Monday, January 6, 2014

Careers in sociopathy

A socio reader asked what sort of careers might best suit a sociopathic lifestyle or personality. I think that many careers may appeal to a sociopath, but there are probably some better than others. I hate being an "employee," I hate to be micromanaged, I hate to feel like I am working for someone else. I do a much better job when I feel like like I have some independence and creativity in what I do and how I do it, and I prefer for the focus to be on doing good work rather than trying to please someone else, perhaps ironically given my predilection for seduction and mask wearing. This is why although I have considered (and passed psych evaluations for) various government positions for the excitement, the intrigue, the power, the firearms, I would never be able to survive the bureaucracy, the idiocy, the micromanaging, and the lack of control over my fate. I actually avoid even being on any government property for that very reason -- I don't want to give them any reason to detain me.

Here's what one reader said about being a lawyer:
I definitely think my particular "personality" helps. My general experience has always been that more empathetic people spend a lot of time struggling with their emotions, both in law school and when practicing. To give some more concrete examples: non-lawyers often remark on how they can't imagine defending someone guilty of murder, fearing they might get them off. While I appreciate the moral and societal implications of clearing guilty criminals, it's clearly not something I struggle with emotionally. Furthermore, I find that even when I can explain the legal and societal need to always provide the best defense possible, many people can never emotionally get past the hurdle. A similar problem occurs for many first year law students with the often opined "that's not fair!" Professors even exploit this weakness by distracting students with highly emotionally charged situations on exams, this gives people such as myself a clear advantage. I could really go on and on.
Here's what another said about being a med student/doctor:

I am going to become a neurosurgeon. I have been fortunate enough to meet a neurosurgeon who wishes to give me his private practise, since he's ready to retire. He has some markedly sociopathic tendencies, which I think is why we get along so swimmingly well. Your recent posts on bloodlust resonate with me. (Neuro)Surgery satisfies that urge for me. I mean, hell, I get to use a bone saw. Doesn't get much better than that, haha. I would say an attorney as well. We have the natural charm to work the jury. Any profession that involves power, prestige and wealth in many forms is, in my opinion, attractive to us.
Obviously our unique skills qualify us for various illegal careers as well. Those weren't on my radar until recently, but they seem a very good fit for some.

I have considered doing something physical like boxing or stunts, where I would get to be violent and cater to my thrill seeking nature, I worry about things like brain damage and maiming.

I think the key is to be flexible. Always choose the most flexible career paths that focus on cultivating your own skill sets (internships, apprenticeships, grad school). The longer you put off getting a stable, consistent, real job, the better I think. Because you won't really be able to stay in the exact same position with the exact same people longer than a few years without having problems. I think mobility and lack of oversight are the key to long term success.

184 comments:

  1. Entrepreneurship is something that works for me

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  2. I hate working in general. I like to come up with ideas and have other people do them. Whenever I have done legitimate things I did very well for the first half of the year. However, if they don't move me into managment I get bored and start sabotaging the company. Since I have so much free time I thought of just picking a random sales job, going in at entry level, and taking over the company. It seems like a good challenge and I could use a legitimate company. I think sociopaths do well when they are in charge, however anything involving superiors, partners, managers, or coworkers should be avoided.
    Several years ago I got fired from this company. It was the last job I had. The owner always knew I was a criminal, because I told him. He himself started his business on fraud. I tipped one of his workers over the edge of the balcony, but I didn't make him fall. He just got scared and he wasn't even harmed. His father however turned out to be a judge in the courts that handle fraud and the judges son was still helping this guy do more fraud. The owner explained this to me, and told me he knew I would understand why he had to let me go. However, unlike previous companies he told me that I shouldn't be in a workplace enviroment, and that I should continue what I was doing before. I always appreciated how cordial he was with me. The next day I decided I was not fit for 9 to 5 bullshit. I have never looked back since.

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    1. I can't do the 9 to 5...either I will start using drugs to pass the time or will start stealing small increments until confronted and try to see how many other "employees" I can get fired until they suspect its me....then I disappear...normally not before I am able to physically or emotionally abuse those people....thats my severance, along with all the money stolen... I did have an internship in a hospital from the time I was 12 through 16... seeing people die was always and odd comfort, I think the best way to state that is that I enjoy the life cycle...life... to death... Would love to go back into the medical field, just need a new ID.

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  4. Did he become a mortician? I worked for a mortician once. It's the smell that's the problem.

    Ylang

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  5. What's wrong with owning your own business and having your employees make you money while you sleep?

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  6. I wouldn't be a mortician for that very reason.

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  8. I bet morticians use the Vick's rub on their upper lip, like homicide detectives do.

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  9. Good career advice M.E. Where were you when I was 18?

    Up till very recently, I seriously considered politics as my next move. I have since changed my mind on that. I didn’t play straight and narrow these past years, and I have to assume it would all come out in a nasty campaign. No point entering a game when I already know I’ll lose. Although, the idea of being the guy behind the upfront politician intrigues me…

    Someone suggested that I should eventually go to law school. I have been toying with the idea. I can definitely see how the way I think would be a natural fit for studying and maneuvering the law.

    I need a challenge. I also want a game to play. That’s what I am looking for now. A worthy, challenging game. I’m still trying to put it together in my mind…

    I hate working in general. I like to come up with ideas and have other people do them… however anything involving superiors, partners, managers, or coworkers should be avoided.

    So true Ukan my friend, so true.

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  10. I really have no clue what I want to do in the future career wise, but I suppose thats pretty normal for people my age. I'm currently taking a one year course In art and design just to keep myself occupied.

    I've worked a few part jobs just to earn some extra cash, but nothing thats really stuck. The last one was some shitty job working at a DVD rental store. I was stealing around £100 a week from the register at that place. One of the girls that I worked with figured out what I was up to and was going to report me so I blamed it on her before she got the chance. The manager was a friend of my aunts so he eventually sided with me and she got the sack. I lost that job a few weeks later though anyway just because a wasn't showing up enough. That was a few months ago and I haven't worked since.

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  11. ^Funny. I used to take money out of the cash register at my first job on a regular basis. Till they upgraded security in response. So I stopped. As usual, I was never busted. They may have suspected me, but if they did, they never confronted me.

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  12. 'One of the girls that I worked with figured out what I was up to and was going to report me so I blamed it on her before she got the chance.'

    i don't mind saying you're a prick.

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  13. The longer you put off getting a stable, consistent, real job, the better I think.

    Agreed!

    When I was young and we were asked what we wanted to be, I used to say a full-time doctor and a part-time everything else.

    I certainly do have diverse interests. I've had tons of jobs and hobbies.

