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cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
Thu Nov 15, 2012, 12:28 PM Nov 2012

Which Professions Have The Most Psychopaths?

First off, psychopath doesn't just mean someone who cuts you up with a chainsaw -- though the majority of people who do things like that are psychopaths. What's the definition?

Psychopathy is a personality disorder that has been variously described as characterized by shallow emotions (in particular reduced fear), stress tolerance, lacking empathy, coldheartedness, lacking guilt, egocentricity, superficial char, manipulativeness, irresponsibility, impulsivity and antisocial behaviors such as parasitic lifestyle and criminality.


So which professions (other than axe murderer) do they disproportionately gravitate towards -- or away from?




And the next thing that comes to mind is: Why?

Most of the professions on the right require human connection, dealing with feelings and most of them don't offer much power. Psychopaths, by their very nature, would not be drawn to or very good at these things. On the other hand, most of the roles on the left do offer power and many require an ability to make objective, clinical decisions divorced from feelings. Psychopaths would be drawn to these roles and thrive there.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-barker/which-professions-have-the-most-psychopaths_b_2084246.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=1003503,b=facebook
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Which Professions Have The Most Psychopaths? (Original Post) cleanhippie Nov 2012 OP
Personal experience talking here: no_hypocrisy Nov 2012 #1
Very interesting, but what does this have to do with religion? Starboard Tack Nov 2012 #2
You should write to them and ask them to include you then. cleanhippie Nov 2012 #3
Psychopathy = Sadism + Narcissism kurt_cagle Nov 2012 #4
How about making a connection to religion? rug Nov 2012 #5
#8 on the lefthand side. cleanhippie Nov 2012 #7
If you took a historical view, #8 would move way up the list. dimbear Nov 2012 #6
While most of the clergy I know do not fall into this category, there are a few I know that make... hrmjustin Nov 2012 #8

no_hypocrisy

(45,774 posts)
1. Personal experience talking here:
Thu Nov 15, 2012, 12:46 PM
Nov 2012

Lawyers, hands down.

Been fired with human pyrotechnics four times from law firms. (A simple "Don't come back on Monday" would've done just fine with me.)

Starboard Tack

(11,181 posts)
2. Very interesting, but what does this have to do with religion?
Thu Nov 15, 2012, 12:48 PM
Nov 2012

I guess they missed out INTERNET BLOGGING TROLL

cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
3. You should write to them and ask them to include you then.
Thu Nov 15, 2012, 01:20 PM
Nov 2012

I like how you define yourself, starboard tack. Very honest of you. Well done.

kurt_cagle

(534 posts)
4. Psychopathy = Sadism + Narcissism
Thu Nov 15, 2012, 01:54 PM
Nov 2012

The psychopathic personality enjoys inflicting pain and dominating others, and typically has a very highly focused sense of "me". They are extroverts who are able to mimic social expressions and body language well, are pathological liars, and generally see others either as competitors or prey. Everything is about them. I think there is a very real difference between psychopathic personalities and Aspergers - Aspergers generally do have a very weak sense of "me", they tend to be intuitive and empathic (watch Aspergers and High Spectrum Autistics with animals) but they have trouble interpreting human facial or body language. Both can be very focused, but the Asperger is focused more on external phenomenon and curiosity (the Ooooh Shiny!) while the psychopath is focused on themselves and their own self-promotion. Both can be methodical, but the psychopath often is also a pathological liar (even to themselves), whereas most people on the Autism spectrum have difficulty lying or deception of any sort. I can see an engineer as a killer, but they would kill out of curiosity. A psychopath would do so seeking attention, and plays games with others to achieve dominance.

I believe that Romney was a Narcissist, and there are hints that he had the capability of being a sadist, though I don't think that was a dominant part of his personality. He was just too self-absorbed to be capable of sparing any attention to others. I still think we dodged a very real bullet with him, however.

dimbear

(6,271 posts)
6. If you took a historical view, #8 would move way up the list.
Thu Nov 15, 2012, 10:02 PM
Nov 2012

Cardinal Richelieu, Savonarola, Rasputin, and so on. You know, the good old days.

 

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
8. While most of the clergy I know do not fall into this category, there are a few I know that make...
Thu Nov 15, 2012, 11:04 PM
Nov 2012

... me agree with this chart.

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