths do exist, they are probably have their origins in sociogenesis.

    This Blog is for know-nothings.



    Yours Forever
    ~andrew

    ReplyDelete
  69. I always get a bit of a giggle when I continually see Sociopaths say "... and I realised I was the only one..." with the implied message that they are 'special' - did they forget to read the stats? 1 out of 25 aint that common spath people. You're just as common as the next sociopath! It's kind of like watching a group of 'non-conformists' running around a liberal gathering wearing the same 'I'm an individual T-Shirt'. ROFL...

    ReplyDelete
  70. "aint that rare....." is what I meant to say. That's right. All of you guys who post stories about how special and unique you are! LMBO

    ReplyDelete
  71. 90% of my time I feel no guilt or remorse, I feel mostly fearless (I have fear of being caught as I do not wish to suffer consequences, I have fear of dogs and being bitten by one, but feel no fear of other people) I will steal and defraud for my own purpose, and become excessively angry when attempts to this are thwarted by provisions in place to do just that - I forget that what I am doing is 'wrong', and focus on what is wrong with the provision that has halted my progress, how unjust and ridiculously unfair it is. How inconvenient this provision is - and all of this from the point of view that I am the victim of the situation. I will push a small Asian women, barely even half my size, out of the way as this is preferable to asking her to move. I will push over a 10 year old, tell a heavily pregnant woman ill be in the delivery room so I can eat her newborn, and use every racial slur I can for every different non-white colour and every slant-eyed, slope head I see for amusement (racism is more of a tool than personal inclination). 10% of the time, I apologise for things I have done, feel deeply unsatisfied and long for a feeling that 'god' is with me. I make attempts to rectify my wrong-doing, without hanging myself out to dry mind you. I get depressed and I cry, I reach out to friends from the past with whom my relationship has not soured but simply dissolved through time. Then I wake up the next day, and feel disgusted at the weakness of the day before. I get embarrassed that I made those heart-felt apologies and I forget about the contact made with people through this time, and go back to my actions as I was before. I feel myself swimming in a sea of uncaring coldness 90% of the time, I feel in touch with a depth of emotion in the 10%, and in light of this assume the person of the 10% is who I am. But, have I got it the wrong way around? has society conditioned me to think that the 10% which is 'good' my true self, as this is the only way I can relate to the world and others, or are my actions in the 10% simply desperate attempts to surround myself with everything 'good' people have because life seems so much easier for them. I never stay in the same job, my plans to study never end in completion, new study plans are unrelated to previous study and even though I have intense focus on something for a time, it will hit a wall and just disappear. my group of friends changes, my drug addictions change.. never with one for more than a couple years, and even after those years so easy to drop it and replace it. I get bored and cant stay still in one 'life'. My style changes entirely, clothes, hair... even the way I speak - those things seem to change based on external influence, in a drastic way - a way that shapes me into my surroundings, almost just as if to mimic who and what is around me.

    ReplyDelete
  72. This is amazing all of your comments have blown my mind, mostly in a good way besides the select number of CUNTS. 'As a non-sociopath, I'm pretty disgusted' this comment made me so fucking angry, i feel the other TWATs would be ashamed to be in the same category as him/her.

    Just the fact that empathy is not part of your lives amazes me, i am a really empathetic person and i like that about my self but on the other hand it has/does make me a very unstable person.

    i feel a little odd being so fascinated by you all including the cunts
    (i know my comment will properly not be appreciated i just needed to get it out there)

    ReplyDelete
  73. I think ultimately its about experiencing the life at the full extent. They say, you didn't really live if you didn't love. Love is the greatest mystery of life even if it hurts. People who incapable of this human feeling truly deserve our pity, because its a greatest tragedy of all.

    "Ability to feel is a wealth. Inability - is poverty" Arthur Schopenhauer

    ReplyDelete
  74. "Reason is powerless in the expression of Love.

    Love alone is capable of revealing the truth of Love and being a Lover.

    The way of our prophets is the way of Truth.

    If you want to live, die in Love! Die in Love if you want to remain alive..."

    Rumi

    ReplyDelete
  75. "There is no such thing a a GOOD human, we should know this.

    SOCIOPATHS ONLY EXIST IN THE SENSE THAT ALL HUMANS ARE SOCIOPATHS.

    DON'T LET PEOPLE MAKE YOU TRIP ON WORDS."

    How simplistic

    ReplyDelete
  76. You people are a trip. Many of you aren't sociopaths, just gifted. The higher the intellectual deviation from the norm, the greater propensity to see through obsolete morals of yesteryear, and insane social policies that cause more harm than good.

    I operate on principal, and don't have a single social more that I stick by. This seems ideal for life in the 21st century. The difference between myself, and a sociopath is that my center of focus is on what's best for everyone involved, rather than just myself.

    I can be apathetic, but only in small bursts after being overwhelmed and stressed to the max. I can be unsympathetic, but only if I feel that giving sympathy would not be best for everyone involved. People get confused when they see me being unsympathetic to whatni view as being idiotic and pathetic. Screw them. They just don't get it.

    I think some of you are just cerebral narcissists like myself. A true sociopath lacks the self reflection you all are displaying. They don't think they're different from there. They just think others are hiding their true colors just as they are. This means there's brain damage or faulty wiring. Cerebral narcissists are just gifted people who are pissed off that people don't get them and, they don't understand the mindlessness around them.

    ReplyDelete
  77. Learning about my sociopathy completely changed my life. It was like waking up for the first time, as if I had come out of a thick fog and could see and understand not only myself but the world around me and all of the things I had been doing with my life.

    It was like a rebirth, I went from understanding nothing and being a slave to my impulses to understanding myself and guiding my destiny.

    ReplyDelete
  78. i agree with the above comment! the best thing a sociopath can do is discover himself! as soon as that happens you lose the hate that holds you back and you realize that instead of forcing your way through a world that just seems a bit off you can easily glide through a world that is at your disposal

    Jimmy Buffet said it best "changes in latitude changes in attitude"

    in this case the latitude is your own mindset and knowledge

    ReplyDelete
  79. I've read some interesting comments from people who don't know how to "categorize" themselves, so I'll throw out some rules of thumb. First though, some exposition might be helpful. That means I feel like rambling...across multiple posts.

    The defining characteristic of a sociopath is a complete lack of conscience, or at least a lack of conscience based on feelings of empathy or love. Free will is always present though, so even sociopaths can internalize values like loyalty, reciprocity, justice, fairness, etc. I doubt this is very common, but some sociopaths may still behave ethically because it fits their internalized concept of the kind of person they are or the way they want to think of themselves. Such a sociopath would have to not only be self-aware but recognize that they are missing something fundamental, and that they "ought" to be different. The "sympathy for the devil" poster above might qualify. Dexter probably qualifies, and he's found a particularly productive way of turning his personal shortcomings into a boon for both himself and the world. ;) The danger is that unlike most people, sociopaths have no real emotional need or drive to pursue these values for other people's sakes, which is why most are manipulative, backstabbing, supremely selfish wraiths devoid of anything resembling a human soul.

    That's not to say sociopaths are bound to behave amorally. More commonly, high-functioning sociopaths will sometimes decide to live in harmony simply because it benefits them personally to do so. Consider Ayn Rand's Objectivism: She attempted to create a purely intellectual and selfish basis for morality. A sociopath would be perfectly capable of adopting such beliefs as their own. The smarter ones might even internalize the concept and behave ethically even when it's not in their immediate interest to do so...but likely just because they're thinking "bigger picture," and they require a much higher payoff for doing something risky. Once they decide the reward of stabbing you in the back (or eating your children) exceeds the risk of retribution, they'll do whatever they want.

