We at LouisianaVoice are not into pop psychology, but in reading interviews with three authors of two separate books, one about sociopaths and the other about psychopaths, we could not help noticing first, the character traits the two have in common and second, how those descriptions seem to fit a certain Louisiana elected official like a Brioni suit.
All three authors are respected practicing psychologists.
Martha Stout, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and former Harvard Medical school instructor. Author of The Sociopath Next Door, she has spent much of her professional life trying to decipher the psyche of the sociopath and has determined that the central trait of a sociopath is the total lack of conscience.
http://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/conscience-lack-of#_
http://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm/author_number/1097/martha-stout
She estimates that one in 25 people, 4 percent of the population, are sociopathic. That translates to roughly 12 million Americans. The percentage, she said, most likely increases as one climbs the ladder of success.
Dr. Stout describes sociopaths as those who, through grand schemes of contrivance, manipulation and deceit, seek to undermine and manipulate simply because they can.
She is also quick to point out that sociopaths generally are not violent and don’t necessarily look like Charles Manson. Instead, she says, they are like most other people in that some of them are brilliant, some stupid and others somewhere in between.
In fact, they are often charming and charismatic and the skilled ones will study the way we emote and use that to his or her advantage. Beneath that façade, however, Dr. Stout says they live “only to dominate others and win.”
While loath to practice amateur psychology, we have to ask: does this sounds like anyone we know?
“In a perfect world, human respect would be an automatic reaction only to those who are strong, kind and morally courageous,” Dr. Stout says. The person who profits from manipulation and fear is not likely to be any of these, she added.
One lie, one broken promise or a single neglected responsibility might well be a simple misunderstanding, she said. “Two may involve a serious mistake. But three lies says you’re dealing with a liar and deceit is the linchpin of conscienceless behavior.”
Most disturbing of all, Stout says at least six out of 10 people “will blindly obey an official-looking authority to the bitter end.”
Two other experts, Robert Hare, Ph.D. and Paul Babiak, Ph.D. have conducted extensive research into psychopathy and have come up with several similarities between Dr. Stout’s description of sociopaths and their own characterization of psychopaths.
http://www.fraud-magazine.com/article.aspx?id=404
In their book Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, they note that psychopaths “have an inordinate need for power, prestige, wealth, etc. They operate according to their own self-serving principle: look out for number one, no matter what the cost to others and (do so) without guilt or remorse.”
Again, sound like anyone we know?
The emotional life of psychopaths lacks the range and depth found in most individuals, Dr. Hare says. “…No amount of training and practice will allow…the psychopath to really understand the emotional life of others, except in a vague intellectual, inferential sense. To put it simply, they don’t know how you feel, nor do they much care.
“They are described as without conscience and incapable of empathy, guilt or loyalty to anyone but themselves,” he added.
Dr. Babiak added that psychopaths make great first impressions and “talk a good game on a surface level, and will use technical jargon and glib, superficial charm” to convince others of their experience and expertise.
He said the psychopath “operates on the surface level,” presenting a mask or persona that is in keeping with the expectations of the audience and that they are “more observant of others and are motivated to take advantage of the traits, characteristics and personal situations of those around them.”
“Other people only exist to fulfill the supporting roles required of them—the pawns and patrons,” he added.
He said most psychopaths they have known were “loners” in the sense of only thinking of themselves, but that “they do surround themselves with supporters and followers to facilitate their activities.”
Babiak then dropped a bombshell during the interview about their book:
“While economic slowdowns can lead to layoffs and plant closings,” he said, “there is still the need for seasoned, experienced leaders who have the wherewithal to meet the challenge of recovery and turnaround. These individuals are rare. What a perfect scenario for the psychopath to enter as the ‘solution,’ replete with the skills (faked), abilities (faked), and background (faked) necessary to take over and make things right.”
Babiak said the change of organizational structures from large and bureaucratic to lean, mean and flat (read: consolidation and privatization) has inadvertently made organizations more attractive to psychopaths because of fewer rules and at the same time, easier to negotiate (faster progression—as in education reform legislation).
“The mantra became ‘do more, better, faster with less,’” Babiak said.
He said psychopaths are intolerant of creativity and innovation and that in an atmosphere of constant policy changes and restructuring, new structures “are always in a state of flux and never reach the ‘ideal’ state. This frustrates and confuses those who have grown accustomed to the stability that large organizations used to provide.
“Being a thrill seeker by nature, the psychopath relishes the chaos,” Babiak said. “On a practical level, a constantly changing work environment provides the psychopath and endless source of new co-workers to target and many opportunities to move from project to project when boredom sets in.”
“Sadly, even after being victimized, many members of a group will refuse to face the truth, continuing to believe that the scamster is basically good at heart or that there must be a reason why he or she took advantage of the group,” Dr. Hare said.
“There is little evidence that psychopaths can be or even believe they should be, rehabilitated. Their behavior reflects a well-established, stable personality structure,” he said.
“They have solid positions from which they continue to use their organization (read: office) for personal gain,” Babiak added.
One more time: sound like anyone we know?
