Mental state of narcos who commit atrocious crimes.

[paulpablo]

I think there could be lots of reasons behind a mental state like that.

I listen to lots of morbid podcasts and the topic of what causes a mentality with little or no empathy is talked about a lot.

Being isolated or abused during childhood is one.  A culture that glamorizes a cold hearted lack of empathy is another.  From all the prison, Nazi, mafia and serial killer documentaries I watch these things are pretty common.  

There might be culture within cartels of some kind of competitive heartlessness, atrocious acts being used as hazing in rituals.

[Angrboda]

It's also worth noting that people become capable of behavior when done as part of a group which they would not be inclined toward if alone.

[The Industrial Atheist]

It's also worth noting that people become capable of behavior when done as part of a group which they would not be inclined toward if alone.

Right. Bullying is an example of this to a lesser degree.

[Seraphina]

As we know, the carteles in Mexico are capable of horrible crimes, such as mutating someone alive.

I have always wondered in what kind of mental state someone needs to be in order to commut such atrocities without guilt. Only option I have considered is that they are sociopaths, but is it possible to have so many sociopaths working together as a group? Do narcos hire sociopaths for the crimes? 

This reminds me of the Nazi regime. There were many concentration camps were people was tortured and killed. But these camps were not run mostly by sociopaths but normal soldiers. This makes me think that for you to commit such crimes you do not need to be crazy, but simply dehumanize the target. Is this possible though?

I think it is a very interesting topic, and I would like to listen to your opinions.

(bold mine)
From what I know, dehumanizing the target could often be the case. There are narcos and sicarios walking around that may appear to be normal, functioning members of society but dig a little deeper...
Also, if everyone else (in your gang/ cartel) around you is committing atrocities, I'm guessing you'll become desensitized to it and it becomes easier so to speak to viciously attack other human beings.

-Teresa

[The Valkyrie]

This type of "mental illness" can be cured by a timely application of a high speed projectile through the brain.

[Edwardo Piet]

It's also worth noting that people become capable of behavior when done as part of a group which they would not be inclined toward if alone.

Absolutely right. I was pondering that the other day.

How otherwise average people start behaving far worse, and out of chararacter, in large groups.

So then I started pondering this quote from this genius:

If you are alone you belong entirely to yourself. If you are accompanied by even one companion you belong only half to yourself or even less in proportion to the thoughtlessness of his conduct and if you have more than one companion you will fall more deeply into the same plight.

[The Grand Nudger]

This type of "mental illness" can be cured by a timely application of a high speed projectile through the brain.

You need to create the same "mental illness" in order to get a man to pull -that- trigger, is the irony.