    The differences between various sociopaths come down to motivation. Some just want to eat, sleep, screw, and poop without annoying feelers nagging them (and God help whoever irritates them). Others are motivated to attain wealth, power (interpersonal or institutional), or greatness in a certain area, no matter how many toes they have to step on (or worse). Then you have the total sickos who really just want to kill people and see their insides. Those kind of urges might even be present in a few more conflicted sickos who do have consciences...but [aside from their fear of getting caught,] their consciences keep them from actually going through with anything like that. Sociopaths have no such squeamishness or inhibitions.

    Some people use the word "psychopath" for people who are born sociopaths and "sociopath" as a word for people who became that way through damage, but I'm not sure how common that usage is. Hare's PCL-R essentially diagnoses psychopathy as the intersection of narcissism and recklessness/impulsiveness/thrill-seeking/etc, but the latter "disenfranchises" the more collected/high-functioning sociopaths who are IMO not fundamentally different...just smarter, more patient, or drawn toward different interests.

    (cont.)

    ReplyDelete
  80. Speaking of narcissists: Another post on this blog treats narcissists as though they're fundamentally different from sociopaths, but they're not. Instead, they're more of a subgenre of sociopath. Narcissists share a complete lack of conscience (genuine love, empathy, remorse, etc.) with other sociopaths, but they're extremely extraverted and poor at introspection. Their motivation is to project a grandiose self-image of themselves to others, hoping to see it reflected back in the form of worship/praise or pity (when required). Like other sociopaths, narcissists view and treat others as objects, but they have a weak concept of self, so they're paradoxically dependent upon recognition from others for their self-image. (Their methods are cold and calculated, but their drives are childishly emotional.) They need to feel like a hero most of the time and a victim when they're "wronged" (generally when others stand up for themselves after having enough of their abuse). The nastier ones crave the feeling of power that comes from treating someone else cruelly and having them at their mercy...only to emotionally manipulate them into groveling afterwards and begging for acceptance. Pretending just a few minutes later that it didn't happen the way the victim remembered it is not only useful, but it gives them the satisfaction of having power over other people's minds (crazy-making). Smarter narcissists will overtly abuse only a very small number of people, so they can reference the admiration of others as proof of their virtue and evidence that the victim(s) must be crazy.

    In short, narcissists are sociopaths who are hellbent on a very specific, superificial, and egotistic agenda. Everything is about their image to them, and they will lie, cheat, smear, or even kill to protect it (or lash out at someone who has damaged it). My biggest question is whether narcissists are so delusional that they convince themselves of their own lies (at least in the moment), but I don't know if that will ever go definitively answered. (I personally lean towards, "They're so friggin' crazy that they buy their own brand.")

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Here are some good rules of thumb:

    1.) If you wince at other people's pain, you're not a sociopath. If you can watch Hostel and all of the Saw movies in a row without wincing, you might be a sociopath.
    2.) If you feel guilty after killing bugs and occasionally "spare" them, you're not a sociopath. If you enjoy harming animals or people, you're probably a sociopath, and not one of the benign types.
    3.) As another anonymous poster stated, a true sociopath could kill their own child (assuming that child was useless to them), go downstairs, eat dinner, and watch TV. If this horrifies you, you're probably not a sociopath.

    (cont.)

    ReplyDelete
  81. (2 of 4)
    Speaking of narcissists: Another post on this blog treats narcissists as though they're fundamentally different from sociopaths, but they're not. Instead, they're more of a subgenre of sociopath. Narcissists share a complete lack of conscience (genuine love, empathy, remorse, etc.) with other sociopaths, but they're extremely extraverted and poor at introspection. Their motivation is to project a grandiose self-image of themselves to others, hoping to see it reflected back in the form of worship/praise or pity (when required). Like other sociopaths, narcissists view and treat others as objects, but they have a weak concept of self, so they're paradoxically dependent upon recognition from others for their self-image. (Their methods are cold and calculated, but their drives are childishly emotional.) They need to feel like a hero most of the time and a victim when they're "wronged" (generally when others stand up for themselves after having enough of their abuse). The nastier ones crave the feeling of power that comes from treating someone else cruelly and having them at their mercy...only to emotionally manipulate them into groveling afterwards and begging for acceptance. Pretending just a few minutes later that it didn't happen the way the victim remembered it is not only useful, but it gives them the satisfaction of having power over other people's minds (crazy-making). Smarter narcissists will overtly abuse only a very small number of people, so they can reference the admiration of others as proof of their virtue and evidence that the victim(s) must be crazy.

    In short, narcissists are sociopaths who are hellbent on a very specific, superificial, and egotistic agenda. Everything is about their image to them, and they will lie, cheat, smear, or even kill to protect it (or lash out at someone who has damaged it). My biggest question is whether narcissists are so delusional that they convince themselves of their own lies (at least in the moment), but I don't know if that will ever go definitively answered. (I personally lean towards, "They're so friggin' crazy that they buy their own brand.")

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Here are some good rules of thumb:

    1.) If you wince at other people's pain, you're not a sociopath. If you can watch Hostel and all of the Saw movies in a row without wincing, you might be a sociopath.
    2.) If you feel guilty after killing bugs and occasionally "spare" them, you're not a sociopath. If you enjoy harming animals or people, you're probably a sociopath, and not one of the benign types.
    3.) As another anonymous poster stated, a true sociopath could kill their own child (assuming that child was useless to them), go downstairs, eat dinner, and watch TV. If this horrifies you, you're probably not a sociopath.

    ReplyDelete
  82. (3 of 4)
    Some people here seem to fear they may be sociopaths just because they feel disconnected from other people. Are you more interested in ideas than people? Do you feel empathy for others less often or less intensely than other people, or maybe only in certain areas (physical pain but not emotional pain)? If you're actually concerned and WANT to care about people, then chances are you actually do; it's just that you're not a mushy feely type. If you feel empathy in some areas but not others, or just rarely, then you're not a sociopath. Instead, your personality type probably falls somewhere around the INTP/INTJ area on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator...which "just so happen" to be strongly associated with giftedness. You might even have Asperger's Syndrome, but that's also less likely. (In contrast, I tend to believe that ESTJ's have a high prevalence of narcissism, and I hear the military deliberately seeks out ESTP's...because they're the most likely to be thrill-seeking psychopaths.)

    Does the cool, calculated, and emotionally detached experience of sociopaths resonate with me? Sure, to a certain degree. My own feelings are significantly muted compared to other people around me. My mom will frequently tell me about such-and-such person who just contracted cancer or died (say the mother of someone she knows, or some celebrity, or whatever), and I will try to feign some modicum of concern. Every once in a while I'll remind her [more tactfully] that "I seriously couldn't care less, really." What, am I really supposed to feel anything for people outside of my monkey-sphere? Come on, get real. I do care about people and humanity in the abstract, and I get outraged at injustices (I primarily experience anger when I perceive injustice, whereas most seem to experience anger when something goes wrong for them personally). Still, I only feel real human concern for the people [or fiction characters] I know and love.

