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What is a Psychopath?
#1
I've been looking into this subject and thought I'd share a page that
distinguishes the psychopath from the sociopath.

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-diff...hs-a258748

Richard? Was it you that posted this short video elsewhere?  I'm posting it again and will be back later to post a couple of more, in depth interviews and articles about the anomaly of the psychopath in order to better identify their nature.  I just thought this subject deserves a dedicated thread of its own.

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/_MZCHjGkTPg&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/1E1PB_YqcJY&feature=player_embedded&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

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#2
Several links on this forum have pointed to Thomas Sheridan. I have his book "Labyrinth of the Psychopath", but haven't read it yet. I am not really sure about what to think about him, but here is his blog:

http://thomassheridanartist.blogspot.com/

I liked his interview on the Truthergirls radio show, that was already linked on this forum.

It would be interesting to find other sources to this phenomenon.

This might be the most important topic for those who are puzzled about certain people in their lives.
"This is life, boy, something we can't fight." - Keith Richard's mother.

"The way up is the way back." - Heraclitus

"Adieu, dit le renard. Voici mon secret. Il est très simple: On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." - Le Petit Prince, chap. XXI
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#3
Here are the traits:

1. GLIB and SUPERFICIAL CHARM -- the tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, slick, and verbally facile. Psychopathic charm is not in the least shy, self-conscious, or afraid to say anything. A psychopath never gets tongue-tied. They have freed themselves from the social conventions about taking turns in talking, for example. >

2. GRANDIOSE SELF-WORTH -- a grossly inflated view of one's abilities and self-worth, self-assured, opinionated, cocky, a braggart. Psychopaths are arrogant people who believe they are superior human beings.

3. NEED FOR STIMULATION or PRONENESS TO BOREDOM -- an excessive need for novel, thrilling, and exciting stimulation; taking chances and doing things that are risky. Psychopaths often have a low self-discipline in carrying tasks through to completion because they get bored easily. They fail to work at the same job for any length of time, for example, or to finish tasks that they consider dull or routine.

4. PATHOLOGICAL LYING -- can be moderate or high; in moderate form, they will be shrewd, crafty, cunning, sly, and clever; in extreme form, they will be deceptive, deceitful, underhanded, unscrupulous, manipulative, and dishonest.

5. CONNING AND MANIPULATIVENESS- the use of deceit and deception to cheat, con, or defraud others for personal gain; distinguished from Item #4 in the degree to which exploitation and callous ruthlessness is present, as reflected in a lack of concern for the feelings and suffering of one's victims.

6. LACK OF REMORSE OR GUILT -- a lack of feelings or concern for the losses, pain, and suffering of victims; a tendency to be unconcerned, dispassionate, coldhearted, and unempathic. This item is usually demonstrated by a disdain for one's victims.

7. SHALLOW AFFECT -- emotional poverty or a limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness in spite of signs of open gregariousness.

8. CALLOUSNESS and LACK OF EMPATHY -- a lack of feelings toward people in general; cold, contemptuous, inconsiderate, and tactless.

9. PARASITIC LIFESTYLE -- an intentional, manipulative, selfish, and exploitative financial dependence on others as reflected in a lack of motivation, low self-discipline, and inability to begin or complete responsibilities.

10. POOR BEHAVIORAL CONTROLS -- expressions of irritability, annoyance, impatience, threats, aggression, and verbal abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper; acting hastily.

11. PROMISCUOUS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR -- a variety of brief, superficial relations, numerous affairs, and an indiscriminate selection of sexual partners; the maintenance of several relationships at the same time; a history of attempts to sexually coerce others into sexual activity or taking great pride at discussing sexual exploits or conquests.

12. EARLY BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS -- a variety of behaviors prior to age 13, including lying, theft, cheating, vandalism, bullying, sexual activity, fire-setting, glue-sniffing, alcohol use, and running away from home.

