According to Merriam Webster online a pet peeve is something that annoys or bothers a person very much. One of my pet peeves is people of all sorts who say that psychopathy is “fascinating” or worse even assert that it is “beneficial”. There is nothing fascinating or beneficial about a disorder that is linked to child rape and murder of innocent victims and countless ruined lives. It also bothers me that professionals who talk about psychopathy in this way are sought after by the press.
Several months ago a lovefraud reader forwarded me an article I had not seen. Nepotistic patterns of violent psychopathy: evidence for adaptation? Linda and I wrote a comment on this paper and that comment has just been published. The comment argues that psychopathy is not an adaptation but is instead a “spandrel.” The word spandrel in evolutionary psychology is analogous to the architectural term. A spandrel, (also spelled spandril or splaundrel), is The roughly triangular wall space between two adjacent arches. This space has no meaning other than it is there because of other important features.
In my opinion psychopathy as no meaning outside of selection for high mating effort (sex drive) and social dominance. Both of these confer advantage when they are found in people who are able to love and care for others. To understand why psychopathy exists we simply need to understand the advantages of sex drive and dominance. We do not have to assume human predators are somehow “superior” beings.
To read our paper visit Is psychopathy a disorder or an adaptation? Please recommend the article on your social network if you agree with the article. If you choose to comment please do so respecting the scientific nature of the discussion.
Just remember spandrel… scoundrel same difference!
Newlife43, I’ve posted that remark on numerous occasions because, unless a person has been charged with “alleged” crimes, naming someone as a perpetrator could result in ridiculous legal consequences.
My own situation is a prime example. The exspath coerced me out of nearly 300K and forged drafts from my individual account and even wrote his own signature on some of these drafts. His forgeries, alone, total over 75K, which consitutes a Federal Crime. Because he has not been charged with these “allegations,” I would face very serious legal consequences if I chose to post his legal name. I have bank copies of these forgeries. So does my attorney. So does HIS attorney. And, guess what? It is likely and probable that he will never face charges of forgery, fraud, or any legal misdeed.
So, what I posted was NOT intended to nullify anyone’s experiences, by any stretch of the imagination. My intent was to CAUTION anyone who is suffering the carnages of a sociopathic entanglement from doing something that will provide a predator a legal means to inflict even more harm.
I hope that clarifies my remark.
Brightest blessings
OxD, I’ve had to make that choice to disconnect from my eldest son. I’m not suggesting that it was any easy task, by any means. It’s more painful that disconnecting from the exspath, to be sure! But, my choice was to either disconnect and disallow the lies, thefts, forgeries, etc., OR deny the facts and enable his spath choices.
Brightest blessings
Truthy, it does hurt and I am going on the THIRD year of disconnecting from my son C for lying to me….not the first or only lie, of course, the lying, breaking agreements, etc. goes back to when he was a teenager and NEVER STOPPED….and this last time was “no big deal”—at least what he lied about, or the agreement he broke. He isn’t a psychopath, he isn’t going to burn my house or shoot me, and if I called him to come help me, he probably would, but I know that there will come other times he will LIE TO ME, and he will leave me in the lurch, or even keep his mouth shut when someone else (one of his friends) is screwing me over….and he lies to his “friends” too….so you know, he isn’t a Psychopath, but he is a complete ARSEHOLE and I have the “no arsehole rules” but I remember how I cried, how I sobbed. How it broke my heart, but I don’t hate him, I’m not afraid of him, I actually love him but I do NOT like him and I do not want a relationship with him other than he and I watching out for each other where his brother is concerned. Before his brother’s buddy tried to kill him and farked is wife he was solidly in PATRICK’S CORNER…now he feels about Patrick like I do. It all depends on (as the old saying goes) WHOSE OX IS GORED.
OxD, it’s probably the most painful step that any parent is compelled to take. And, it’s’ been the hardest decision I’ve made, bar none. Excising the exspath was far easier.
Hugs to you…
Yea, the ex BF P that I thought would rescue me from the grief of the loss of my husband was really painful when I realized what a piece of shiat he was (definitely a P) but now, there is NOTHING about him that would even upset me if I ran into him on the street, he is a NOTHING TO ME NOW…total indifference to him. With the kids I have to keep working on it, but with Patrick it is much MUCH easier since he tried to have me killed. LOL
Is everybody prepared for the end of time on dec. 21? i stocked up with a case of wine – it sure was nice meeting all you folks.
Have you ever tried Choco Vine.
It’s a chocolate wine. OMG……..it’s WONDERFUL!!
I stocked up today with it on sale…..bought 6 bottles for friends.
We’ll all be prepared for the ‘end’. LOL!
Moon, LMAO!
The skeery thing about this “prediction” is that some other cultist nuts out there are going to pull another “Heaven’s Gate” exit in anticipation of the world screeching to a halt on her axis. Oh, brother…..
Erin….oh, my….chocolate wine? Oh, my…..
Brightest blessings
EB, I have my Red Truck and Fat Basterd wine, oh and a bottle I will drink for my x its called Evil! Ok so a ”end of time party” on dec. 21 thats a friday nite around 10pm ..central standard time – byob – and we will all sing xmas carols..
Ohhhhhhh, PART-TAY TIME AT LF. I have missed our saturday night part-tays guys! I ain’t never had so much fun with my clothes on! You guys are a hoot.
I am resting now after 4 days of back breaking bone crunching hard physical labor. We butchered 3 BIG critters….had two friends to help the first two days and one came and cut meat the second day, and today and yesterday I cleaned up equipment, and finished up all that today and I am tuckered out.
Got the last load of bloody clothes and gloves in the dryer, and they can sit there till tomorrow when I have more energy. I’m done for the day today.
Not bad for a fat old woman who just turned 66 on MOnday, who as some one else’s tendon in her leg which is working pretty darn well (still going to PT a couple of times a week and FAITHFULLY doing my home program.)
BTW my dog is gonna be eating HIGH ON THE HOG on meat scraps for a WHILE!
Yea, bring on the end of the world I got enough meat to throw a HUGE BBQ.