    Even when it comes to people I love, I'm useless when they're hurt on an emotional level. I'll try to help, but I can't find a way to actually relate to their emotional pain until I sit down and deliberately analyze it later. I can eventually struggle to feel a glimmer of empathy emotionally, but I mostly experience pathos on an intellectual level (much like sociopaths do when they learn people for the purpose of study or manipulation). However, it's not for lack of caring. My own emotional experience is just too far removed from theirs to feel what they feel in the moment, no matter how hard I grasp for it. It just takes a lot more for me to get worked up, so I'm baffled when someone else starts up the waterworks in response to much less. Moreover, I can behave inappropriately in deeply sad situations. For example, if a loved one is dying, I might burst out laughing at the sudden gurgling sound they make. I'll be horrified (and I will eventually mourn their death on my own time), but my mind wanders too much to avoid absurd distractions like that. At the same time, I squirm like hell when I see other people feel physical pain (even fictional characters), because that's something I can relate to. (Actually, I almost feel it myself when I see someone else in pain, and it's totally involuntary. It makes my butt pucker, and I'm not a big fan of that.)

    ReplyDelete
  83. (2 of 4...argh, posting is screwy.)
    Speaking of narcissists: Another post on this blog treats narcissists as though they're fundamentally different from sociopaths, but they're not. Instead, they're more of a subgenre of sociopath. Narcissists share a complete lack of conscience (genuine love, empathy, remorse, etc.) with other sociopaths, but they're extremely extraverted and poor at introspection. Their motivation is to project a grandiose self-image of themselves to others, hoping to see it reflected back in the form of worship/praise or pity (when required). Like other sociopaths, narcissists view and treat others as objects, but they have a weak concept of self, so they're paradoxically dependent upon recognition from others for their self-image. (Their methods are cold and calculated, but their drives are childishly emotional.) They need to feel like a hero most of the time and a victim when they're "wronged" (generally when others stand up for themselves after having enough of their abuse). The nastier ones crave the feeling of power that comes from treating someone else cruelly and having them at their mercy...only to emotionally manipulate them into groveling afterwards and begging for acceptance. Pretending just a few minutes later that it didn't happen the way the victim remembered it is not only useful, but it gives them the satisfaction of having power over other people's minds (crazy-making). Smarter narcissists will overtly abuse only a very small number of people, so they can reference the admiration of others as proof of their virtue and evidence that the victim(s) must be crazy.

    In short, narcissists are sociopaths who are hellbent on a very specific, superificial, and egotistic agenda. Everything is about their image to them, and they will lie, cheat, smear, or even kill to protect it (or lash out at someone who has damaged it). My biggest question is whether narcissists are so delusional that they convince themselves of their own lies (at least in the moment), but I don't know if that will ever go definitively answered. (I personally lean towards, "They're so friggin' crazy that they buy their own brand.")

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Here are some good rules of thumb:

    1.) If you wince at other people's pain, you're not a sociopath. If you can watch Hostel and all of the Saw movies in a row without wincing, you might be a sociopath.
    2.) If you feel guilty after killing bugs and occasionally "spare" them, you're not a sociopath. If you enjoy harming animals or people, you're probably a sociopath, and not one of the benign types.
    3.) As another anonymous poster stated, a true sociopath could kill their own child (assuming that child was useless to them), go downstairs, eat dinner, and watch TV. If this horrifies you, you're probably not a sociopath.

    ReplyDelete
  84. (4 of 4)
    Even when it comes to people I love, I'm useless when they're hurt on an emotional level. I'll try to help, but I can't find a way to actually relate to their emotional pain until I sit down and deliberately analyze it later. I can eventually struggle to feel a glimmer of empathy emotionally, but I mostly experience pathos on an intellectual level (much like sociopaths do when they learn people for the purpose of study or manipulation). However, it's not for lack of caring. My own emotional experience is just too far removed from theirs to feel what they feel in the moment, no matter how hard I grasp for it. It just takes a lot more for me to get worked up, so I'm baffled when someone else starts up the waterworks in response to much less. Moreover, I can behave inappropriately in deeply sad situations. For example, if a loved one is dying, I might burst out laughing at the sudden gurgling sound they make. I'll be horrified (and I will eventually mourn their death on my own time), but my mind wanders too much to avoid absurd distractions like that. At the same time, I squirm like hell when I see other people feel physical pain (even fictional characters), because that's something I can relate to. (Actually, I almost feel it myself when I see someone else in pain, and it's totally involuntary. It makes my butt pucker, and I'm not a big fan of that.)

    I get the feeling a few people here with overactive imaginations might be getting too hung up on the sobering realization that they might be capable of killing. Could I kill someone without remorse? Well, that all depends on who and why, because the vast majority of people are perfectly capable of this in the right (or wrong) situation. Aside from absolute pacifists, people who claim to be "incapable" of it simply don't have a good enough imagination to conceive of the situations where it might be necessary or warranted. In the general case, killing someone [or even hurting someone] is something that would haunt me forever...but if it was someone who really, really deserved it, I could totally see myself going out for a steak dinner and sleeping soundly right afterwards. It all depends.

    So, am I a sociopath? Hell no, and neither is anyone else with remotely similar experiences to my own. Just because you think you act like an emotionally detached robot, that doesn't make you a sociopath. Just because you are capable of behaving in a cold and calculated manner under the right circumstances, that does not make you a sociopath either. Only an absent conscience can make you a sociopath. If you do have a conscience, even a fragile one, beware and pity those who don't: Being unrestrained by conscience is superficially freeing, and this makes sociopaths dangerous and powerful, but the requisite loss of humanity makes the vast majority of them unfulfilled and dead on the inside. Pretty much the only way I can imagine a sociopath overcoming this inner hollowness is by making a conscious decision to "side with" the rest of humanity (to feel a constructive purpose even without feeling connected).

    ReplyDelete
  85. (2 of 4...arrrrrrgh.)
    Speaking of narcissists: Another post on this blog treats narcissists as though they're fundamentally different from sociopaths, but they're not. Instead, they're more of a subgenre of sociopath. Narcissists share a complete lack of conscience (genuine love, empathy, remorse, etc.) with other sociopaths, but they're extremely extraverted and poor at introspection. Their motivation is to project a grandiose self-image of themselves to others, hoping to see it reflected back in the form of worship/praise or pity (when required). Like other sociopaths, narcissists view and treat others as objects, but they have a weak concept of self, so they're paradoxically dependent upon recognition from others for their self-image. (Their methods are cold and calculated, but their drives are childishly emotional.) They need to feel like a hero most of the time and a victim when they're "wronged" (generally when others stand up for themselves after having enough of their abuse). The nastier ones crave the feeling of power that comes from treating someone else cruelly and having them at their mercy...only to emotionally manipulate them into groveling afterwards and begging for acceptance. Pretending just a few minutes later that it didn't happen the way the victim remembered it is not only useful, but it gives them the satisfaction of having power over other people's minds (crazy-making). Smarter narcissists will overtly abuse only a very small number of people, so they can reference the admiration of others as proof of their virtue and evidence that the victim(s) must be crazy.

    In short, narcissists are sociopaths who are hellbent on a very specific, superificial, and egotistic agenda. Everything is about their image to them, and they will lie, cheat, smear, or even kill to protect it (or lash out at someone who has damaged it). My biggest question is whether narcissists are so delusional that they convince themselves of their own lies (at least in the moment), but I don't know if that will ever go definitively answered. (I personally lean towards, "They're so friggin' crazy that they buy their own brand.")