13. LACK OF REALISTIC, LONG-TERM GOALS -- an inability or persistent failure to develop and execute long-term plans and goals; a nomadic existence, aimless, lacking direction in life.

14. IMPULSIVITY -- the occurrence of behaviors that are unpremeditated and lack reflection or planning; inability to resist temptation, frustrations, and urges; a lack of deliberation without considering the consequences; foolhardy, rash, unpredictable, erratic, and reckless.

15. IRRESPONSIBILITY -- repeated failure to fulfill or honor obligations and commitments; such as not paying bills, defaulting on loans, performing sloppy work, being absent or late to work, failing to honor contractual agreements.

16. FAILURE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWN ACTIONS -- a failure to accept responsibility for one's actions reflected in low conscientiousness, an absence of dutifulness, antagonistic manipulation, denial of responsibility, and an effort to manipulate others through this denial.

17. MANY SHORT-TERM MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS -- a lack of commitment to a long-term relationship reflected in inconsistent, undependable, and unreliable commitments in life, including marital.

18. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY -- behavior problems between the ages of 13-18; mostly behaviors that are crimes or clearly involve aspects of antagonism, exploitation, aggression, manipulation, or a callous, ruthless tough-mindedness.

19. REVOCATION OF CONDITION RELEASE -- a revocation of probation or other conditional release due to technical violations, such as carelessness, low deliberation, or failing to appear.

20. CRIMINAL VERSATILITY -- a diversity of types of criminal offenses, regardless if the person has been arrested or convicted for them; taking great pride at getting away with crimes.       
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#4
Yes GWSOLion.... I agree completely that this may be THE single most important subject going! thank you
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#5
I have permission to cut n paste this post from another forum discussing Psychopaths:

"The prototypical psychopath has deficits or deviance in several areas: interpersonal relationships, emotion, and behavior.[13] Psychopaths gain satisfaction through antisocial behavior, and do not experience shame, guilt, or remorse for their actions.[14][15][16] Psychopaths lack a sense of guilt or remorse for any harm they may have caused others, instead rationalizing the behavior, blaming someone else, or denying it outright.[17] [18] Psychopaths also lack empathy towards others in general, resulting in tactlessness, insensitivity, and contemptuousness. Psychopaths can have a superficial charm about them, enabled by a willingness to say anything to anyone without concern for accuracy or truth. Shallow affect also describes the psychopath's tendency for genuine emotion to be short-lived, glib and egocentric, with an overall cold demeanor. Their behavior is impulsive and irresponsible, often failing to keep a job or defaulting on debts.[18]

Researcher Robert Hare, whose Hare Psychopathy Checklist is widely used, describes psychopaths as "intraspecies predators".[19] Also R.I. Simon uses the word predator to describe psychopaths.[20] Elsewhere Hare and others write that psychopaths "use charisma, manipulation, intimidation, sexual intercourse and violence"[21][22][23][verification needed] to control others and to satisfy their own needs. Hare states that: "Lacking in conscience and empathy, they take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without guilt or remorse".[24] He previously stated that: "What is missing, in other words, are the very qualities that allow a human being to live in social harmony".[25]

According to Hare, many psychopaths are superficially charming, and can excellently mimic normal human emotion;[10] some psychopaths can blend in, undetected, in a variety of surroundings, including corporate environments.[26]"

In his 1941 book, Mask of Sanity, Hervey M. Cleckley introduced 16 behavioral characteristics of a psychopath: [40]

1. Superficial charm and good "intelligence"
2. Absence of delusions and other signs of irrational thinking
3. Absence of nervousness or psychoneurotic manifestations
4. Unreliability
5. Untruthfulness and insincerity
6. Lack of remorse and shame
7. Inadequately motivated antisocial behavior
8. Poor judgment and failure to learn by experience
9. Pathologic egocentricity and incapacity for love
10. General poverty in major affective reactions
11. Specific loss of insight
12. Unresponsiveness in general interpersonal relations
13. Fantastic and uninviting behavior with drink and sometimes without
14. Suicide threats rarely carried out
15. Sex life impersonal, trivial, and poorly integrated
16. Failure to follow any life plan.


