General Discussion

laundry_queen

(8,646 posts)

2. Sort of

Mon Nov 4, 2013, 09:07 AM

Nov 2013

you are born with a predisposition to have lack of empathy, but your environment growing up is going to trigger the expression of the gene.

Also...4% of people are sociopaths. Our society, instead of shunning them for their lack of empathy, has put them in positions of power and influence instead. Then you have people who are predispositioned to be followers....Milgram experiment and all that....and you have the pickle we are in right now.

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Are Heartless People Simply Born That Way? [View all] marmar Nov 2013 OP

We have glorified sociopaths. Instead of lining them up against walls we've elected them Katashi_itto Nov 2013 #1

It Says Our Society Is Sick cer7711 Nov 2013 #8

There are copious examples from history to show that cultures can indeed become deranged Fumesucker Nov 2013 #10

Kim Il whazisface comes to mind. magical thyme Nov 2013 #24

Does Pol Pot fall under Goodwin law? uponit7771 Nov 2013 #55

+1 uponit7771 Nov 2013 #53

Sort of laundry_queen Nov 2013 #2

add in huge numbers of people, our needs managed by huge beurocracies BlancheSplanchnik Nov 2013 #20

This stood out to me: brer cat Nov 2013 #3

No. People are carefully trained to be heartless. NT Trillo Nov 2013 #4

du rec. xchrom Nov 2013 #5

I was raised by a Republican psychopath... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #6

Wow. Thank you for sharing your story. Trillo Nov 2013 #13

Incredible post beerandjesus Nov 2013 #15

Totally. Thank you for saying that. nt bemildred Nov 2013 #16

Thank you. Glad you escaped. Too often the sins of the father Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2013 #17

So true, the cycle of abuse often continues... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #47

The three major products of severely abusive homes are Jackpine Radical Nov 2013 #52

Thanks for sharing. adirondacker Nov 2013 #22

Yes, I am glad that you had a wonderful mother... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #48

"They end up being the family scapegoats because they just couldn't toe the line anymore." magical thyme Nov 2013 #27

What wonderful insight. leftyladyfrommo Nov 2013 #32

There's a great deal online about family scapegoats... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #49

Yep. Ghost Dog Nov 2013 #28

you are the dysfunctional offspring who is thinking clearly and breaking that cycle. Voice for Peace Nov 2013 #30

Damn straight... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #50

Thanks so much for your story your insights, CoffeeCat.. whathehell Nov 2013 #34

the "identified patient"... grasswire Nov 2013 #35

Yes. Thanks for the link. n/t whathehell Nov 2013 #59

Your reply should be an OP itself... ReRe Nov 2013 #37

This message was self-deleted by its author LiberalLoner Nov 2013 #43

I started reading that book... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #44

What I got out of that book was this: ReRe Nov 2013 #66

What a beautiful, insightful post. Thank you AikidoSoul Nov 2013 #39

I am so sorry about what you endured... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #45

Thank you stage left Nov 2013 #40

Thank you for listening... CoffeeCat Nov 2013 #46

The truth helps us all stage left Nov 2013 #60

This message was self-deleted by its author LiberalLoner Nov 2013 #41

... Broken_Hero Nov 2013 #62

worthy of its own thread, CoffeeCat Skittles Nov 2013 #63

I can relate. deafskeptic Nov 2013 #64

That these cuts came from SNAP, and not some military budget item is simply criminal. AtheistCrusader Nov 2013 #7

I think they are educated that way. Living in a bubble with million dollar views. raouldukelives Nov 2013 #9

How does that explain poor, working class whites? Myrina Nov 2013 #26

those people are victims as well grasswire Nov 2013 #36

These are the Followers stage left Nov 2013 #38

They are sociopaths libtodeath Nov 2013 #11

The gene for altruism reddread Nov 2013 #12

Psychopaths are born that way, lacking empathy. There are degrees of lacking. Some is learned. nt Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2013 #14

Exactly. Lizzie Poppet Nov 2013 #58

Kudos. An informed mind overcomes ordinary limitations that others are hardly even aware of. nt Bernardo de La Paz Nov 2013 #61

Yes - They Are Called Sociopaths And Psychopaths cantbeserious Nov 2013 #18

Probably made by bad experience treestar Nov 2013 #19

Most people have empathy to other "people". dawg Nov 2013 #21

Narcissism is rampant and growing. L0oniX Nov 2013 #23

Well, usually they become VP and get an artificial one. NuclearDem Nov 2013 #25

The more I am around crazy Republicans the more I think the theory is part true - that they Laura PourMeADrink Nov 2013 #29

All I want for x-mas is my Tiny Tim football. JEB Nov 2013 #31

A few, most learn it. One thing I know, being religious doesn't automatically mean you become kind.. Tikki Nov 2013 #33

K&R woo me with science Nov 2013 #42

no, I believe about 90% of behaviour is through conditioning. gopiscrap Nov 2013 #51

The biggest conditioning being that's it's acceptable and there's no need for self reflection. ... uponit7771 Nov 2013 #54

yup gopiscrap Nov 2013 #56

No. Puzzledtraveller Nov 2013 #57

I've always believed it was a combination of nature and nurture (or lack thereof) which Uncle Joe Nov 2013 #65