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Here are some good rules of thumb:

    1.) If you wince at other people's pain, you're not a sociopath. If you can watch Hostel and all of the Saw movies in a row without wincing, you might be a sociopath.
    2.) If you feel guilty after killing bugs and occasionally "spare" them, you're not a sociopath. If you enjoy harming animals or people, you're probably a sociopath, and not one of the benign types.
    3.) As another anonymous poster stated, a true sociopath could kill their own child (assuming that child was useless to them), go downstairs, eat dinner, and watch TV. If this horrifies you, you're probably not a sociopath.

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  86. (2 of 4, ARGH)
    Speaking of narcissists: Another post on this blog treats narcissists as though they're fundamentally different from sociopaths, but they're more of a subgenre of sociopath. Narcissists share a complete lack of conscience (genuine love, empathy, remorse, etc.) with other sociopaths, but they're extremely extraverted and poor at introspection. Their motivation is to project a grandiose self-image of themselves to others, hoping to see it reflected back in the form of worship/praise or pity (when required). Like other sociopaths, narcissists view and treat others as objects, but they have a weak concept of self, so they're paradoxically dependent upon recognition from others for their self-image. (Their methods are cold and calculated, but their drives are childishly emotional.) They need to feel like a hero most of the time and a victim when they're "wronged" (generally when others stand up for themselves after having enough of their abuse). The nastier ones crave the feeling of power that comes from treating someone else cruelly and having them at their mercy...only to emotionally manipulate them into groveling afterwards and begging for acceptance. Pretending just a few minutes later that it didn't happen the way the victim remembered it is not only useful, but it gives them the satisfaction of having power over other people's minds (crazy-making). Smarter narcissists will overtly abuse only a very small number of people, so they can reference the admiration of others as proof of their virtue and evidence that the victim(s) must be crazy.

    In short, narcissists are sociopaths who are hellbent on a very specific, superificial, and egotistic agenda. Everything is about image to them, and they will lie, cheat, smear, or even kill to protect it (or lash out at someone who has damaged it); they have no interest in being the person they pretend to be. My biggest question is whether narcissists are so delusional that they convince themselves of their own lies (at least in the moment), but I don't know if that will ever go definitively answered. (I personally lean towards, "They're so friggin' crazy that they buy their own brand.")

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Anyway, back to the core of the matter: Sociopaths of all types lack conscience. They cannot feel genuine love, empathy, or remorse. They can however feel a fierce protectiveness toward people they "possess" or have a vested interest in, but it is a more selfish feeling than genuine love. They can also analyze and read other people, which is necessary for manipulating them, but this is not empathy on an emotional level. They can feel regret for bad (evil) choices, but only because they had negative consequences for themselves, not because they care about others.

    Here are some rules of thumb:

    1.) If you wince at other people's pain, you're not a sociopath. If you can watch Hostel and all of the Saw movies in a row without wincing, you might be a sociopath.
    2.) If you feel guilty after killing bugs and occasionally "spare" them, you're not a sociopath. If you enjoy harming animals or people, you're probably a sociopath, and not one of the benign types.
    3.) As another anonymous poster stated, a true sociopath could kill their own child (assuming that child was useless to them), then contentedly eat dinner and watch TV. If this horrifies you, you're probably not a sociopath.

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  87. If you're like me you're often told that you're a sociopath. You don't feel the same way other people do. When you watch the news you cheer for the criminals, you only watch hoping that the "good guys"-as you guys call them-suffer an inhuman end, live, there in front of you. While you're thinking about what you might do Friday night, who likes who, or what your favorite tv show is I'm thinking about ways to destroy you because you make me fking sick to my stomach just looking at you. You say "I love you" and I hear "You'll be there for me when I want you to be".
    You pray for the kitten stuck in the tree, I break down why it's the kitten's own fault it's about to die stuck in a tree. you see what's right and beautiful with the world-I only see that when the rest of you are removed from the equation.
    People like me don't take advantage of people like you because we can-because make no mistake about it, we can. Even those of you that just read every word on this site, if you encounter me in real life I will take you for everything you're worth if you just give me the opening to. I'll take every last cent you have and leave you bleeding out on the floor of your living room, then stop by a coffee shop on the way home because I worked up an appetite doing what I did to you.
    The only regret I have about the way I treat people is that there's no way for me to make it easier-to just wipe all you stupid motherfuckers out with one go. God I loathe you people, you slow things down, you don't know your ass from your elbow generally speaking, you're a monkey wrench in the works of life and it makes me crazy that you're allowed to walk the planet. Someone should pay me to exterminate every last one of you.
    People should be more like me-like us. Instead you let your foolish emotions get in the way of progress constantly. One has to spend so much time catering to your pathetic feelings it's sickening just to think about. You know how much easier it would be to stick a knife in your throat and do what needs to be done? I do, because when you're running your mouth that's all I'm thinking about.
    Let me clear something up about people like myself-at least me anyway. I don't take joy in killing things, and I don't kill small animals, or want to hurt children, or any of that bullshit. That's just bs people like the idiot that wrote this page would love you to believe about us because it makes it simpler to hate us. We have no problem killing things however, but when we do it's to serve a purpose. Make life better, easier, whatever. Killing a random kitten or something does not do this, therefore animals, children, they are safe from my disdain personally.
    We think you're pathetic. We take advantage of you accidentally. We're smarter, better equipped to handle the world, faster, stronger, have nothing holding us back from doing what needs to be done, and have no problem doing what needs to be done as a result. We don't cater to our emotions like children, we use our brains and logical thinking to get us by. We're not as limited as you are, you should strive to be more like us, you really should.
    They are right that we're not capable of love. We're capable of protecting someone, we're capable of caring, but we're not capable of true love because we have no use for your emotions. If saying "I love you" gets us what we want, we'll happily wear that emotion for a moment-as we will any emotion-but we don't feel any differently about you than we do about the ant we crushed on a sidewalk going to the car this morning. You're dispensable to us because there are millions more just like you everywhere we look-frankly too many more-and honestly, we could use a few less so not only can we do without you, we could do without most of you.

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  88. I think everyday about how great things would be if there were just a button with which I could rid the world of say...90% of the population. I'd do so without hesitation, and I'd do so with a little skip in my step on the way to the button.
    Is it hard to be a sociopath? Yea, it is. But not because of us, rather because we have to deal with you. You're a joke to us, an ant to be squashed, a nothing. Once you've passed from our lives we forget you existed. We seem like we care, but only because we remember what will make you think we care-your birthday, your favorite color, your first pet's name, whatever. We know how to play the strings of those ridiculous emotions, and we play them like Jimi Hendrix played the guitar-with incredible expertise.
    Why do I tell you all this? Because I think you're so stupid it doesn't matter. I look upon you with such disdain that you could read this, meet me 5 minutes later, and I'd still take you for everything. Frankly it's boring, I wish more of you knew more about us to make it a little more challenging. You're pathetic. All of you.

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  89. Oh and another thing. It makes me laugh for this person to have said we live "lonely lives". I find that hilarious. Lonely is defined as: "affected with, characterized by, or causing a depressing feeling of being alone; lonesome."
    We are not depressed. In fact the less of you idiots there are around me, the happier I am. I enjoy the time I spend on my own, because honestly, I'm really the only person whose opinion I care about, and you idiots tend to go on and on when you think we're listening to you. The only use I have for you is what you have-if and when I need it-not to spend time with you.

