The sociopathic MO

I have a friend who lost his wife to cancer a year ago. He’s recently started going out in search of companionship. He knows my history of being involved with a sociopath, in fact, he knew my ex, James Montgomery. So when he had a bizarre experience with woman he dated for a few weeks, my friend had questions for me.

The woman claimed to be separated from her husband, although I’m not sure that was the case. She pursued my friend relentlessly, until they had sex. At some point, she made a comment about “a lion needs fresh meat.” After that, they spent an entire day together, then she unceremoniously dumped him.

My friend asked, was this woman kooky like my ex?

He told me more, and it sounded like the woman had sociopathic traits, although perhaps not the full-blown disorder. So we’ve been discussing this personality type. One conversation went like this:

My friend: “What’s the first thing sociopaths do when they meet you?”

Me: “Evaluate you to see if you have something they want.”

My friend: “What’s the second thing they do?”

Me: “Look for your vulnerabilities.”

That’s it, the sociopathic MO, or modus operandi. First, do you have something he or she wants? Second, how can they manipulate you to get it?

Feeding opportunities

Here is the brutal truth: Sociopaths view the world as predators and prey—they are the predators, everyone else is prey.

Here’s another brutal truth: Sociopaths view all social interactions as feeding opportunities.

So what do they want from their targets? In many cases, the answer is obvious—sex, money, a place to live, someone to support them.

But we also have to remember that sometimes, sociopaths just want entertainment. They want the fun of manipulating someone into doing what they want. They get a rush from getting over on their targets. These cons feed their primal desires that I’ve written about before—the desires for power and control.

My friend is shaking his head over the encounter with the predator female. Like all of us, he’s having a hard time coming to grips with how soulless these people truly are.