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  14. Notme

    heh, mabye but in the end I just did what I had to do. She put herself in the line of fire by threatening me.

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  16. I like to come up with ideas and have other people do them.

    If my business had a mission statement, this would have been it.

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  17. The security upgrade was well, making me Head of Security. Since then, no more cash disappeared as who else would know how to catch a criminal better than a master. Management was smart enough to ignore the occasional staff disappearances as I made sure it always happened when they needed to downsize anyways. That was ^Fun!

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  18. Up till very recently, I seriously considered politics as my next move. I have since changed my mind on that. I didn’t play straight and narrow these past years, and I have to assume it would all come out in a nasty campaign. No point entering a game when I already know I’ll lose. Although, the idea of being the guy behind the upfront politician intrigues me…

    Wise move considering all the glorious details of yourself you've shared here and god knows where else. But if you have a great sense of humour,...well thats another story.

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  19. "The security upgrade was well, making me Head of Security"

    Lol. Thats brilliant.

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  20. "Humour hath no greater moment than when Socios gloat"

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  21. I was pursuing the field of forensic pathology about a year ago. I wanted to be at the crime scenes, perform the autopsies, and be part of the science. Unfortunately I am pretty lazy, didn't want to spend half of my time testifying, and I am quite horrible at math. I, spontaneously, decided to go into the field of Entertainment Design, and that's where I am now. Let's see how long this lasts before I grow dreadfully bored of it.

    If, or when, this occurs, I may go back to pathology, or just become a mortician. The smell doesn't bother me too much.

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  22. I was thinking of moving countries and becoming a police officer, then laundering my money through the pension fund. However, I think they might check your criminal record even in another country. I really need a whole new identity. To bad I can't change it as easily as I can in Sociopathworld.

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  23. @misanthrope: the tomatoe and homeless guy was a true story. I don't think I could make that up if I tried.

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  24. Will this cease you from attempting a new identity in real-life land UKan? Or are you part of the lazy club too.

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  25. The tomato and tramp story makes me want to have your kids.

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  26. No it will not. Yes I am lazy. I literally work 16 hours a week and I report to a dirty couch in the corner of a club. However, I make more than any of my family or friends.

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  27. I'm not a sociopath, per se, but I can relate to a lot of this, in my own way.

    I used to steal money from registers when I worked in coffee shops. You know, pretend you're ringing up a sale, but just press the No Sale button and pocket the cash. Hell, I stole a lot of stuff from coffee shops. I probably stole around $3k worth of Kona coffee from one place. Haven't had coffee that good since.

    I've probably had every job under the sun, from low pay to high pay, blue collar to white collar, but a good portion of them ended badly, because I cannot deal with working for or with others for any real amount of time, and I especially cannot deal with 9 to 5 office jobs.

    I haven't had a real job in 4 years. I now run my own business where I don't have to deal with anyone and can be the control freak that I am while lazing around in velvet robes. I can work whenever I feel like it, and spend a whole day dicking around on places like this if I want.

    I'm pretty poor, and more respect for money would probably do me good, but I barely care. Too bad I'm not more criminally minded.

    For a while when I was younger I really wanted to be a forensic entomologist. That shit is rad. I also considered mortuary science briefly.

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  28. Cos they like you and give you lots of tomatoes. I want your babies!

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  30. Take them all, these ripe and juicy tomatoes, make them yours!

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  31. I don't like being micromanaged. I can't work well in that environment. I've been fortunate with all my jobs and worked independently because I’ve been able to stay a step a head of the managers..eventually they left me alone. Now I'm studying nursing but I'm not sure if it's the right path for me. I love working in the science lab where I go to school but they don't pay much. My manager leaves a list of things for me to do and then I figure out the rest. She loves this because she's too busy to watch over my back. Women can be hard to work with but she's nice and always gives me good reviews. If it only paid more...for now it's good.

    The ex drives a truck on the road all week. I’m sure he’s ok with this because he’s alone and it keeps him out of trouble at home with his wife…ex wife whatever.

    Grace

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  32. I hate to say it, but I left something out anonny. I despise tomatoes.

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  33. Bravo Medusa, I'm glad someone else thought similar to my above comment. It certainly does rule out subjecting one's self to other's controlling. I don't so much mind being controlled so long as I am able to see eye to eye with that particular entity and it appears a zero bullshit tolerance policy is enacted on both ends of the agreement. Given I just admitted that, a one-choice system is pretty obvious~ (respect the ~)

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  34. I was thinking of moving countries and becoming a police officer...

    A long time ago, in a time far removed from now, I thought seriously about becoming a cop. I knew someone at the time who worked for the city government who was going to use his influence to ease the way for me. Fortunately, I didn’t go thru with it. Years later, I came to appreciate that while being a detective could be intellectually stimulating (solving puzzles and what not), in the end, I didn’t want to have to be a beat cop for several years before I got the chance to move up to detective. I think I’d be too tempted to bash dumb criminals’ skulls in with my trusty night stick.

    Grace, did you steal regularly from any of your jobs? I'm just curious since it appears most of the rest of us in this thread have, and with apparent impunity.

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  35. does toilet paper count? lol.

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  37. I was going to mention that a lot of sociopath types are attracted to law enforcement. Those that succeed in doing so, though, I'd guess are the types that can't or don't want to rise above bloodlust for the sake of bloodlust.

    Would be rad to be a detective, though.

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  38. Yeah, Anon, it also allows me to not have to fight my natural circadian rhythm. Or maybe it's just that my mind works better when I know that everyone else is asleep (read: dead) and it's too dark out to be reminded that the rest of the world exists beyond my mind.

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  40. Also, I rarely steal things these days since getting arrested many years back a couple of times for stealing stupid shit. For items that were worth less than $5. I probably didn't have the best poker face back then.

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  41. I do find self-employment to be the key to success. There's a definite "I would rather die" line that can be crossed when considering a 9-5.

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  42. Oh and... =O Bad Medusa!

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  43. i'm not a socio but i can't stand being micromanaged. people who overlook your common sense piss me off. i worked in a bar and felt objectified. it got too tedious not being appreciated for my real strengths. it's those overly meticulous 'duty' managers that take themselves too seriously that peed me off.
    the actual mangager was laid back as anything, and i really got on with him. classic.

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  44. lol manager not mangager

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  45. My last real job was as a bartender. Couldn't deal with the lonely desperate men waiting for me to fill them up with hope and booze. Like drooling dogs. I hid in the back pretending to do dishes most of the time.

    I was great at everything at the job except for faking a "people person" persona. I'd probably be much better at it now, though.

    The owners of the bar kind of had no idea what they were doing, as they had never worked in the service industry before. I told them as much when I quit/was fired from the job.