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  90. Oh Luke...what a path for you in this life time :) Someday, when you slip from your body- you will remember that we are all connected. I think there may be a reason 4% of the population are "sociopaths." Spiritually- to help the rest of us grow and expand our conscious. I thank you for the difficult life you have chosen. I really can't imagine feeling no love :(

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  91. I didn't choose any life, I am what I am the way you are what you are. I'm not sure what's so useful about love. Why would that be an emotion I would pursue feeling? It seems to mostly lead to pain and suffering, two other things I'm more into inflicting than feeling.

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  92. The person who above mentioned that real sociopaths wouldn't be hear talking about it was absolutly correct. Of all the people above who claimed to be sociopaths I bet less than 1 in 10 are. How do I know this? and am I a sociopath??? NO; Im not but I do know that most sociopaths will never EVER admit that they are. I have schizophrenia; a truly rare medical disorder that like sociopathology cannot be helped (except by meds and therapy) but the point is that I take my meds and do lots of therapy. I am related to the very rare female sociopath and I can tell u this: they have no special powers in place of the lack of empathy (in fact I know one right now who is dying of lukimia and people cry for her mothers pain; not hers)-hows that for lack of empathy! And yes there are smart sociopaths and dumb ones just like anyone else; the smart ones are polititians but the much more common dumb ones just burn thru people eventually becomming unwanted freaks who live in the street like my sister. So those of you who read this thinking that manipulation gets these people places; think again. Sociopaths are often losers. I saw one become a porn star so I guess if that is your goal in life...... And lack of empathy gives you nothing in fact all it gets you is a lack of empathy. the truth is my sister was the product of a pedifile sociopath and my mother still wishes she had aborted her so how is that?! Yeah regular, normal people also feel a lack of empathy for these criminal wastes of space; we feel only hate for you and marvel when misfortune befalls you. So before you think people with NO feeling are evil just wait because someone who actually has a pation for life has no problem stuffing out yours sociopath. -much love, -J.

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  93. Romans 1:28 say that?
    Holy batcrap, Apeman!! This is free license to do anything I want to anyone, cuz God said its so! I feel so much better now.

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  94. We live in a world where most people only see 'ying' or 'yang'. people only see their side and are stuck in one way of thinking... For example the empaths cant relate to the so called sociopaths and vice versa. Human beings have always manipulated...weve done that ever since we manipulated a stone into an ax or a branch into a spear... Except the food they killed with the spear is now entertainment...or some kind of version of self preservation...(at least in the sociopaths point of view). We need to accept people for who they are...This helps to change things for the better, makes them more receptive to new ideas about how to change... as opposed to not accepting people which usually promotes them to just 'put up their wall' and stay where they are.

    All these disorders i swear are just huge deviants from the norm. We all suffer from anxiety, depression or lack of empathy to some degree...

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  95. Here we go with the "That's me, I'm a sociopath" nonsense replies again. These things take rigorous tests with scientifically valid methods to diagnose. "Wanting" to be one is both lame and not enough.

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  96. When you look at your life and think about the things you've done and your conscious excuses for them you realize you never actually thought that was why, but you just always thought and said it because it was The Story, if you thought of a scenario involving it that was what happened, if you talked about it that was what happened, and eventually you had to think pretty damn hard to remember that's not what happened. It's the more convenient version of the truth, a you cant prove it, and if you can i must have remembered wrong version. There is no judgement, there is hate and respect and trust and loneliness and a weird love, wanting to absorb someone for lack of something inside you... But no judgement. There are rules, and if you broke them that was because of xyz and that was natural because you're human and events abc happened. Everything has cause, and with cause there is reason, and with reason why pass judgement? But eventually for whatever reason you look inside yourself subjectively and you realize that there's a ruthless driving force behind all these conveniences and feelings and that is what people call "sociopath". You could of course split "sociopath" into sociopath type a1, type a2, type b1 etc. because a label does not make a population homogenous, but there are certain defying factors that one must draw their conclusions upon. It's something better, for the sociopath of course, to not have written down anywhere at the hands of minimum wage secretaries so lack of formal diagnosis is probably common. But you still know.

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  97. That b**** stole my phone and then lied to me?!! Uch, punk. Why must you guys be so controlling?? I only dated the guy for 5 weeks, but I also lost my shoe. My favorite shoe. Both in his car, of course. They both could have fallen out -- but he said "good" when I had lost my phone and he wasn't fond of me wearing provocative things. Do you guys realize, that neither made me even blink a lash? It's an fn phone and shoe! Who cares? The phone was a minor inconvenience...like a long line at starbucks.

    Do you guys feel any different if you do drugs?

    Can you guys please start using your brain and just stop manipulating girls and guys? I don't fall for it, but I do have friends who do. And that guy did make me nervous about dating in the future. See it as a challenge! Just because you have no empathy, feel no remorse, don't really have feelings, etc, doesn't mean you should go around effing people over.

    Just get over yourselves already! If a person gives into you, they either know you are lying or being manipulative and just don't care (they are probably using you, too!). And when you guys look down on a person, what you don't realize is that they probably don't care what others think of them, or actually feel a sense of empowerment to be in that position. If I give money to someone, I'm not stupid...I just don't care because it makes me feel good that I might be benefiting a person who needs it.

    And IQs mean nothing. It was probably devised by a sociopath, because what kind of person reduces others to mere numbers or grades? I score off the chart, especially when it comes to emotional intelligence, and it doesn't mean a thing. I can easily manipulate, but I don't because...why would I?! I'm a strong enough person to fulfill my needs the "right way." Is that not a logical argument?

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  98. Lols at these comments :)) you don't BE a sociopath . U r turned into one or born this way . U can't just be them whenever you like it . Bet most of the kids out there thinks it's cool being one , since we r kindda different . Just came to drop a comment to those "normal" people out there , most of us don't really tend to manipulate on purpose . It just became like a sort of daily routine for us . We dont wish for it either. Dun hate us just because ur "normal" and we r not , we are all human beings afterall . Not all sociopath gets pleasure by harming others , so don't put all of us Tgt in the same category and condemn us all . U might think we are all manipulating right now on this page , but think , wads the point doing it in a website ? Maybe u "normal" peeps just fear us I also don't know cuz I'm not normal either . I don't know what you "normal" guys perceptions are . But anw , don't see us as the way u think it is , u wouldn't had the same LONELY experience that we gone thru , worst thing is , we can't even feel how much it exactly hurts to be alone for the entire life. Put yourself in our shoes and think , SIGH !!

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  99. I am not a sociopath but this is the one time I choose not to empathize with those who suffer from a mental disorder. Having been in a "relationship" for lack of a better term, with someone with this disorder it should be a crime to afflict suffering on non sociopathic people simply because that is the " way you are". Does society excuse people who rob banks if they claim they did it because they are broke? It's just their current state that drove them do it, or an animal abuser to tortures kittens. They had an awful childhood that led to the abuse so they don't deserve the felony sentence that comes with that crime. Behavior in all situations should equal an appropriate consequence, disorder or not. It's so sad sociopaths are lonely, how about you all just hook up with one another and leave people who don't possess the ability to lie and manipulate alone! You are essentially predators if you are aware you are a sociopath and seek out those who are not.