We’re just sayin’…
I know. I’ve thought that for a while but have refrained from pointing that out publicly because most people don’t really understand the technical definition and would just think I was exaggerating or being mean. It is useful to know or understand. I operate under that assumption for making plans – and understanding nothing they will ever say has any meaning after or while they are saying it so its just a question of when you can document the lie.
Jindal lacks the charisma for either and is just your average corrupt politician talking out of both sides of his mouth. A perfect storm, almost literally, swept him into office. I don’t expect him to last politically once his term ends.
Good point about the lack of charisma. Imagine if he were cute or funny (like Bobby Brady) instead of having the charm of a hem’roid. It’s awful watching him attempt to be personable while spitting and spewing gibberish.
I’ve been telling my friends for years about sociopath and psychopaths. I think having a knowledge about them is something everyone needs because it would solve so many personal problems. Once you can identify someone with the traits, you can deal with them differently. I am often amazed when someone commits a crime and you hear a victim’s family member say, “I hope they sit in jail everyday and think about what they did.” That only would work if the person had a conscience, a soul. If you have a boss who is a sociopath and you recognize it, its time to find another job instead of painfully working for that person. I believe in surronding yourself with positive people. And yes, we have one of these in charge of our state government, in our state legislature, and a bunch in DC.
Back in the dark ages when I majored in psychology in both undergraduate and graduate school, the term sociopath was not used. Everybody with these key traits was a psychopath. I still do not really see the distinction even if it is supposedly one of degree. To me the overarching key to psychopathy is the true absence of a conscience. I think most would agree Hitler was a psychopath, and few would disagree Ted Bundy was a psychopath. Is a person who cares about nothing more than his/her own goals and is willing to walk over anybody and/or indirectly harm thousands of people to achieve them a psychopath, a sociopath, or just a successful politician or businessman? Whatever, s/he is certainly not somebody we should support actively or even by acquiescence.
Unfortunately, sounds like a number of people I know.
Nancy
The description fits the twins- Jindal and Oblama. The only differences I see are that one is Republican and the other Democrat. Both crave power and will blame others instead of doing what is right. Both have a number of quotes from the past that are the direct opposite of what their actions are now.
I am an independent (though conservative) and I agree that both Jindal and Oboma are very similar (although one is liberal and the other conservative) in their management style — they both are egotistical, do not tolerate different opinions, and are very vindictive.
I neglected to add that both Jindal and Oboma tend to use statistics to their advantage. (Ie. they do not tell the truth).
In your last newsletter its CHARLES MANSON not Mansion.
Thanks. I caught that when I went back belatedly and proofread the text. I made the correction. Thanks again.
Well, actually it sounds like several I know. However, your newsletter doesn’t do any good when you fail to name names since a lot of Louisianans just don’t get it. . . .
Dick Hemmings
Oh I think the people who read the posts at this site get it all too well. The other Louisianans to whom you refer wouldn’t get it if you hit them over the head with it.
This obviously and aptly applies to our present wannabe president in the Governor’s Mansion but don’t forget David Vitter who must think either of these mental diseases is a prerequisite to being governor as he positions himself for the next campaign.
I can name at least two in our state: Governor Bobby Jindal and District 4 U.S. Congressman John Fleming.
John White, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs – so many “highly successful” people make the list – perhaps we need to redefine success.
Interesting list. I don’t think it’s a coincidence so many people see so many of our “leaders” with these traits.
“Sociopath” and “psychopath” are interchangeable terms, according to a psychologist that specializes in the pathology whose interview I read a couple years ago. Sociopath is the newer, preferred term because too many in the general public confuse psychopathy, which is a personality disorder, with psychosis, which is a mental illness. The psychotic cannot distinguish reality from delusion. The psychpath/sociopath can.
Jindal shamelessly engages in class warfare by sucking up to the wealthy while punishing the poor. As proof, first consider his refusal to accept the Medicaid expansion despite the good it would do for over 200,000 Louisianians, as well as how it would stimulate the state’s economy and create about 15,000 jobs. Jindal is only concerned with how that move would affect his (extremely slim) chances of becoming either president or VP of the USA. Jindal has advanced throughout his career by pandering to the stupidest and most extreme elements of the Republican party that are over-represented in Louisiana. (That’s why Louisiana consistently places last or next-to-last in measures of quality of life.)
Secondly, he shamelessly slashed income taxes on the wealthy while raising regressive sales taxes, then slashed the budget for higher education. This stifles upward mobility and hurts the state’s long-term economic prospects, but it curries favor with very selfish, wealthy individuals that donate heavily to politicians like Jindal that ensure they get good returns on their investments (political donations).
Remember: politicians like Jindal only seem stupid if you assume they have good intentions. They don’t. When you understand that their entire agenda is dedicated self-promotion by serving the very selfish, narrow interests of plutocrats, then their actions suddenly make a lot of sense.
[…] and former Harvard Medical school instructor and author of The Sociopath Next Door. The article, Psychopaths and sociopaths share many characteristics: seem to coincide, cites she “estimates that one in 25 people, 4 percent of the population, are sociopathic. […]
[…] and former Harvard Medical school instructor and author of The Sociopath Next Door. The article, Psychopaths and sociopaths share many characteristics: seem to coincide, cites she “estimates that one in 25 people, 4 percent of the population, are sociopathic. […]