Consider this extract from a piece by Anthony Daniels in The New Criterion:
In his essay, The Empire of the Ugly, the great Belgian Sinologist and literary essayist Simon Leys recounts the story of how, writing one day in a café, a small incident gave him an insight into the real nature of philistinism.
A radio was playing in the background, a mixture of banal and miscellaneous chatter and equally banal popular music. No one in the café paid any attention to this stream of tepid drivel until suddenly, unexpectedly and inexplicably, the first bars of Mozart’s clarinet quintet were played.
“Mozart,” Leys says, “took possession of our little space with a serene authority, transforming the café into an antechamber of Paradise.”
The other people in the café, who until then were chatting, playing cards, or reading the newspaper, were not deaf to the radio after all. The music silenced them, they looked at each other, disconcerted. “Their disarray lasted only a few seconds: to the relief of all, one of them stood up, changed the radio station and re-established the flow of noise that was more familiar and comforting, which everyone could then properly ignore.”
Here is the conclusion Leys draws:
At that moment, I was struck by an obvious fact that has never left me since: that the real philistines are not those people incapable of recognizing beauty — they recognize it only too well, with a flair as infallible as that of the subtlest aesthete, but only to pounce on it, and smother it before it can take root in their universal empire of ugliness.
Thus philistinism is a positive, not merely a negative force.
In the article Daniels mentions other examples including that of Liberian rebels sawing off the legs of the only Steinway grand piano in the land, thereby rendering it useless. Now maybe this is just about snobs objecting to the blue-collar tastes of regular folks. But let’s take Ley’s thought about philistinism seriously for a minute and then apply it to psychopathy. So,
IF real philistines are not those people incapable of recognizing beauty — they recognize it only too well, with a flair as infallible as that of the subtlest aesthete, but only to pounce on it, and smother it before it can take root in their universal empire of ugliness,
THEN real pychopaths are not those people incapable of recognizing good — they recognize it only too well, with a flair as infallible as that of the saint, but only to pounce on it, and smother it before it can take root in their universal empire of sin.
I have never bought the idea that psychopaths cannot empathise with others; that they’re radically other, either brain-damaged or animals. To me the psychopath’s exquisite ability to know exactly how to hurt others suggests that he is brilliantly attuned to the inner worlds of others. Nor does the idea that psychopaths can’t tell the difference between good and evil stand up. Their infallible nose for doing wrong is evidence that the psychopath is an anti-saint.
One definition of saint is “persons eminent for holiness….those who distinguish themselves by heroic virtue during life”. Turn that on it’s head and you have the psychopath.
In my humble opinion, that is.
I have blogged on the same. But I called psychopaths a “reverse Jesus” you know the Devil.
Dr. Steve,
I definitely agree with you that the “run of the mill” psychopath KNOWS good from evil…mean from nice…hateful from caring….they just don’t CARE. Some of them, however, also knowing good from evil, ENJOY doing evil for the sake of doing evil and the pain that it will inflict upon others.
I remember an old episode of STar Treck where there was some alien being that “Fed” on the negative emotions of the crew, and Captain Kirk had everyone laugh and they defeated the alien. Sometimes I think the psychopaths “feed” the energy of our pain. The more pain for us, the more joy for them.
While the rebels might not have “appreciated” the piano, they knew that destroying it would show their hatred for the prior owners.
Jesus warned his disciples “cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them into the mire and then turn and rend you.”
Swine are the ultimate “psychopaths” in the animal kingdom, and because the pearls are not appreciated, and the expected food would not be forthcoming, they would be quite angry and turn on the person who offered them the pearls and tear them apart. Literally “rending”(tearing) the people.
When we offer our “pearls” of love to the psychopath, who is unable to appreciate the value of the “pearls” in their disappointment and anger they turn and “rend” us.
There are other psychopaths, however, that I think would still rend you “just for the fun of it” even if you fed them what they wanted. But none of them “appreicate” the “pearls” we cast before their feet THE WAY WE DO.
But, just as they, because they have no empathy or conscience, determine from our behavior and our language what THEY THINK we “think” and “feel”–we are only able to determine by their behavior what WE THINK they must think and feel. Because there is so LITTLE COMMON GROUND between the two “species” (psychopath and non-psychopath) I think we know less about how “they” think than we do about how the pig/swine thinks, because again, we can only OBSERVE their behavior.
A relationship with a philandering spouse is bad, but a relationship with a sociopath no doubt exposes you to the wiles of evil in the flesh. His deep empathy was something that attracted me, but when it disappeared it was not only bewildering, but frightening.
“Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing.”
Right on OxD et al,
The P thrives on power control manipulation and often risk taking. These behaviors are like a drug to the P, and as they are dead emotionally, these behaviors make them feel “alive”.
There is no “good” way to do power, control and manipulation, hence we are left with their ugly and evil destructive actions.
I have come to believe that at least my P is VERY self destructive, and by hurting and using others he deflects some of that destructive behavior away from himself. If there is any justice it is that despite the wake of pain they leave behind, inevitably they go over the falls and are churned up by their own callous actions.
Small consolation for the victims, but as Martha Stout points out, life for the P’s usually is a downward spiral. They may collect and flash some fancy toys and people and do-dads on the way through, but they do not WIN. They do not know inner joy or peace or happiness.
Those of us who can experience joy and peace, altho scarred by the P, can find happiness. Perhaps this is why the P’s want to hurt the rest of us. Deep down they know they are missing a vital part of life, and they know that their “victories” are hollow and short lived.