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  100. Sorry i showed some vulnerablity in this goddamn place. But Medusa, you say I'm looking for attention? What about you? Your entire basis here is attention, and don't pretend it isn't. Such bullshit.
    This place is as shallow as any.

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  101. Lol. Medusa likes the separation. You're too desperate, notme. You try too hard, and youre trying to shift the conversation. Alll of a suddent the attention's on you and now youre trying to get rid of it all? How ungrateful. Humph.

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  102. So we got our tree today!!!

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  103. i meant my first comment as a serious question. Am I seen as just a stupid simpleton? I want to know. I don't want to hear your opinion Missus, since I devalued your perspective pretty early on. I'd like to hear from people I actually admire.

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  104. Awwww. That's so cute.

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  105. And what first question? The one about Medusa? That sounded less serious and more defensive, I'd say.

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  106. Notme, I don't actually have an opinion of you to say. I tend not to acknowledge your existence.

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  107. You never answered my question about what a 'woman' is supposed to be, notme.

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  108. I have some strong narc tendencies, sure, but I certainly wouldn't say that attention is my reason for being here.

    If I really wanted attention I sure as fuck don't need a blog for it.

    It sounds like you do, though. A lot. I mean that seriously, not as a dig.

    Just look at your name. Notme. From your name and a lot of the things you say, it seems that you feel you don't exist in the world a lot of the time, and that people don't see you. You barely even acknowledge to yourself that you exist. In fact, you said pretty much just that on the previous topic.

    You feel invisible, and I think sometimes you reach the limit of how much non-existing you can do and so you lash out like this.

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  109. @MK Me likey the snowflake

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  110. Add into that your pregnancy and your married narc problem...and I can be nearly 100% sure that this has nothing to do with me at all.

    How about you tell us outright what's going on with you? That's an easier and more effective way to get attention and feedback than this passive-aggressiveness bullshit.

    Although you've been here a long time, I really don't know how much of simpleton you are or are not, as you don't really share anything about yourself. I've only seen you be flirty and have tantrums, but you rarely actually say much that is honest and real.

    It's like you are afraid of saying something stupid, or looking like an idiot. I wouldn't worry about that, though; it's just a blog. Nothing to lose here, but you may gain something, especially if you give something.

    Shall I go on? Would you like more attention?

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  111. Medusa, exposing myself here would be nothing less than absurd. I won't be doing that. I treat myself quite preciously, and I don't need someone like Ukan telling me what's wrong with me. I already know. And it's true. I dont exist without others. I am nothing but indistinct vapour without people and their belief in me. That's what I am. How about that for exposure. Now mock. I just don't understand some things. That's all...

    And about the woman thing, I didn't really mean it. I guess I just typically associate vulnerablity with womanhood. But I'm a sexist. I do apologise in advance. ;)

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  112. I am nothing but indistinct vapour without people and their belief in me. That's what I am. How about that for exposure. Now mock.

    How can I mock that which is already obvious? I'm not big on mocking anyway, but when I do, it's usually only narcs that need to be taken down a peg, the self-righteous, or people that use me as a projection screen.

    I rarely, if ever, mock for pleasure. Other people here do, I know.

    Your tiny bit of honesty here makes you that much less of a simpleton, you know.

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  113. Notme, cut the crap.

    I'm confident enough in myself that I'm not going to expose who I am to anyone who may criticize that! So thank you, I'm going to continue hiding.

    Oh, and about that thing I said that was almost an opinion, I totally didn't mean it! I'm so sorry I challenged you Medusa.

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  114. And thanks! I love my new Snowflake!
    I'm in Christmas Mode! i can't wait!

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  115. Was that notme? I didn't read the whole thing.

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  116. notme, you're prego? Since when?

    @Medusa

    It was pretty mellow. I got stoned for the first time in months, and we just chilled at the movies. I like to just hang out. No formal shit for me. Real dates start to feel like job interviews. When you're just hanging out; it's like you've agreed that you already know enough... for the moment anyway.

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  117. He's smooth. Very confident. He's got hot sex written in his smile. The dirty son of a preacher man, type.

    Mmmmm,I need to think of something else quick!

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  118. I've learned that 'hanging out' just ends up frustrating me. Too vague.

    Nowadays I find myself wanting real dates. Something that shows some effort and focus. At least for the first couple/few dates.

    After that initial phase I'll not want to do that anymore and will prefer to lay in bad watching movies and shit.

    Everyone is too laid back these days for my tastes, I guess.

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  119. I've always preferred hanging out. I'm sure that has to do with not really wanting so much focus on me.

    He is really hot. He's also very black; by color and culture. I'm like an alien to him! He's doesn't usually date women with brains.

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  120. I Like formal dates. I like the nervousness. My bunny and I still get dressed up and go on dates, just for the sort of show of it. Hanging out we do all the time. It's fun to have an excuse to dress up and act proper. I was so nervous when we first started dating. He had to sort of pull me out of my shell. But I like it when you like someone enough they make you nervous.

    He sounds like a good type for you, Eden. I think it's interesting that you use the term bad son a preacher man to describe him with your father's religious affiliations. That's an interesting little snippet. I hope this progresses for you. It'd be fun to "see"

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  121. @Topic

    For me, it wasn't so much a sense of being different or unique. It was more, an overwhelming frustration at the differences between how my mind worked, and those around me. Yes, we can try and think and act like neurotypicals, but the fact of the matter is that we aren't, and never will be.

    The biggest difference that frustrates me endlessly to this day is when people prioritize their conscience or morals over their well-being, or worse yet, MINE! Holy fuck, I just want to rip their faces off and douse them with lye. This may sound sexist, but it's not intended to be. I've noticed I've run into this predicament a lot more with women than men. Then again, I haven't spent my life in the company of the most scrupulous men, so it may just be a matter of a tilted scale.

    Another thing that never seemed to work for me was most forms of punishment. I'd do everything I could just to get back at the person trying to control me so they'd regret doing it in the first place. If I was too much of a pain in the ass to punish, I figured they'd be less likely to dish it out.

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  122. @Ares
    That was very enlightening. You are a beautiful writer. I can see that by how you wrote here. Thank you for what you said.

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  123. Not really in the cliche list of stereotype behavior, I know that while I do have artistic talent, in both drawn art and music, I have no talent for creativity. I can copy just about anything perfectly, but I cannot create something myself, with one exception I am a very skilled writer, especially of poetry, and especially when I am feeling my worst.

    This is what I meant when I've said in the past that sociopaths can't really be creative.

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  124. Today, has been the best day on the blog since I got here. These people are talking about important things, not kidding around about things that don't matter.

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  125. I had some questions for the sociopaths who wrote so eloquently.
    If you have a sociopath parent, are you saying that parent never "cared" for you? I know you are it you say they could kill you and then eat a ham sandwich. I just cannot wrap my mind around it.

    The other thing is about the sociopath husband who wants to keep his wife because it is too much trouble to get another .

    Is your wife that interchangable to you? Would it be like getting a new doll, literally? Why get a new one when this one is good
    enough?


    The last thing is how can the child of a sociopath not be a sociopath when they had the "abuse" of a sociopath parent?

    The answer would have to be that a good part of being a sociopath is from nature i.e. inherited, or just genetic etc.

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  126. Medusa, that's what most so-called artists do. It's not a sociopath thing. It's a matter of probability.