    "I wasn't meant to be a bartender anyway," were my last words as I made my exit.

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  46. +10 Aerianne.

    Gotta love that woman for being willing to make bartending videos for the dimmest of dummies.

    If a muppet can't make that drink, lord save them.

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  47. I thought you might like that, Medusa.

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  48. lol.
    'i wasn't meant to be a bartender' was on the tip of my tongue whenever i was faced with the mysogynism and fastidiousness of my co-workers. they didn't seem to absorb the reality that we were just working in a bar, not for
    MI6.

    ironically, i am a people person and the customers loved me. i'd talk to them and get in trouble for not working. lol. one co-worker, my main pain in the arse, brought in a lot of sales and also complaints as he made enemies out of customers. he was a narc.

    i realised in that job that i don't like to be ordered about by arseholes, (enter your own definition of an arsehole here).

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  49. Daniel, I don't recall ever stealing money. I might have though during my drug abuse years but I don't recall. I worked for a large law firm in NYC for a long time and I was in charge of the petty cash box and do remember feeling tempted. I've stole from Marshall's Dept. store though..lol.

    Grace

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  50. I think I am turning into a people person, and it feels a little... odd.

    I'm pretty sure it has something to do with focus.

    And the fact that humans are actually endlessly fascinating.

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  51. in the bar i got bored of the regular drunks that would come in. every once in a while, a random oddball would come in and whilst my co-workers got on with it disinterestedly, i would patiently lap up their anecdotes and entire bleedin' life stories. i like the crazies sometimes. no prizes for guessing why.

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  52. Yep. The oddballs are usually worth listening to.

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  53. Grace, it sounds like you've lead an interesting life. Maybe that's one of the reasons you keep coming back here. You know both the pain and the pleasure of coloring outside the lines.

    Medusa, forgive me if I've asked you this before, but do you have a normal, functioning conscience?

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  54. Daniel, how would I know? I've only ever known what it's like to be me.

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  55. I've never had an interest in being a Cop past anything fleeting, due to the reality of the actual hazard involved.

    Lawyer-wise, I was tempted. I always performed well in Debate and when possible would take the more controversial side for kicks. Once again, though, the potential hazards shied me away.

    I don't think I'd want to be a mortician. It's not the smell, or the gore factor, it's just that I find normal, living, breathing humans to be disgusting. Dealing with their corpses? No thanks.

    I am/was tempted to go into psychology and give a shot at being a therapist/psychiatrist, my only reason for not jumping on it is the big question: Am I willing to listen to people's pathetic shit for the rest of my life?

    It's not a leading question, either. I find people interesting, enjoy giving advice they're blind to, and dig the science behind it. I just don't want to end up with another almost worthless degree or a job that makes me want to eat the business end of a revolver.

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  56. Medusa, that's why I am asking you and not someone else about you. Do you feel guilt? Do you have a moral sense?

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  57. Notable, my thoughts were the same as yours when I considered psychology as a career.

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  58. Considering my doubts, I'll probably abstain. I find going against my doubts is usually self-destructive.

    I've no problem talking to friends/loved ones though and helping them out. I learn more about them, for better or worse, they learn more about what I want them to think of me, and they get a few good life pointers. Everyone wins.

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  59. Daniel, I can give you a couple anecdotes that might give a clue.

    When I was around 15 or 16 I was arrested for stealing nail polish from the mall. I got put in juvie for a couple of hours. The one thing that sticks out from that experience was noticing that my purple velvet beret matched the upholstery exactly.

    Also, around that time, my best friend was in and out of the mental ward for a couple of years. Her other best friend was this girl named Amy. The first thing I said to her as soon as she got out of the hospital for the last time was, "Amy doesn't like you." Her mother was present and she got really mad at me and I was surprised at her response.

    So I feel bad about having said that? I guess? I do still think about it from time to time.

    Do I feel guilt? I don't know. Shame? Definitely. It's hard to parse the two sometimes.

    Moral sense? Yes, I guess I used to have one. Sort of. But it was more like I was following the rulebook someone gave me rather than it being something innate. I guess I still do have a moral sense by default because I'm not really very criminally bent, nor prone to deliberate, conscious manipulation.

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  60. Thanks Medusa.

    I'm curious though. You say: Do I feel guilt? I don't know. Shame? Definitely. It's hard to parse the two sometimes. If you can't parse them, how can you be so sure you feel one but not necessarily the other?

    As for the manipulation thing, are you implying that you are prone to the indirect and unconscious kind? Also, why follow someone else's rulebook?

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  61. If you can't parse them, how can you be so sure you feel one but not necessarily the other?

    Exactly the reason for my "how should I know" answer. I guess I just always figured that everybody else's version of "guilt" was the same as mine. I still kind of think that they are, it's just that most people just don't know it. Perhaps that's narcissistic of me, though.

    As for the manipulation thing, are you implying that you are prone to the indirect and unconscious kind?

    Yes. Only recently have I become fully aware of it, and hence can control it better. But I don't see myself ever doing it for the sake of doing it.

    Also, why follow someone else's rulebook?

    When I was very young, I just didn't know any better. And I kind of failed at it regardless. Hence it became a constant source of shame.

    I haven't blindly tried to follow the rule book since junior high school.

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  62. I've come to the point in my life where I do the right thing because I don't want to feel guilt or shame anymore. I'm sick of the drama. I want to go along without feeling anymore shame, shame is ok as long as it's not toxic shame. I've felt that toxic shame that made me hate myself. So now I do good just avoid my own self hatred...not necessarily because it's wrong!! I can either save my own ass or destroy myself.

    I was just thinking how my ex has changed over the years..we dated in high school. He was so sweet and there was no way I could have said at that time he was a sociopath in the making. He should have gone to school instead of messing around with motorcycles. Shit for brains. He could have been an artist/photographer.

    Grace

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  63. Whats the big deal with the stealing 'fessin? Isn't there enough boy scout badges already? Even if I did steal why would I want to share the sordid details here? Sure I've stolen, been caught once and had stuff stolen from me. I don't see how that makes me anything radically more or less than what I already am. Oops looks like I just confessed. Do I get the badge?

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  64. What is your version of guilt? What does it feel like, to you?

    So, you haven't felt shame for not following the rules for its own sake since you were a teeny bopper?

    Is all this past tense for you? Guilt and shame, I mean. Like something you've outgrown?

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  65. Grace, doesn't feeling shame and wishing to avoid it imply that you do in fact believe in right and wrong?

    I suspect all shame is ultimately toxic...