In the preface to the fifth edition of The Mask of Sanity, Cleckly stated, "... revisions of the nomenclature have been made by the American Psychiatric Association. The classification of psychopathic personality was changed to that of sociopathic personality in 1958", suggesting that he did not recognise any difference between the conditions.

David T. Lykken proposes psychopathy and sociopathy are two distinct kinds of antisocial personality disorder. He believes psychopaths are born with temperamental differences such as impulsivity, cortical underarousal, and fearlessness that lead them to risk-seeking behavior and an inability to internalize social norms. On the other hand, he claims sociopaths have relatively normal temperaments; their personality disorder being more an effect of negative sociological factors like parental neglect, delinquent peers, poverty, and extremely low or extremely high intelligence. Both personality disorders are the result of an interaction between genetic predispositions and environmental factors, but psychopathy leans towards the hereditary whereas sociopathy tends towards the environmental.[51]----- all of the above from wikipedia.

1. Sociopaths are very charming.

2. Sociopaths can be extremely manipulative and will try to con you whenever possible.
3. Sociopaths feel that they are entitled to everything.
4. Sociopaths will lie continuously to get what they want. They can even sometimes manipulate a lie detector.
5. Sociopaths have no remorse, shame or guilt.
6. Sociopaths will show love and happiness only when it serves their purpose. None of the feelings are genuine.
7. Sociopaths have no room for love in their life.
8. Sociopaths need to have excitement in their lives or live on the edge.
9. Sociopaths have lack of empathy hen their victims suffer pain that they have caused.
10. Sociopaths believe that they are all mightier than tho, there is no concern on how their behavior impacts others.
11. Sociopaths usually have a long history of juvenile delinquency as well as behavior problems.
12. Sociopaths will never take blame for anything they have done to anyone no matter if it is family or friend.
13. Sociopaths have many sexual partners and tend to act out many sexual acts.
14. Sociopaths rarely stay in one place for a long time (home/work).
15. Sociopaths will change themselves if they know it will keep them from being found out.

Characteristics of a psychopath are as followed:

1. Psychopaths use superficial charm to lure their victims.

2. Psychopaths are extremely self-centered.
3. Psychopaths must always do something to keep themselves from boredom.
4. Psychopaths are very deceptive and tend to lie continuously.
5. Psychopaths show no remorse of guilt towards their victims.
6. Psychopaths are very predatory and usually will live off other people.7. Psychopaths have many sexual partners in their lifetime.

8. Psychopaths are very impulsive with their lifestyle.
9. Psychopaths are always blaming other people for their actions.
10. Psychopaths never have a realistic view of their lives. (king of the world or from another planet)
11. Psychopaths always want psychological gratification in sexual and criminal activities.
12. Psychopaths tend to try suicide, rarely succeeding.

Outward Behavior of a Sociopath

* Sociopaths tend to be extremely disorganized.
* They are unable to maintain normal relationships with family, friends, or co-workers.
* They are often unable to keep steady employment or housing.
* They often live literally at the fringes of society. In a study of the homeless people who live in the subway tunnels of New York City, a disproportionately large number of them were classed as sociopaths.
* Their outbreaks of violence are erratic and unplanned. Sociopaths are easier to identify and apprehend as they generally leave behind a large trail of clues.

Outward Behavior of a Psychopath

* Psychopaths can be almost obsessively organized.
* They can maintain normal social relationships. They may take care of aging parents or be married with children.
* Psychopaths will often be very successful in their careers. Their need for organization is coupled with an ability to make others like and trust them. Because they intellectually understand human emotions but are unable to experience them themselves, they are masters at emotional manipulation.
* They often live in a normal house or apartment, completely indistinguishable from healthy people.
* Psychopaths will take years to plan out acts of violence and revenge. They are very difficult to catch because they will carefully plan each step of the act to ensure they will commit their crime undetected.