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  127. Speaking of which, I don't think a PD correlates towards creative talent or ability. Maybe it can lead to "episodes", but that's about it.

    My (NPD) father was a fairly good sculptor and painter, but his writing was horrible. I couldn't read any of his manuscripts to completion. His poems were extremely cheesy and almost cliche, completely unoriginal, and sometimes painful. But his sculptures and paintings were beautiful. He actually made a living out of it for a few years before he got tired of selling his works. He liked to keep them around like personal trophies.

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  128. And one last thing for now, on creativity.

    During the late early 90s, I did quite a bit of painting and charcoal pieces. Most of mine would be classified as "abstract". I basically just channeled myself into what I was doing. Sometimes there were parts of them that looked like they could have been a representation of something, perhaps a symbol or metaphor, but it really depended on who was looking at it.

    I actually hated trying to imitate existing artists or art styles. I pretty much flat out refused, which is a major reason I never went to an art school of any flavor. I've always been very stubborn about injecting myself into whatever I'm creating, prioritizing my own pleasure from the process over what anyone wants or thinks I should do.

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  129. I just realized those first comments were old.
    I want to put this out there, though. I think I remember the time I went from no /low empathy to empathy.
    I was 15. All of a sudden, I could click myself out of my body in to the body of another. I could flip out like the opening of a flip top on a can.

    I could feel them, from their side. Then, I would go back in my side. I did not think it was strange, at the time.

    I lost that ability, until now, when I remember it, all of a sudden. I remember the peace of it. I was like a researcher. I could research the person and then go back in to myself.

    It was like changing "states." . It was wonderful. In that way, I learned about my boundaries. what was me, what was someone else, what I was responsible for, what I was not.

    What was this? Was this normal maturity? I had a trauma, at that time, and shut this off.

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  130. One thing that I was surprised to learn as a young'un was how different I seemed to interpret "basic human concepts" to how my peers did after letting myself get dragged into a few interesting discussions. At the time I, perhaps foolishly, assumed they were either too proud or stupid to accept the way things "really were" in their heads.

    I guess the point you stop being narcissistic is when you accept that you actually are interpreting them differently, instead of choosing to think that everybody else is in self-denial.

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  131. Medusa, I completely disagree with you about the creativity. Firstly because the person you quoted contradicted themselves in the same comment and said they were creative, adn secondly, I don't think sociopathic traits have anything to do with a lack of creativity. Period. I don't think theyre interrelated. Besides most of art and creativity is a compilation of really good copies tweaked to be something different.

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  132. I love my snowman! He makes me so happy when I see him pop up! He surprises me still!

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  133. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  134. I was referencing an opinion of mine from like a year ago at least. I'd have to go back and see if my argument still stands, cuz I don't remember it.

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  135. It was based on an incorrect assumption that sociopaths lack too many emotions to create anything from within.

    Peter Pan's shitty art it was started you on the tangent, or so you said.

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  136. That's interesting, for a 'Jewish' guy.

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  137. I, totally, disagree that creativity is copied. By the nature of the word, it springs out from oneself.
    A person's creativity CAN be copied by another. That part is true, but if a person is truly creative, it is their own.

    THAT is why creativity is so special and so unique.

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  138. Me too, David!! We got our tree tonight! And I'm too busy doing homework to decorate it so it's sitting in our living room, just waiting there!
    I couldn't resist though, I had to put it's skirt on. It couldn't be totally naked! And my bunny said he wants to help me decorate it! I can't wait! We're going to have a to do with egg nog, and brandy, and maybe I'll make an egg nog pie or something. And we already got to put presents under our tree! Wrapping presents is my favorite thing about Christmas!

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  139. Nothing comes from nothing. Creativity is growth on the world's part by individual's branching off of what the world already has in it to work with, including resources such as people. That's why creativity is so strong in groups. That's why google tries to do so much for their designers.
    Creativity isn't strictly emotional, either, so sociopaths have no different artistic ability, or creative ability, I don't see a difference. Creativity is derived from our experiences, our ability to perceive and then our ability to then manipulate our environments according to our own desires from our own growth. It relates to emotions, but its also tied to any aspect that makes our thinking unique and forward. My husband's art is his business. He's incredibly creative that way.

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  140. I, totally, disagree that creativity is copied. By the nature of the word, it springs out from oneself.

    Yes.

    artistic skill != creativity

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  141. But nowadays I would revise that to say "creative genius".

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  142. Peter Pan's shitty art it was started you on the tangent, or so you said.

    Hahaha, that's true.

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  143. I didn't finish that google thought. Google tries to make its work environment as inviting and fun as possible because it makes their creative teams stay longer and do more together. Thats why they have laundry services, to keep people out of their homes and working together consistently. Google understands that the best creativity comes from collaboration.

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  144. You've go to love people who use ALL CAPS FOR EMPHASIS. When I read it it always sounds like they're randomly shouting words and then try to hide ot by continuing as if nothing happened.

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  145. I cannot wait until Google takes over the world!
    Google is currently amazing, but when it gets more ambitious CEO's it's going to abuse all the information it's gained, but the world will be made better. It's like programming. Google will start to make things dramatically more efficient. Then we can start to direct toward our future in space travel and psychological and intellectual development. Plus it's going to coincide with a lot of scientific discoveries that will start to explain life forces, teleportation, etc. Quantum physics is already beginning to move things in that direction.
    I have a theory that anything we can imagine might as well already exist, because it does by your fathoming it, just not yet... like all the futuristic movies, or in this case, big brother.

    lol. wv
    retorad

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  146. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  147. Was it just me wheatley, or was that random?

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  148. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  149. lol. No way. I don't want to live forever. I don't believe in it.

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  150. All caps is italics for the HTML impaired.

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  151. Yay!!!

    I love that you are actually using the picture.

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  152. I'm in agreement there, MK. Live forever? Idiots. Fuck dat.

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  153. Jung hads a great thought on art that I always love, that art predicates the future. Or that art invents the future, and has a way of preceding it and ushering change.

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  154. People like to argue that there isn't anything original, and that all thoughts are recycled, or taking it even further, that we share a collective conscious.

    I'm of the opinion that our creativity is limited by our perception; simply put, even "original" ideas have some basis in something we've already consumed either directly or via periphery. This is not to say that there aren't concepts that seemingly came from out of the blue, be they art, science, or lore, but you have to take into consideration that some people interpret and handle the consumption of information different ways, especially how they express themselves.

    I think the best way to really understand this from my point of view is to look at story telling; the oral tradition, novels, short stories, and even pulps have never been a vehicle for concepts that were truly alien to the human restrictions already imposed. You really can't name one piece of fiction that was so anachronistic and alien that it broke ground no one else had tread upon before.

    The fun part of this though is that you can view the chronological changes, the shifts if you will over time. Take Beowulf, a true classic. Now compare it to Inception. Truly a different beast, and concepts that have the basic Hero's journey at the core, but the actual setting is wildly different, and one could definitely argue that no writer could have penned the screenplay for Inception in the 16th or 17th century. It's not because they lacked imagination, or emotions, or higher cognitive abilities. Their perceptions were limited. Simple as that.

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  155. He wants me to freeze my head too, and he said he's going to do it anyway, even if I don't want him to, but I have to say I'm hopeful to his failure. A life span is designed to be the length it is, biologically. People develop to the pace that's been set by our lifespans. Just like we sleep to the patterns of the sun.

