Psychopathy And The Role Of Experts.

I published an article yesterday but can’t see it anywhere on my blog, so in the meantime until it shows up I will post an exchange between myself and a Reader who asks some very interesting questions about the concept of psychopathy and the role that so called psychopathy experts play…

I would like your opinion on something. I’m having a bit of trouble with believing this whole ‘psychopathy diagnosis’. Why is it that the world has taken on the notion of this diagnosis without trying to objectively evaluate it?

It has to do with some changes in society where people began to put more emphasis on ‘order’ and uniformness. But just as much does it have to do with the evolution of psychology, the wish to put nature and the world on a formula, again out of a wish for more order, for a world that man could predict and mold as he saw fit. In such a world it is not surprising that people also want to control each other’s behavior.

Personally I do believe there is a distinct personality type that is different to other personality types (ASPD,BPD etc.),which has some of the features of Psychopathy. However I don’t think it is as black and white as some people suggest. I’ve met people in my life who have certain features of psychopathy, and I also wonder whether ‘psychopathy’ is subject to change.

There are indeed happening some very fundamental changes in how psychopathy is viewed right now, but it happens at the cutting edge of psychopathy research and will take a long time to catch on in the general forensic community.

That said, Hare’s musing were not wrong per se, the people he describes exist. The new – or renewal of old – findings are that there are also an even larger group of psychopaths who don’t fit the highly antisocial criteria. While psychopathy as such, as a personality type if you will, is genetically inherent in the individual from pre-birth, the antisocial components seems to come down to the old question about upbringing.

WARNING: I’m GOING TO BE A LITTLE MEAN NOW. Dr Robert Hare is full of bullshit. The man has tried to sensationalise this whole concept. He makes around $35,000 a year just because people believe the drivel that comes out of his mouth. I’m saying this all independently to my thoughts around the existence of the psychopathy diagnosis. Whether the man is right or not, he still talks a lot of bullshit. He has tried to stop people publishing work because it goes against his measure, which is food for thought.

Well, psychopaths have been sensationalized for a long time, Hare certainly did not invent that. But it’s interesting that he has tried to stop publication of work that disagrees with his own theories. You’re not thinking of Don Johnson’s ‘The Psychopathy Test’, are you? He was very hurt over the way Johnson ironicized over the whole concept. Personally I love the book and think it was fresh air in a debate that has too long been all about serial killers and movie characters, i.e.

Also I work in mental health and originally wanted to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology. Now though I am starting to question the whole profession (e.g. I don’t like the concept of depriving people of their liberty ,say for example, just because they believe they might be Jesus etc.). Does the concept of a ‘psychopath’ serve a morally cleansing purpose i.e. there is no way someone ‘normal/non-psychopathic’ could possibly commit such a heinous crime?

One word: Nazi Germany. – Or IOW, yes, normal people can very much commit such heinous crimes. All they need is to be told by an authority and be given the promise of being 100% responsibility free.

Another thing is that you can commit heinous atrocities against humans without being criminal at all. We all see it – even though we may not “see” it because it has become the norm. Where I currently live most that we know about humankind has become a parody hidden only just beneath a surface from under which most of people’s lives are revolving around mentally and economically hurting and keeping others down. It’s all about fear of seeing that they have lost their own humanity, sold their souls for a false sense of security by suspecting everything that walks and talks and pledging eternal obedience to the state. Half the population lives alone and about half the population works for this faceless state that has cleverly arranged it so that they can never be held responsible for any wrongdoing.

Anyway to sum up these are my thoughts on the topic. I could be entirely wrong, and I am quite open to adapt my beliefs if I’m presented with new evidence. I am simply contemplating the topic. Nonetheless ,whether psychopathy is a static, black and white diagnosis or not, we can’t deny the amount of money that is to be had from such a concept.

Well seen. Still, I think the question is more about how we define psychopathy than whether people like myself exist or not. But again, sensationalize anything and you can make a lot of money from it.

P.S: I hope you find some relief from the knee pain, as someone who suffers from arthritis I can empathise a little (I am in my early 20s).

Thank you. I have met several people over the years who suffered with arthritis, and I remember wondering how hurtful and limiting it must be to have such a condition. I had a neighbor once who used to come over so I could button up her blouse and jacket. I was impressed by her always apparently good spirit, though she took a lot of drugs to withstand the pain she was always ready with a smile and interested in hearing the latest news.

I don’t know if I have told you what you wanted to know, but then, I myself am also not quite without pain these days and it has a way of messing with your ability to focus. And, as we know, I have issues in that regard already, so… But don’t hesitate to ask me again if I missed something.

……….

PS. I would have posted this Reader’s text in it’s entirety, but it came up on a white background like we saw a recent article do. The text can be viewed under the article named ‘A Psychopath Begins To Tell His Story‘ in the comments section.

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