Summary:
1. Sociopaths and psychopaths are both classed as anti-social personality disorders.
2. Both types of person enjoy cruelty, feel lack normal human emotions of guilt, and are unable to form emotional bonds with others.
3. Sociopaths generally behave in a disorganized, erratic manner.
4. Psychopaths generally behave outwardly normal but will engage in elaborate plots to manipulate or harm those around them.


in my opinion, it seems like we are dealing with psychopaths. particularly when looking at the traits i highlighted. one being "not able to hold a job". the other "behave outwardly normal... manipulate or harm". the people running the world most definitely know how to hold down a job and seem normal to the average person.
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#6
Thomas Sheridan interview:
http://exotica-radio.com/podcast/offplan...-sher.html

another of Sheridan, 1st hr free at redicecreations.
http://www.redicecreations.com/radio/201...110626.php

So, there is conflicting understanding whether it is genetic or not, it's thought that it is not... but apparently there is NO cure for this condition.
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#7
[user=1346]Golden Winged SnakeOiLion[/user] wrote:
Quote:Several links on this forum have pointed to Thomas Sheridan. I have his book "Labyrinth of the Psychopath", but haven't read it yet. I am not really sure about what to think about him, but here is his blog:

http://thomassheridanartist.blogspot.com/

I liked his interview on the Truthergirls radio show, that was already linked on this forum.

It would be interesting to find other sources to this phenomenon.

This might be the most important topic for those who are puzzled about certain people in their lives.

I like his stuff on psychopaths etc...Not sure what to make if him fully though either, in one interview, I think the one on his web page, he talks about implementing new symbols, to me that us trying to put out a fire with another fire IMO. .I forget his exact quote, but, I for one, can live without them,

I think the psychopath stuff an important subject though...He is on to something with that I think.
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#8
I agree with yout. He is on to something (the remorseless parasitic predator personality that lies about practically everything), that is why I bought the book as soon as I heard a few interviews. But to be safe , other sources have to be found and this is the ideal thread to collect them.
He has some weird meditation like exercises in his book. Not sure what to think about it, but I can't judge, as I haven't read the full book yet ;)


PurplePebble Wrote:[user=1346]Golden Winged SnakeOiLion[/user] wrote:
Quote:Several links on this forum have pointed to Thomas Sheridan. I have his book "Labyrinth of the Psychopath", but haven't read it yet. I am not really sure about what to think about him, but here is his blog:

http://thomassheridanartist.blogspot.com/

I liked his interview on the Truthergirls radio show, that was already linked on this forum.

It would be interesting to find other sources to this phenomenon.

This might be the most important topic for those who are puzzled about certain people in their lives.

I like his stuff on psychopaths etc...Not sure what to make if him fully though either, in one interview, I think the one on his web page, he talks about implementing new symbols, to me that us trying to put out a fire with another fire IMO. .I forget his exact quote, but, I for one, can live without them,

I think the psychopath stuff an important subject though...He is on to something with that I think.
"This is life, boy, something we can't fight." - Keith Richard's mother.

"The way up is the way back." - Heraclitus

"Adieu, dit le renard. Voici mon secret. Il est très simple: On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." - Le Petit Prince, chap. XXI
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#9
Apparently he is artist too. I wasn't aware that he suggests using symbols... for what? warding off psychopaths...? cuckooo cuckooo LOL
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#10
In one interview (I think the one on his own website) he talks about humanity needing  a new consciousness and new symbols/archetypes or whatever to accompany the new consciousness...please dont quote me on it though, I will have to listen to it again to quote him properly, but it was along those lines.

It was a good interview, but I dont agree with that idea.  I will have another listen later on and quote him.  Nevertheless, I like his take on psycopaths, but will use discernment either way.

I have only listened to a few interviews so far myself, have yet to read one of his books.
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