Explaining the sociopath

Let's compare sociopathic types and ask ourselves what, if anything, they share in common? How deeply related, deeply connected, is their sociopathy? Are they close cousins, blood brothers or, perhaps, brothers altogether of a different species? Let's compare the classic, mythical sociopath, the serial killer—whose violent predations have been widely documented, if not sensationalized, in the media—with the arguably less glamorous, more insidious sociopathic type, the scamming telemarketing sociopath who fleeces senior citizens of their assets? What do these personalities have in common and where, perhaps, do we find divergences between them? Let's begin with what we might argue the …

The serial killer and the scam telemarketer? Cousins? Or brothers of a different species?Read More

The connection between love and politics—that was the topic of commentary in yesterday's paper written by Gregory Rodriguez, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. The article, Love and politics in a cynical age, got me thinking about the consistency of behavior. Rodriguez summarized how Americans have come to view the private lives and public lives of the people we elect to represent us. He wrote: The truth is that we don't generally associate politics or politicians with happy marriages and deep romance, let alone fidelity. The constant revelation of scandals and peccadilloes in the halls of power have trained us to expect the worst of those—particularly the men—we elect to shepherd and …

Private behavior and the public goodRead More

When looking for love, 20 million Americans look on Internet dating sites. Now, companies offer quick and easy background checks, although some experts worry about their effectiveness. Read New online-date detectives can unmask Mr. or Ms. Wrong, on NYTimes.com. …

Background checks for online datersRead More

When individuals are jealous-fueled, what is happening? One thing that's happening is that they are often looking for rage, looking to rage, in all the wrong places. So this is important to establish up-front: The jealous-laden individual is using his jealousy as a basis to unleash his stewing rage. He is using jealousy as a means to feel rage; to feel outrage; to feel, somehow, self-righteously betrayed; and finally, to justify (through his jealousy) his pursuit of these feelings. Thus, he is looking, contriving, convincing himself that the basis of his fury is legitimately, suspiciously, here”¦or there!!”¦or there!!”¦or here!!”¦or over there!! Regardless, he will find the basis for …

Looking For Rage In All The Wrong PlacesRead More

Woman meets guy online. Woman decides guy is not for her. Guy doesn't want to hear it. Guy wants wants to meet her RIGHT NOW to hug her neck. Woman doesn't respond. Guy promises the greatest love ever. Woman tells guy to STOP. Guy ramps up the attention. Read the entire audacious interaction, complete with the guy saying it was all a joke, at womenexplode.com. …

A guy who can’t take ‘no’ for an answerRead More

People who have a particular gene, scientists have found, are more likely to cheat on a romantic partner. Read The love-cheat gene: One in four born to be unfaithful, claim scientists on DailyMail.co.uk. Link supplied by a Lovefraud reader. …

Genetically prone to cheatingRead More

It's disconcerting, no question about it, working with someone who's antisocial, with real sociopathic qualities (forgetting, again, for the moment, the hell of living with such an individual). Recently, I'm struck again, in my work with a client I'll call Howard, by the brew of certain qualities, certain attitudes, certain defenses that strike me as forming a rather sociopathic orientation. Howard is 19. He understands the suffering he's causing others in his life: he can “talk the talk,” meaning that he “gets it” on a cognitive level. He can say, for instance, quite accurately, what he's doing, why it's wrong, that it's wrong, even that he feels bad about it. How badly he really fe …

Clinically Sitting With The SociopathRead More