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  66. No, I still feel shame. It's more like a "I fucked up and now this is going to affect my future prospects" kind of shame. Self-serving and narcissistic. Reputation and all that. Getting arrested a couple of times doesn't make me feel any shame, because I don't think I'm ever going to apply for a government position.

    I also feel shame, I think, when I feel that I have not lived up to my own expectations, abilities, and potential, but this has nothing to do with the external world. This type of shame is starting to disappear quickly, though.

    I don't ever get that feeling in my bones that I did something wrong against God or the universe or my soul or Jesus or the good of mankind or my neighbor or some shit like that. Does anyone, really?

    We had a guilt vs. shame vs. regret vs. remorse discussion here a few weeks back. Hard to discuss without clear and agreed-upon definitions.

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  67. I don't think I'm any different than when I was a tot. I'm just more aware of the processing that goes on. I haven't "grown out" of anything.

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  68. Yes it does. I just wish it would kick in sooner than later and stop me before I do something stupid or that I will regret. I think I'm just a late bloomer as they say. And I've changed since the experience with ex. I almost feel that my personality has changed and I've become conflicted about myself. I don't think it's a bad thing I just want to feel the freedom of it all. I don't feel that yet. I've had to deal with him for the past few weeks, after not for months, and it triggered anger again. I feel like I could use some shock treatment to forget this dude.

    You know he said to me, in a text of course, "I still care for you"..he just wants to keep me off balance. That's what I suspect..he can't even mean that.

    Grace

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  69. I am pursuing a career as a scientist. I think the emotional detachment from the results will really help.

    Since people are talking about stealing, ive stolen $1000 worth of goods at least, but never from work. And I don't care. It's not really justifiable, I just didn't value the good to be worth my money. Or I was feeling klepto. It comes and goes.

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  70. Grace.

    Anger = Fear = Prison.

    Anger is about the self, or the threat of the loss of it, though I know it sure doesn't seem like it.

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  71. I think having conflicting views is a good thing, personally. Nothing like having a different perspective in the same head. Some people call it crazy. I call it practical.

    There are parts of me that go in mental benders for some pretty weird ... stuff. Maybe it was all that Debate practice and getting used to being different people on the spot. I can't help but see validity and weakness from almost any angle.

    Just look at it this way Grace, you have the luxury of life without severe blinders.

    As far as the text, tough call. I still have ... something, for an ex of mine. Pardon the e-Blush. I care for her, but not in the romantic way, though I do miss those endeavors. Sort of like, she imprinted something onto me that none of the other women have, and I can't fully shake it. Would I take her back? An tougher question.

    I've contemplated texting/calling her to tell her, but frankly there's no reason to. It won't go anywhere, and she's a pretty horrible person. And that's coming from me. HA!

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  72. I can't help but see validity and weakness from almost any angle.

    I've always been the same way. It's caused me to have no real opinions about anything, really. My sister is the same way, but she's an empath to the nth degree. My entire family is probably the same.

    It helps, though, to decide to have an opinion, even if only temporarily, if you want to ever get things done or have any focus in life.

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  73. Daniel, I want to add one more thing.

    That guilty feeling in the bones, I think, that almost physical sensation of a tense chill/heat, that some call innate guilt or moral sense, is just unprocessed information.

    Step away from the attachment to that feeling, and really look at it, and any sense of quasi-guilt goes away.

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  74. Interesting. It's caused me to be quite opinionated, yet, conflicted.

    It can often make me seem contradictory, partly because I am. What I don't understand is why that is supposed to be a bad thing. What's actually wrong about it? Is it actually irrational to side with both sides of the coin, and simultaneously attack them? Or, is it overly rational, and oddly inhuman? Or something completely different?

    I'm not sure. I know what the social norms dictate, but on a logical and philosophical level, I'm a bit torn.

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  75. People think that working in a science field will give them freedom to be on their own. It's not really like that unless you're a genius doing some great work. There is so much politics involved and working with other scientists can suck because they think they know more than everyone else. It's actually funny to watch this stuff go on…battle out who knows more. Scientists are very sensitive people and if their toes get stepped on they will take it out on other people. Not to mention how the Americans get pissed off when they see scientists from other countries come over here to work….come on..their math abilities make us Americans look like second graders. That’s my experience anyway and I work on a big campus in a large city so I see it.

    you're right Medusa. I just want to get rid of it but I'm struggling.

    Grace

    G

    G

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  76. on shame

    i feel humiliation and embaressment but i don't really know what shame is and i've done things that would conventionally warrant that label.

    if there is such a thing as shame, then either i am emotionally numb to it, or i rationalise my actions enough that i don't connect with it.
    and i'm an empath (to the nth degree as medusa says)

    btw i don't believe in right and wrong, which is probably part and parcel of why i don't recognise shame. i 'know' what i am, where i've come from. i think one place shame CAN come from is uncertainty of self, when you are torn between your innate self and the judgements of the world,(but that's just the more obvious one).

    my nearest approximation to a 'doing the right thing' system simply involves whether something makes me feel good, or not.

    i'd say the closest i'd come to shame would be when i feel like i've let myself down, but i don't ever legitimise external judgements by believing them.

    i've lived a life where i've witnessed such hypocricy and intellectual dishonesty that i simply couldn't care to consciously internalise the judgements of others. emotionally, a few may slip in, but as long as my head is still on, i'll know better.

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  77. i think one place shame CAN come from is uncertainty of self, when you are torn between your innate self and the judgements of the world

    Yeah, pretty much.

    Also, I'd just like to point out that think we are all using the words "shame" and "guilt" interchangeably here in this context.

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  78. He doesn't mean it Notable. He just wanted to throw that in their to give me false hope. He's just trying to remote control me even though he has no intentions of ever being with me again. I said good bye to him and he wouldn't even respond to with a good bye...nothing he just ignores me. My girlfriend says he's one of those creeps who can't say good bye because he doesn't want to ever part with me like that..like a creepy sort of thing..you know like when a serial killer keeps a momentum. Too funny.

    Grace

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  79. According to cultural anthropologist Ruth Benedict, shame is a violation of cultural or social values while guilt feelings arise from violations of one's internal values. Thus, it is possible to feel ashamed of thought or behavior that no one knows about and to feel guilty about actions that gain the approval of others.

    More Here

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  80. Hm, but how do you know? I'm sure if I did the same, my ex would guess probably what you're guessing, though probably more surprised than anything else...

    I'm not saying he isn't a bastard or a creep, but how do either of those factors relate to whether or not he cares about you?