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  156. TNP, that's a lot of text, but from what I read I think I agree.

    Creativity is what you use your life experiences to help the world with. Anyone who can bring anything at all new to the table is valuable, and the more rare your talent for unique, the more valuable, because those people change progress levels for society.

    SO I believe there is nothing new under the sun, but that everything grows, I guess.

    Creativity is both novel, but must be based on existing conditions. It helps if you think of society like an organism, and we're all cells trying to figure out how to best process it's information, or to basically grow it. Creativity is a sort of photosynthesis from people.

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  157. Ok, sorry. I'm taking a break from my homework, so I'm super enthused and wordy. Plus this is all a fun thought to me. It's actually where I invest a lot of my creativity, in trying to figure out the unknown aspects of life and psychology.

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  158. We are pretty dang cute!

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  159. True creative genius is that which is outside accepted perception.

    And of course it doesn't exist in a vacuum and is not removed from history or culture.

    If I was to make an analogy, imagine a long hallway. The hallway is accepted reality. You think all of reality is contained in this hallway.

    But some genius notices a door way way down the hall on the left side. He goes in, and he's like, "Whoa. This is some dope shit."

    Or maybe he just punched a hole in the wall instead. Or tripped on something and his hard head went right through it.

    A crowd gathers, and they stand there in puzzlement. Some get angry, some get offended, some get curious, some get scared.

    After a while, everyone shrugs their shoulders and gets back to work.

    Eventually, the wall separating the room from the hallway is torn down, and becomes a part of the hallway.

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  160. That's a good way of putting it, but it still goes with my creativity is change theory.

    I like desegregation as a creative example.

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  161. Seeing my snowman makes me think everything I type, Chipperly.
    I have Christmas in my bones! Woohoo!

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  162. Ha ha I'm finding all these Peanuts comics that totally fit some of the people here.

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  163. Lol. Themes! You've received your calling!

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  164. Growth from the known. That's pretty much what creativity boils down to.

    Medusa, are you high? That was some downright awful cliche shit I'd expect from a teenager.

    Creative and Genius are definitely not something that goes hand in hand often. In fact, I think it's a rarity, and often time probably an accident. It's sort of like being a master architect for a style that doesn't exist. Not impossible, but highly improbable.

    I'd say innovation on existing design with a level of superb elegance is where you often find genius lurking. Too many people get labeled "genius" or "unique" without coming anywhere near deserving it.

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  165. I'm guessing that you and I have different definitions of 'creative'.

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  166. So theoretically, wouldn't it be more likely that sociopaths are more predisposed tto creative genius by their out of society wway oof perceiving things?

    Its a marshmallow world in the wwinter.

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  167. Barely anyone deserves the 'genius' label. Even those with 'genius' IQs.

    I hardly think my allegory was cliche.

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  169. I think we have ssocial creative cusps, but creativity is generally not entirely new.it can't be or wed be gods. Like life. You cant... or we can't, create life without first having life there, but its still creation. Its something totally new,but you have to build it from what exists.
    And i still like my photosynthesis analogy.

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  170. Not completely random. Just look at all of the old comments. There's a lot of caps going on there.

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  171. David, I'm pretty standoffish with modern memedicine, though I am not opposed tto the idea of people doing what they can to ensure they're healthy. I just mean that the planet has a sort of schedule, and weve grown to aadapt to that schedule, so changing our schedule iI think would be psychologically detrimental, until wer more computerized than we are now, in that we can just upload memories. I think its early for us for cryogenics, and so it won't be developed well until lit makes more sense ssocially. Like if we find another planet, or a way to function without food or something. Right now, it isn't advantageous.

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  172. Lol. That's pretty much how I got through secondary school. :P

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  173. "I hardly think my allegory was cliche. "

    Was that meant to be meta humor? I have a feeling the intent wasn't, but I got a kick out of it. Yes, Medusa, it's horribly, painfully cliche.

    And I'm having a discussion with you about creativity? If I grin any wider my poor face will break.

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  174. Oh, i didnt read those. But I agree wwithyouabout tthe caps thing. Have you heard Asia ansari? He does a great stand up kind of makingfunof tthat.

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  175. So are you one of tthose people who thinks creativity is sort of indindefinable? Or more ambiguous?

    WV unify
    I dont kknow why but that feels applicable.

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  176. aziz. Not Asia.

    WV pingwity and this one because it's fun!

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  177. No.

    By creativity today I am meaning "creating something new", not just "creating".

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  178. Aziz has weird beady dead eyes. It's like he's not really looking at anything or anyone.

    He is funny, though.

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  179. Never heard of him. I'll look him up sometime. He looks a bit like what I imagine a black Rowan Atkinson would look like, though.

    Speaking of immortality and quantum mechanics: look up "quantum immortality". Pretty interesting stuff.

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  180. See, but that's what I'm arguing, just in how it links directly to society. And when you think of creativity llargely it loses newness to a sort of change ness.

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  181. Why are you typing like a Dutch person?

    I'm not arguing about how it links to society at all.

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  182. How do Dutch people type?

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  183. i kknow you arent, but how i think of creativity is socially.

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  184. Too many extra superfluous letters.

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  185. You're right. More like an Indian Rowan Atkinson. I was only going by skin colour (google images), not ethnicity (wikipedia).

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  186. ass burger

    I'm in a weird spazzy mood. I should go to bed.

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  187. Interesting conversation on whether a sociopath with very shallow emotions can be creative.

    I don’t think that emotions are the source of creativity and I’m not even sure that emotions are necessarily a good vehicle for creativity. It’s true that we use art to resolve inner emotional conflicts and it seems that that music in particular is the language of physiological and emotional arousal (for me at least).

    But I don’t think that emotions are where creativity lies. I’m more inclined to think that its real vehicle is a state of connectedness to collective currents, which go beyond the individual psychological ego structure.

    I also don’t think creativity is necessarily based on previous experience or perception/rational intelligence either.

    There are many artists who were highly precocious in their creativity. Mozart is one famous example, Judy Garland another. I think that these people were in a state of connectedness that allowed them to mirror a collective longing that went far beyond the experiences or perceptions of a 5-year old, or a 10-year old.

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  188. Based on what, Yellow? Do you have anything besides a train of thought to back your logic?

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  189. Personally, one of my favorite types of creativity is re-inventing, or re-imagining an existing entity or tool. It's like interpreting art, when someone sees something the artist themselves did not, and they find profound meaning or use from something the original creator never bothered to ponder upon.

    It goes back to my comment on how people process sensory input, and how they express it.

    You tend to see a lot of this type of creativity in the Software sector. Programming is one of those funny pieces of misunderstood tech that can be just as beautiful, elegant and expressive to the appreciative eye as any art piece. You literally see the inner-workings of the mind that created the code, their thought processes, and how they chose to express their works. It's a fascinating crossover between science and art if your perception is properly tuned to see it.

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  190. Based on what, TNP? Do you have anything besides logic to back your train of thought?

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  191. What are you addressing, Medusa? You'll have to be less vague and smart-alecky to get an answer. I've covered multiple things.

    You must have thought that was so clever, too. Now it's like one of those jokes you meant to embarrass someone with, and now you have to explain it. Lose-Lose. Maybe you should get some rest.

    :)

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  192. TNP, you don't strike me as a quintessential sociopath. You seem pretty open minded, almost deep.

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