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!
Truthspeak
HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS, OXD!!!!!! A little belated, but sincere wishes for a terrific year!
HUGS!!
skylar
Wow Oxy, pretty impressive considering you’ve been recuperating most of the year. Happy belated birthday.
Truthspeak
Skylar, indeed! OxD’s been dealing with that injury (and, others) for the better part of a year!
And, OxD, no more of those personal references of being “old & fat!” You’re beautiful, and that’s the truth!
😀
kim frederick
Happy Birthday, Oxy. Hope it was a good one!!!
kim frederick
Did ya hear the one about the blondes who went out into the woods to find a Christmas tree? Well, they searched and they searched…for an entire week they searched for the perfect Christmas tree. On the eighth day, they were so tired and frustrated that they decided that they would cut down the first tree that they saw that morning whether it was PRE-LIT and bobbled with lots of bling, or not.
Ox Drover
Kimmie, cute! CUTE!!!!
Louise
Yes, Oxy…I hope you had a good birthday!!
Ox Drover
Yea, had a good country birthday, two friends came over and spent a couple of days helping us butcher a winter’s worth of meat and put it in the freezer and sent lots home with them as well (did 3 head of stock) so we all had lots of hard work but good fun as well.
Hard work is not bad when you share the task and joke as you work. We did plenty of that as well. At 66 I’m not as strong or up for as much hard physical labor as I used to be, but I did my share and am glad that this new tendon in my leg is working well. PT is kicking my butt, it should be called “Physical TORTURE” LOL but I am faithfully doing my exercises and stretches to get the leg back to working order and it is coming along pretty well. (Old folks heal slower than young ones unfortunately) but am glad to be walking again without any cane or crutch.
Thank you for your birthday wishes….hey, even the egg donor sent me a sappy birthday card…first one in 5 years! LOL ROTFLMAO Wonder if she will send me a Christmas present or card. LOL
Ox Drover
TURN ON THE NEWS,
SOME GUY JUST WENT INTO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND KILLED HIS MOM (A TEACHER) AND 18 STUDENTS AGES 5-10…as well as 6-7 adults AND ALREADY THE TALKING HEADS ARE CALLING IT AN “ACUTE PSYCHOTIC BREAK” A “MENTAL ILLNESS” before ANYTHING is known about the killer—sounds to me like it COULD be an “acute psychotic break” but it also COULD BE A PSYCHOPATHIC RAGE….
Truthspeak
OxD, I am convinced that someone, somehow, knew that this man was unhinged – a ticking timebomb. Whether or not he was “mentally ill,” someone HAD to have seen instability.
And, to murder innocent children….? My son said it, best, “If someone’s contemplating shooting up as schoolful of innocent kids, they need to start with themselves.”
Godalmighty – I can’t watch any more of the reports, right now.