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  81. 'It can often make me seem contradictory, partly because I am. What I don't understand is why that is supposed to be a bad thing. What's actually wrong about it? Is it actually irrational to side with both sides of the coin, and simultaneously attack them? Or, is it overly rational, and oddly inhuman? Or something completely different?'

    i'll be honest, i used to hate that. i sensed even from a very young age that there was an emotional disconnect in these types of minds. that they were fighting simply for its own sake. i saw that through this circular, (i'll use your handy words here) 'overly rational' approach there was never a powerful enough desire to reach a solution. ie. arguing for it's own sake. dare i say, souless? i'm just trying to illustrate my point.

    i've lightened up significantly about it now.

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  82. "According to cultural anthropologist Ruth Benedict, shame is a violation of cultural or social values while guilt feelings arise from violations of one's internal values. Thus, it is possible to feel ashamed of thought or behavior that no one knows about and to feel guilty about actions that gain the approval of others."

    That works for me.

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  83. yes thanks for that clarification.

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  84. Aw, yes, the soulless arguer. That'd be me without using proper masks and filters. I got a lot of crap for that until I became slightly more mature, and even struggle with it today.

    It's one of those issues where I'll either side or attack on the drop of a hat, just, because? I might actually be more convinced by one more than the other, but it isn't necessary. What is necessary is having fun.

    The more outlandish the challenge, the better. I sometimes forget that people invest emotions in the issues at hand, and can get carried away.

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  85. Though I haven't been ashamed of my own thoughts for quite a while now.

    How can one violate oneself? Doesn't make sense. Because if you've violated yourself, then your internal values have changed, therefore there is no use or purpose in feeling guilt, unless it goes against what you wish to accomplish in the external world.

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  86. I was surprised too Notable. And that's what he wanted me to be.

    I know his game. If he's crying wolf then too bad. He isn't putting himself out there enough for me to think anything other than what I said. If he cared he would make it a point to text me back and say good bye or communicate something. He just said enough to bait me...but not real(pull) me in. That's what I think. Who knows for sure:)

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  87. The classic "violating your values" scenarios are on TV quite often. You can see the disgust and self-loathing on their faces and body language, and sometimes dialog. It's not changing your values, it's crossing that apparent line, dipping your toe in the forbidden waters, peaking through the keyhole of that which you promised you never would.

    The key is that is is temporary. If it wasn't, then it would necessitate a change in values.

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  88. About conflicts and "internal rules". I like the conflicted roles and perpectives from Ukan's story about him putting the fear into the friendly girl. Waddya know the story even had a message moment;
    "I told her that her so called friends were worthless if they expect her to risk her life to give them discounts. I told her to watch how they will react when she tells them she's under new management and can't cut them breaks anymore. As weeks went by she lost a lot of friends, but made a lot more money."

    Yeah that, with the fastidious shifting and rooting for amoral consistensies among the personal anectodes here, like grasping for little gold nuggets of character intrigues me. What are you looking for?

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  89. Thanks Medusa..it's easy to get them confused.

    Grace

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  90. The key is that is is temporary. If it wasn't, then it would necessitate a change in values.

    Makes sense.

    And Gag, quit taking everything so seriously~!

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  91. Like I said in my previous post, confidential informants can make millions of dollars, are immune from prosecution, and have almost limitless privileges and powers when in pursuit of a target. Spies are even more powerful than informants as some spies have a license to kill.

    That being said, I personally can't stand informants in my life. I don't think anybody likes informants, but informants are well protected and well paid. It's the type of career that favors sociopaths because if you have remorse, empathy, or anything like that you probably wont be able to betray people as a profession.

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  92. medusa

    'How can one violate oneself? Doesn't make sense. Because if you've violated yourself, then your internal values have changed, therefore there is no use or purpose in feeling guilt, unless it goes against what you wish to accomplish in the external world.'

    i was gonna say something along those lines before. i see my life as linear, i move forward and the past remains there, with all that it entails.
    everything within me is being built upon and dismantled, so lol, why feel guilt?

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  93. Savagelight, I'm not sure why you have such a raging... affinity for the CI gig, but let me break it down for you.

    In order to feel pangs of guilt for betraying someone, rationally at least, you'd have to care about them. If they're your mates for years running, I can see the guilt/remorse, but if it's a fresh or rotating crew, and you know you're going to stick a dagger in their back, why get attached?

    In that sense, it's not so different from an undercover cop. When they let themselves get emotionally attached is when things start going to shit. You don't need a lack of a conscience to be a double-dealing back-stabbing SOB, you just have to be ruthless and detached.

    In those regards, a 'path will have an edge, but you certainly don't have to be one to know those joys.

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  94. notable

    'I know what the social norms dictate, but on a logical and philosophical level, I'm a bit torn.'

    what do you mean by this?

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  95. I can only imagine what you're like when you're out to dinner, Notable.~

    It's all well and good to argue both sides internally, but externally you have to pick a side and run with it. If you switch sides later, that's fine, too. The important thing is living it.

    When I have to play a new person, I live the lie to my very bones. I have groups of associates across the country (and a few on UKan's lovely island), and if they ever met one another they'd likely be unable to reconcile the different personas. Hell, the language barrier alone would wreck a few of them.

    On Grace's commentary on the politics of the scientific community: I'm with you, sister. Try to get a paper published that doesn't jive with established opinions on mathematics. Not. Gonna. Happen.

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  96. What part are you unclear about?

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  97. It's all well and good to argue both sides internally, but externally you have to pick a side and run with it. If you switch sides later, that's fine, too. The important thing is living it.

    When I have to play a new person, I live the lie to my very bones.


    That's what I learned to do, eventually. I've found being constantly ambiguous to be detrimental to my image. If I decide to change it up, I've usually got a valid reason to explain, and do my best to seem like I feel swayed.

    and if they ever met one another they'd likely be unable to reconcile the different personas

    Ditto.

    I also feel that left unchecked, this can cause self-deceit.

    I've heard people ask about how a sociopath can believe their own lies, and I only have my own experience to relate. If I don't feel it to the bones, I risk not seeming genuine. The more conviction I play, the more I find myself vulnerable to actually believing it.

    I started dabbling with that sort of behavior to become a more convincing liar, and thanks to the spottiness of memory, once in a while I create my own gaps and blind spots. I tell myself a lie so many times that I start to forget it was a lie to being with, and then I own that lie as my own.

    I've since stopped such behavior. Lying by omission is easier, safer, and more natural. It isn't always an appropriate approach to deception, but it fits the bill, usually.

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  98. ~yawn~

    No wonder you're no fun. Lying by omission is no lie at all.

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  99. on the 'logical and philosophical level, i'm a bit torn.'

    that bit.

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  100. Traditional lying is perfectly fun, and fine, but spotty. You have to remember all those lies you weave.

    @notme: Basically meaning, if I can understand the various pros and cons of each subject and angle, why should I be obliged to pick a specific one?

