A Cambridge professor, Simon Baron-Cohen, has written Zero Degrees of Empathy: A new theory of human cruelty. In this review, the author explains the professor’s ideas.
Read Why a lack of empathy is the root of all evil, on Independent.co.uk.
Link supplied by a Lovefraud reader.
Skylar I like the infant analogy.
Wow,
I’m convinced now more than ever that my ex’s youngest child, 9, will follow in her father’s footsteps. I am sure she has enjoyed watching the suffering of others. And with three older siblings, she is a master. She is already able to manipulate like no other. And I’ve watched her sneak around, lie, tattle tale about everything and sucker her dad into believing her older brother picks on her. At the time, I thought it was strange behavior because I was new to the unit.
Now I just think it is incredible how it all was unfolding right before my very eyes and I saw nothing.
In the end, I said something to him that I thought one of his children is growing up to be a monster just like him. I didn’t say which one, but I warned him that he was growing another one. But now that I’ve discovered this site, I’m thinking possibly two of his children have tendencies.
When we were together, sometimes he would make comments about how she was ‘just like her dad.’ I took it to mean in the good ways – talented, smart, athletic, good looking.
By the way, this place more than anything else has helped me on my way to feeling heeled – edited to healed. (Healing after a Heel – funny play on words.)
Thank you to all of you for everything.
OB, mental illness and addiction are genetic traits! Be happy you didnt have any with him. My ex has a daughter who he disrespected and another on the way. I feel bad for their mothers and whoever has to encounter them.
Onebeliever.
My ex’s son is spittin spath. It’s disgusting. Teaching him to be just like him.
I’m sure new gf is off in lala land about spath right now, and hasn’t gotten what the kid is just yet, but I saw that cold, nasty look in his eyes and he’s VERY infantile in his behavior and SPOILED ROTTEN.
It’s not good for that kid. Not good.
Far,
I have six children with my ex P spouse. One daughter has N traits and my youngest son I suspect is spath. I’m not sure yet, but I’m on the dusty trail trying to find out. It wasn’t until I came here that I realized that genetics played a part.
Be glad you didn’t have kids with him. It’s hell.
LL
Wow, and sad part is its incurable. However, I dont know how strong your Faith is or what you believe in but I don believe in the power of prayer. I still believe that children are innocent and they dont ask to be here. Pray and ask God to deliver your children and remove thse evil spirits because thats what mental illnesses are to me simply evil spirits. Its funny I was a psych pre med student in college before I switched to mass comm. Kind of funny having to use what I have learned and apply my knowledge and assess my own ex lover.
Hi Ox Drover,
First . . I’ve got to say . . . I love your posts.
Regarding Empathy & Compassion….Psychopaths that are “successfully” sadistic, most definitely feel what victim feels (emotionally and intellectually). But, their need to DOMINATE/CONTROL/TORTURE their victim supercedes everything!
They have tons of EMPATHY…but “NO COMPASSION”, i.e., They don’t care! Not only do they NOT CARE that the victim feels bad, they go further and relish the pain they’ve inflicted, as a testament to their POWER, DOMINANCE, SUCCESS & WINNING in their efforts (as some of the posts about sadistic psychopaths verify).
Far,
I have lots of faith. I pray a lot, but so far, prayer has not saved any of the spaths in my life and I come from a long line of them. I’m more mindful now of the ability for choice and spaths do have that ability as well as free will. It was that malignant belief that God would change my ex P hubby as well as last spath that kept me there far longer than I otherwise might have had i believed that evil does exist and it can manifest as a human being.
Psych pre med student? Wow. That was to be my major change before I had to drop out of school to deal with the ending of my relationship with spath.
LL
Far,
Excuse me just psych major not pre med too.
Sarah,
Great post! Well said! And TRUE!
LL