Getting into the mind of a psychopath

[Edwardo Piet]

Or: :.hehe:



Or :.roflol:

[ApeNotKillApe]

I'm a psychopath. Anyone have any questions?

Does your brain ever feel as if your genes have damaged it?

[abaris]

Everything I've read definitely tells me Psychopaths are the more extreme of the two.

I'm sure they are. But don't mistake extreme for not being able to plan. According to most sources they're usually highly intelligent and master manipulators. You usually won't notice if anyone's a psychopath, since they are masters at passing for human. If you're lucky, they're just unable to walk in your shoes and only see you as an end for their means, if you're unlucky they're predators, lurking in the shadows.

The aforementioned Ted Bundy is a prime example of someone like that. Everyone knowing him couldn't believe he'd done what he did. But there are other ones, more closely to my home. Such as Jack Unterweger, who made headlines by being one of the select few international serial killers. He's been convicted of killing about a dozen prostitutes, but there are assumptions that he also had killed on the American East coast as well as the Czech Republic.

His first conviction was in 1974. He went down for manslaughter and seemingly was the prime example of a reformed criminal. He wrote a book about his crime and how he found to a better and reformed life while being in prison. The rich and famous fell over themselves to be seen with him when he got released in 1990. He worked as a journalist and talk show host, which opened all kinds of opportunities to be on the hunt again. He finally got arrested in Miami in '92, after being suspected of having killed a number of prostitutes there. But since our authorities seemed to have the better case against him, he got extradited to Austria and put to trial at Graz. In '94 he got life and topped himself the night after receiving his sentence. Police officials said, after a trial only based on circumstantial evidence, he left the best evidence for his guilt in the method he used to strangle himself. It was the exact same knot they found on his alleged victims.

[Shell B]

I'm a psychopath. Anyone have any questions?

I highly doubt you're a psychopath, but you've certainly been accused of it! I swear there used to be a funny laughing emoticon that I can't find now. Balls.

Its :.hilarious: without the dot after the first colon

Yes!

[Excited Penguin]

I'm a psychopath. Anyone have any questions?

Does your brain ever feel as if your genes have damaged it?

I'm not sure I understand that question. How would one be able to feel that? Would one have to believe other people's brains are healthy when one's own isn't?

I don't, though. I'm just not sure that's a meaningful answer given the question.

My brain feels like it's not working as well as it once used to. Like it's always running on fumes. So I would rather attribute that to environment, than to genes, anyway, though I'm certainly not an expert and genes might have something to do with it.

I'm much more likeable when I get enough motivation to put some effort into how I come across, thoughts and ideas and all. But I'm also much more ruthless the more efficient I become, in a way. That's an ironic fact about my life, not sure how it applies to anyone else.

[Edwardo Piet]

I'm sure they are.

Yep.

But don't mistake extreme for not being able to plan.

I certainly wouldn't. Like I said... they're less anxious than sociopaths and more cold and calculating. They're pleasure seekers and they do indeed do very calculative plans to maximize their thrills. It's easier to do that without the high anxiety sociopaths have.

According to most sources they're usually highly intelligent and master manipulators.

Yes.

You usually won't notice if anyone's a psychopath, since they are masters at passing for human.

They are human. Unfortunately. This is how fucked up humanity is: there are psychopaths amongst us.

And they're as much as 1% of the population. The vast majority of them not being killers.

If you're lucky, they're just unable to walk in your shoes and only see you as an end for their means, if you're unlucky they're predators, lurking in the shadows.

Yes. But many psychopaths get their kicks from being more bullies or social abusers than predators: hence Psychopathic CEOS. Others are more toys or victims than prey.

The aforementioned Ted Bundy is a prime example of someone like that. Everyone knowing him couldn't believe he'd done what he did. But there are other ones, more closely to my home. Such as Jack Unterweger, who made headlines by being one of the select few international serial killers. He's been convicted of killing about a dozen prostitutes, but there are assumptions that he also had killed on the American East coast as well as the Czech Republic.

Yes. Most psychopaths aren't killers though.

[Edwardo Piet]

Does your brain ever feel as if your genes have damaged it?

I'm not sure I understand that question. How would one be able to feel that?

He was being facetious.

[brewer]

It was a Robert Hare book I read some of in Waterstones... I forget which one. Damn. I think it may have been a re-issue of an older book, I'm not sure.

But just the internet in general and Wikipedia. Many sources seem to agree that Psychopaths are born psychopaths but sociopaths are made that way through upbringing.

Another thing is, Robert Hare the lead researcher in psychopathy said in the book I read very clearly that psychopathy and sociopathy is very different... psychopathy is a serious genetic disorder where people are born without empathy that has been well established by psychiatrists who study such pathologies, whereas he says very clearly that sociopathy is merely another name for Anti Social Personality Disorder and is the business of psychologists rather than psychiatrists.

bold mine

Checking out his web site. I'll get back to you, maybe, if I determine you're worth it. hehehehehe

[ApeNotKillApe]

I'm not sure I understand that question. How would one be able to feel that?

He was being facetious.

No sign of psychopathy; possible autism.

[Whateverist]

I'm starting to show signs of not giving a fuck what diagnosis would best fit me. Guess I'll just go on letting it be a surprise to myself and others.