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  101. I don't have to remember lies. I just invent new truths. You act like it's difficult.~

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  102. 'I don't have to remember lies. I just invent new truths. You act like it's difficult'

    lol. i wish i'd known about you people when i was a child. would have made life a lot easier for me.

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  103. Must the two be mutually exclusive? Not in my eyes.

    Speaking of lies, do you suspect Tim Roth's Cal Lightman to be a Sociopath or Narcissist (NPD)? I think he might be a sociopath with a bit of a Batman syndrome.

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  104. He's neither. He's a fictional character.~

    He's ex-spec ops, for fuck's sake. Just because someone can get something done without navel-gazing all day doesn't make them pathological.

    Internalize all of Paul Ekman's work and tell me it doesn't make you think differently.

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  105. That doesn't actually answer the question. Good explanations for his behavior, though.

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  106. yeah, they aren't mutually exclusive.

    i have mixed feelings, but i know what they are at least. lol.

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  107. "He's neither" doesn't answer the question sufficiently?

    Fine, I suspect him of neither. It's a false dichotomy.

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  108. Well, to be fair, you put it in the same line as your (~) and then went on a rant of sorts.

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  109. Are you talking about Lie to me?

    Is that show worth watching?

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  110. who's that old man (photo) on your page postmoderm?

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  111. The first season, at least. After that it's a Tim Roth roller coaster, so if you like Tim Roth, you'll enjoy it.

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  112. I like it. The science is a presented in a more wishy-washy, glamorized way than I'd like, but it's quite watchable. And I do so love Tim Roth.

    Captcha was "hottly". lol

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  113. lol i mispelled your name. you're gonna love me for that.

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  114. Postmodern Sociopath said...
    I can only imagine what you're like when you're out to dinner, Notable.~

    Hil. Ari. Ous.

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  115. ~takes a bow~

    Glad I got a rise out of someone

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  116. PostModem

    post-modernism is so passé

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  117. or even postmortem. They both work.

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  119. @Grace & Medusa: thank you ladies for indulging me last night. Wait… that sounded… naughty…

    Seriously though, I have a fascination with the complex emotions of guilt/shame/remorse. I say complex because it involves a variety of factors, all of which escapes me on a visceral level.

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  120. To give some more concrete examples: non-lawyers often remark on how they can't imagine defending someone guilty of murder, fearing they might get them off. While I appreciate the moral and societal implications of clearing guilty criminals, it's clearly not something I struggle with emotionally.

    This isn't solely a question of emotional entropy. There is a practical side to refraining from defending dangerous criminals, and that is for self preservation and the obvious sense of power from knowing you've sent someone to prison for life or aided in sentencing them to death.

    Law school pumps out just as many prosecutors as it does defense lawyers. Being a D.A. can be just as satisfying.

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  121. @TheNotablePath

    "Savagelight, I'm not sure why you have such a raging... affinity for the CI gig,"

    It's not the CI gig that I'm talking about. All gangs, all networks, all military and paramilitary organizations, all mafias (at least the successful ones), and all corporations, have informants/spies. If you read the art of war it says keep your friends close and your enemies closer which means get intelligence on your enemies.

    If I'm running a corporation and you work at a rival corporation you can expect that my corporation would gather intelligence on your corporation. Since all corporations have the need for people to play the role of spy and befriend members of the other corporation and pass the information back home, is it wrong to predict that the sociopaths in a group are more likely to be the ones who will inform on you, or if you ae a corporation and you need to find people willing to inform for your side is it unreasonable to expect the sociopath of the group to want to work for both sides?

    Loyalty is love. If you don't have love for anyone then loyalty is about making money. You are loyal to whoever is paying you more.

    When I mention the spy or intelligence profession people assumed I was talking about just police officer and law enforcement. I was also talking about CIA, or corporate intelligence.

    "why get attached?"

    It's not a matter of attachment. People feel guilt about destroying lives and families. You can be detached but it does not mean you want to leave a family fatherless. Maybe you grew up without a father? I'm not saying it's something an empath cannot be trained to do, I'm saying an empath would have to be trained to do it while a sociopath would be able to do it on natural talent.


    "In that sense, it's not so different from an undercover cop.."

    An undercover cop has a real family and identity. An informant or spy does not necessarily have a real family. If you are in the mafia and the mafia is the only family you ever knew, and you betray that family, the cops aren't going to be your family, you just don't have a family anymore and you have to give that all up while you hide on in witness protection for years. But you do get many disposable identities which help create elaborate masks, you do get money to do what comes natural.

    The cop on the other hand always was loyal to the police fraternity and never really loses the respect of his family. The cop maintains the family he always had because people still trust the cop. The cop might be undercover but if the undercover cop isn't a dirty cop people might still trust her, but if shes dirty then she could be an informant for the mafia or worse working with the mafia and pretending to be a cop.

    So basically people trust individuals who pick a side and stick to it. If you pick a family and stick to that family, people respect and trust you more than if you go from one family to the next informing on them while pretending you love them.

    An empath could do anything a sociopath could do, but sociopaths have natural talents that empaths would not have and being a spy I predict would come easier and be more natural for sociopaths. An empath would have to be threatened significantly to switch sides. A sociopath would switch sides if there were enough incentives on the other side, and being immune to ever going to prison and being able to make millions and have disposable identities would seem to be the dream of many sociopaths.

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  122. I'm glad you were satisfied Daniel.

    Good luck Postmodern..that's a tough one. Are you a Good Will Hunting in the making? Great movie.

    Grace

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  123. No Aerianne they don't. That's why he hasn't responded to me with a good bye. He's never said good bye to me..not even months ago when he dumped me. He just filled in the lines with all kinds of other crap..one was because I don't eat meat.."you don't eat meat and that's a problem"..lol. If he said fuck off bitch or good bye Grace..he would have meant good bye.

    Never think all is lost? That's a catch right there!!

    Grace

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  124. The key to good lying/lie is not to lie, rather make it reality to yourself, believe in the lie yourself, as long as you think it as a lie, you will be giving out dishonest signals and thats when you get caught.

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  125. Never think all is lost....funny because I used that very line before.

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  126. UKan, maybe you, or one of the others, should write a book for fledgling socios and have that be the title.

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  127. Kinda wishing my ex would come around again just for fun.

    I think he knows I'm too smart for him, though. Bah.

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  129. Yeah, that's what I'm concerned with, too, Medusa - My fun.

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  130. I just saw a picture of my ex on facebook. YUK. Wtf..I think my experience with him has caused my nervous system to send fucked up signals to my eyeballs. He can't be that ugly. It must be some kind of defense mechanism of mine that has gone bio. How can someone who looks like that be so good in bed? My God. I always end up going back to that question more than any other. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE? Not that looks are everything cause I know better.