Peace,
Now that I’m on the other side of the relationship, I too, believe they know what they are doing. Once, with God’s help, I had the guard over my heart, my husband could no longer hurt me. He would scream and holler and I would just walk away. Unhurt, unaffected by it. That made him madder. I started doing my own comparison and couldn’t for the life of me figure out who this person was and what was motivating him to do what he did. He only did this to me and our youngest daughter. The oldest daughter was never talked down to, but my youngest and myself bore the brunt of his anger. I know that they have to know what they are doing. Do they know why, maybe, maybe not. I think they do, but their own stubborn pride and self will keep them from speaking truth because it might make them look bad, but they just don’t get their horrible anger and game playing reveals a side that is very unappealing. And as in my case, my husband said I turned the kids against him. No. It was his actions and words that did that. I kept throwing the kids at him and he just threw them back!
I so often believed it had to be me and I just wasn’t doing life right. He’s older than I, and thought since he lived longer, he must have it together. Took me a while to figure out that wisdom does not come with age. God says that wisdom comes from asking Him for it. So age isn’t a factor. The people I was around thought I was the dumber as I was the younger. No. It really was them and I see their reflection in so many of the perpetrators pictured here. I was such a silent observer for so long, that I didn’t even have an active role in my own life. What a dreary existence. But it would have to be more dreary being them. To have no empathy and try to rob someone else of their’s has to leave them empty. But then again, they are as happy as they know how to be. I love to laugh and it’s so much better having someone to laugh with, but I provide my own amusement and can laugh at myself. They can’t.
I always figured I should be the insecure one. I grew up without parents and that solid home front. The ones in question had all kinds of family functions and family around. My husband had a home, an over home and a down home. Three places he could call home. I just wanted one and even that was denied me, because he hated what he had. Never finished the house that should have been indicative of our life’s work and talent. Now I feel at such loose ends because I never got to finish what I set out to do with another. All because he is in a different time frame than I. He lives in his past and I’m not there. But I truly believe he is aware of the hurt he caused, but to own part of it, means he has to admit he was to blame as well.
I think these sociopaths, etc., find pleasure in the external, and we find it in the internal and eternity. Lasting qualities that go with us through life. That’s why Christ told us to lay our treasures in Heaven where they can’t be stolen from us. They might try, but they walk away empty handed, but we walk away sadder, but oh so much wiser. They want to impress with their looks, cars, houses, etc. I want character, wisdom, joy, peace, contentment, etc. All the things everyone here has, too. You all have helped me prove that I wasn’t 100% wrong.
P.S. to OxD, I don’t think the message about swine is that they are evil, but that they are unclean and in biblical times one couldn’t go to temple until uncleanness was removed. The passage teaches that it is futile to try to teach holy concepts to people who don’t want to listen and will only tear apart what we say. Not that we should stop giving the Word to unbelievers, but we should be discerning so as not to waste precious time. But for sure preaching to a devil not only is a waste of time, but can be dangerous too!!
Dear Benz,
Yes, I agree with what you were saying, and my analogy was not 100% on, but having grown up with swine, and knowing that they do not “appreciate” anything but food and if they are expecting it and don’t get it, they become quite angry and an angry hog is a violent hog. We still have “wild” swine around here and I have hunted “wild hogs” (actually they are domestic hogs that have gone “native”) and it is quite a dangerous “sport” if you are not careful.
While swine were “unclean” in that time and the disciples that Jesus was teaching knew that, he I think was also teaching them that there ARE times that it is FUTILE to try to give “good gifts” (trying to teach holy concepts) to people who are OBVIOUSLY unappreciative and will become so angry that they will “turn and rend you.”
apt/mgr
I’m glad you’re back. I, too, was away from the site for awhile (enjoying life free from a S. and all the mental wrestling it took to do it) and when I came back I was disappointed not to see your posts. I always found them wise.
It’s good to hear your thoughts.
Dr Steve,
Mozart is so intricately Melodic….why would you turn the station? MY point is that something awful is happening to society! We are being conditioned by society to have little to no feelings….Look at what has happened in Darfur and Ruwanda….Politics and Business run society now…and some Ceo’s could give a damn….they may even be sociopaths….And China by the way is responsible for Darfur as the Sudan is where they purchase Oil! They don’t recognize the genocide at all! Their government is most corrupt….American politicians made a big mistake when we opened our doors to China! They say Gengis Kahn was a psychopath he murdered and raped all throughout China and they say many Chinese have genetic relations to him! Go figure! I studied Chinese politics and everyone should know this….the chinese have long felt they would become the leaders of the world because they are the “MIDDLE COUNTRY”…..As the Chinese become more advanced technilogically and their infastructure stronger they will be at a considerable advantage than us. And India is not far behind them.
China is footing the bill for the U.S. Our economy is so shaky now….we have got to honker down and solve the two major crisis in the country…Housing and the Market! OUR OWN MARKET ANALYSTS ARE NOT INVESTING IN AMERICAN BUSINESS…THEY TELL YOU TO GO TO CHILE,BRAZIL,PARTS OF EUROPE, INDIA, CHINA…..What is that saying to you!
I just rant a bit because I feel so disgusted by the blatant disconcern of people….because of their conditioning to “not care”…..by who….our govt who is indebted to the Chinese….and although the U.S. did stand for Darfur in the United Nations…and China did not…. nothing has changed! Because the U.S. doesn’t have power! What do you think of that! One nation under God….indivisible with liberty and justice for all!
How would you like to work for $2 a day? Or Better yet…..have a millitia come and kill most of your family and rape the rest…..that’s China and the Sudan!