    Grace

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  131. Maybe, you just figured out one the ways in which love is blind, Grace ;)

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  132. Yes, well written and well seen (M.E.). Good advice too.

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  133. In recent years I've seriously considered becoming a con artist, as I'd think many socios with my penchant for conscious, willful manipulation do at one point or another...it's easy money, and a fascinating profession, long as you're good at it and you follow the Eleventh Commandment verbatim literatum: "Thou shalt not get caught." ;)

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  134. kak skachat huitu? [url=http://associatcs.ru]FHDSGHiufd[/url]

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  135. I am a university professor, I have an MD, PsyD and a PhD. I do not harm or manipulate my students in any way in fact I am one of the top rated professors in my faculty. If anyone is thinking about sex with students... I have no interest in sex at all. I am married and have two children, I would never hurt or do anything unpleasant to my wife or children and I only want the best for them.

    I do not lie in general with the exception of covering past lies.

    I think the majority of people in the world are insane and delusional as well as inferior especially if they are religious, believe in a god or gods or have an IQ under 120.

    I am anti-social and could not really care what happens in the world unless it directly has an impact on my family or I directly.

    I am an American by birth however; I have lived in Asia for the past 15 years because I fit in much better here especially with my lack of empathy.

    I do not drink, smoke or eat meat not for moral reasons but because it is better for my health. I do not like people and I do not like to socialize nor do I like attention. If you offer me an award I would rather stay home and watch TV.

    I am a psychopath and there is no treatment or cure but I do the best I can. I do not wish harm or ill will to others and I am of the opinion of "live and let live" although I would vote for sterilization of low IQ people and "True Believers" as to strengthen the gene pool and for the benefit of our species overall or at least a breeding license. I do think we should put our money and intellect into green technology not to save the bunnies but to save ourselves.

    Over all I agree with 99% of what Bill Maher says...

    My point is I see nothing wrong with myself at all.

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    1. I agree with a lot of what you say, especially the breeding part, but more for economic reasons. I'm a firm believer of "If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em." I also love Bill Maher.

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  136. Whats up with all of this stuff about guilt and shame. I feel no guilt and shame and im determined to be successful with me ambitions and no one is gonna stop me. If you were really sociopaths, you wouldn't feel ashamed of anything

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  137. and you should love yourselves for who you are. Sociopathy is a personality and a blessing in my opinion, as a sociopath, anythings possible and with no empathy, there's no limits.

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  138. note that, I don't even know if I am one personally, but if I am one, I certainly love who I am

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  139. The following questionnaire is based on research and experiences of socialised sociopaths. For each trait, decide if it applies to the person you suspect may be a socialised sociopath, fully (2 points), partially (1 point) or not at all (0 points).

    1) Do they have problems sustaining stable relationships, personally and in business?

    2) Do they frequently manipulate others to achieve selfish goals, with no consideration of the effects on those manipulated?

    3) Are they cavalier about the truth, and capable of telling lies to your face?

    4) Do they have an air of self-importance, regardless of their true standing in society?

    5) Have they no apparent sense of remorse, shame or guilt?

    6) Is their charm superficial, and capable of being switched on to suit immediate ends?

    7) Are they easily bored and demand constant stimulation?

    8) Are their displays of human emotion unconvincing?

    9) Do they enjoy taking risks, and acting on reckless impulse?

    10) Are they quick to blame others for their mistakes?

    11) As teenagers, did they resent authority, play truant and/or steal?

    12) Do they have no qualms about sponging off others?

    13) Are they quick to lose their temper?

    14) Are they sexually promiscuous?

    15) Do they have a belligerent, bullying manner?

    16) Are they unrealistic about their long-term aims?

    17) Do they lack any ability to empathise with others?

    18) Would you regard them as essentially irresponsible?

    A score of 25 or above suggests strong psychopathic tendencies. This does not mean the person is a potential mass-murderer: socialised psychopaths are not mad, nor do they have to resort to violence. Even so, a close professional or emotional relationship with a socialised psychopath is likely to prove a damaging experience.

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  140. "I hate working in general. I like to come up with ideas and have other people do them. Whenever I have done legitimate things I did very well for the first half of the year."

    This describes me so accurately it scares me.

    I get bored extremely easily. In college, I went through four majors in three semesters. I was a high honors student in High School, that was engaged in a number of extracurricular activities (none for longer than a year, but always either left or got kicked out for screwing around all the time), and I gained instate scholarship at an out of state university. However, I pretty much pissed away my freshman year of college. My 2.0 GPA wasn't due to a failure to understand the content I was being taught, but I lacked interest in my classes entirely. I got arrested twice, got caught drinking in the dorms on multiple occasions, and ended my second semester on academic and disciplinary probation. My parents weren't very happy with my performance, so they shipped me back home to attend community college.

    During that time, I entertained ideas of being a lawyer, an investigative journalist (I loved how powerful the media could be when presented properly) , a forensic psychologist, a criminologist, a police detective, an air force pilot, an athletic trainer, or a government agent. Like you, ME, I loved the idea in working in high government agencies like the NSA and CIA, but the red tape would kill me. Lawyer was a favorite idea, but I wasn't really into the study of law enough for me to devote another six years of my life towards it, same with journalism. I always had a problem with how higher education was basically giving you a $50,000+ slip of paper that did not give you any real job experience and a chance of employment certainly not high enough to justify the money that had been spent. To me, work is work. As long as I make enough to live comfortably, be mainly self-employed, and move up I'm fine with anything.

    So by the end of my third semester, I dropped out of college, much to the disproval of my family (my parents immediately kicked me out of the house to the curb, with the usual guilt trip about how much they'd done for me, that they'd never seen anything like this from my brother, what a disgrace and little failure I was.....)

    One of the jobs I held for the longest though was as an after school caretaker at a private elementary school. It was me, a college freshman, and two high school seniors that basically babysat any kids left there after 3PM. I was the unofficial manager of the four of us. Surprisingly, I was very talented with children, even, if not especially, the troublemakers. One of the other counselors would complain of not being able to discipline a kid or get them to listen. But when I started talking, they all shut up. When I told a kid to sit out, that kid sat his ass on the sideline and stayed there. However, I always had a little pack of kids that would follow me around everywhere and the disciplinary problems, as they were, were usually the ones who liked me the most. Maybe they know one of their own when they see it.

    I ended up in cosmetology. It appealed to me because it was a skill I could take with me anywhere, I like working with my hands on something tangible, and I can make my own schedule and be my own boss. Plus I only had to be in school for 12 months and I could spend my class time actually doing something rather than just listen to someone talk all day. Added bonus, I get to listen to my clients yammer on about their personal lives for my own amusement.

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  141. Law professor is the perfect job for a sociopath. Author Amy Chua
    is a Harvard law professor who wrote the book "Tiger Moms" a few
    years ago. The racist premise of the book was that Chinese moms
    are better because they are more disciplined. She has now come out
    with a book titled "Triple Threat." The absurd and equally racist
    premise is that certain races suceed because of their "exclusive"
    qualities. Asians and Jews, of course.
    Being an exhaulted "Law Professor" allows sociopathic gals to function
    at their highest hauty levels.
    When are YOU coming out with your follow-up book, M.E.?

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  142. Working in business has been working pretty well as well as being able to jump from degree to degree has been works good too!

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  143. I think lawyer is a good choice. Someone with no emotion would be good at looking at all the angles without any attachment. But I'm sure there are other skills that are necessary, such as being a good writer and reading a lot.

    I'm surprised that no one suggested being an actor. There is so much talk here about wearing different masks. It's also not a 9-5 job. But maybe having to portray genuine emotion would be a stumbling block at some point.

    MelissaR

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  144. Heh had to laugh at the pic.

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  145. I wonder if the psych eval involved taking the mmpi. As far as I know, it can't be manipulated. It asks odd questions like "Do you like flowers?". Apparently researchers found correlations with a lot of these things, like people with schizophrenia for some reason really like flowers.

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  146. Selling balonies to idiots, especially those who crave it, is a very enjoyable career too!

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  147. I would suggest maybe starting your own business, whatever kind of business that may be. Actually I think it would be best to have as many sources of income available. Like making art is a good one because it helps you develop your creativity, plus by pricing, you learn how to value yourself and how to get people to value you. Friends and their skillsets help, like the more connections you have the better. But prettymuch anything is possible, once you can figure out how to do it.

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    1. Carlos, I do have my own business, and I am really good in pricing. And I don’t think, you are that naïve to come here to develop your friendship skills.(!!!, or maybe you are) I think. You came here to eat balonies, so I fed you guys- fair deal. Do I need you? No, Do I care about your opinion? No
      You seem the type who likes to violate others privacy. I value myself, my family and those who I have “GENUINE” relationship with, for your types –nosy ones- I have plenty of balonies.

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    2. I think you read into things too much. I just have ideas. Thought I'd throw them out them. Trust/mistrust, its your choice.

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    3. TBH, my I'm only interested in freedom. Yes I feel stuck with you people. And im trying to do what I can okay?

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    4. L’ chaim Dr. Ginger. I suggest a Passover- all get out of here. I am done with my lemonade stand too.

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    5. Stay. she will celebrate the passover with you(give it time). where shall we go if we run out of drink. we need our lemonade stand to be up and running and to be 'well'. we should all bake a fresh batch of cookies together and have yr freshly squeezed lemonade drink poured for all of us. x hugs.

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    6. i apologize if i was a bit harsh on you last post. we need the lemonade stand still.

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    7. What Carlos said makes lots of sense. Everyone's opinions, skills and ideas do matter. Just like yours annomynous.

      Delete
    8. Hi Super chick, don’t worry about your last few posts, I didn’t see them. Also, I don’t like people who get insulted easily. So, feel free to speak your mind, If I see it, I respond. I don’t get offended over them.

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    9. And I like your name “Super Chick”,I am a little ambiguous as an "anon". I can’t even find my own entries. May be I figure out how to register. I should have done it long time ago! But I am here like a cat standing in the doorway- very indecisive! Nice seeing you here.

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    10. nice seeing you here also. :)

      Delete
  148. I wonder if ME goes to libraries?

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    1. She said she avoids government properties to avoid arrest..

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    2. federal properties? or state/town also?

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  149. One off topic question; how to people with paranoid personality disorder work around those with antisocial personality disorder(sociopaths)? I guess that would be a potent mix. What if the one with PPD also has traits of socioapathy, and meets a clear cut sociopath in the work place or social arena? ME. Tell us. You guys out there; tell me.

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  150. Being a police officer suits my sociopathic self to a tee. The power and authority, the use of tactical options (weapons) and the ability to exercise a certain amount of controlled violence is particularly satisfying. Dispensing summary justice on a crook at the point of arrest is part of the fun. But as noted in the article I hate to be micromanaged and dictated to. Whilst I will indulge in a certain level of office politics I despise the boredom, bureaucracy and pettiness of managers, so i'll never climb to high office. I'm a Senior Constable and the 2nd in charge on a general patrol team in a metropolitan city. I relieve as SGT for periods of time, but that rank and above holds no appeal. Too much having to tow the corporate line, paper work, audits and being accountable for others. I only want to be responsible for me. As a Senior Connie I have a huge amount of independence and discretion and I'm largely left alone to my own devices. The shift work pattern is also entertaining, I love night shift as it accentuates my darker character as the city transforms to more of a Gotham City feel.

    Many years ago I worked in hospitality but grew tired of having to be so damn happy and nice all the time, it was a drag. I've been a Police officer for over 12 years, and if I'm having a bad day I get to take that out on others, which in turn makes me feel better. >:-)

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    1. All I am seeing is Home Sweet Home. Australian police force is different from what I can assume, that you're American.

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    2. Nope, very much an Aussie and an Aussie Police Officer at that.

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  151. I worry about sociopaths who choose to go into the helping professions. First, they have to continually fake empathy. Second, they are under the constant expectation that "good people care about feelings above all". It seems exhausting.

    To me the best job fit is a situation where you don't have to wear a mask.

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  152. Christopher Dolan.

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  153. I'm surprised no one mentioned journalism. I agree about trial lawyers. They always seemed the slimiest people to me. But journalists are like an experiment where god wanted to find out what would happen if he combined massive egos with a tiny brains. I think many psychopaths or sociopaths would do great in mainstream journalism because much of it is about telling people what they want to hear while manipulating them.They can bullshit people and when caught in a bullshit or out right lie, will unflinchingly bullshit some more to cover it up. That's amazing to me that there are people that can do this (I can't seem to). It's a skill well-suited for the sociopath/psychopath. There's also lot's of self promotion going on among journalists because modern American style journalism requires "inside sources" which requires a certain ability to form superficial social relationships.

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  154. The following careers are what I am drawn too -

    Neuroscience
    Forensic pathology/blood spatter
    Psychiatry
    Special Forces
    Fighter Pilot (who wouldn't)

    Special forces is something I can truly apply myself too, thus my unparalleled choice. All the rest I treat as a hobby, intellectually stimulating.

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  155. one has to respect the hustle.

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