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Letter From A Psychopath

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Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#21

Post by ama729 »

sillysaurus2 wrote: post #11
Fuxy wrote: post #3

Interesting. I would like to meet this person. I find it very helpful to surround myself with people that have a different way of seeing the world.

I would like to meet this person. No, no no no no. No you would not. Not unless you mean it like "I'd like to meet a serial killer, just for the experience." Maybe it'd be interesting to get their point of view, sure, but you are far better off without them in your life. And certainly without having any form of relationship with them. One of the main reasons this guy wrote this letter was probably self-aggrandization…

> What's inherently a bad thing is that when human remorse and guilt has been genetically disabled, those people will do things to you which are fucked up.

Honestly, did you read the entire letter? Because he clearly address that point:

    Its true that I do not 'feel' guilt or remorse, except to the extent
    that it affects me directly, but I do feel other emotions, which do not
    have adequate words of description, but nevertheless cause me to derive
    satisfacton in developing interpersonal relationships, contributing to
    society, and being gentle as well as assertive.

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#22

Post by [deleted] »

sillysaurus2 wrote: post #11
Fuxy wrote: post #3

Interesting. I would like to meet this person. I find it very helpful to surround myself with people that have a different way of seeing the world.

I would like to meet this person. No, no no no no. No you would not. Not unless you mean it like "I'd like to meet a serial killer, just for the experience." Maybe it'd be interesting to get their point of view, sure, but you are far better off without them in your life. And certainly without having any form of relationship with them. One of the main reasons this guy wrote this letter was probably self-aggrandization…

[deleted]

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#23

Post by tinco »

Yhippa wrote: post #12

At one point in our evolution was there some advantage that being a psychopath conferred?

We have evolved to be born with lots of things balanced in slightly different way, one stronger, one smarter, one sweeter, one more decisive.

Every now and then someone is born with one of their balances in an extreme position. The genes that express the balance either missing or just heavily surpressed.

It is not necessary for every kind of gene expression to be beneficial to mankind in general, as long as the average range of gene expressions are beneficial to our survival.

tl;dr: A certain amount of variation in genes is beneficial to survival of our species, extreme variation (like psychopathy) is less relevant (unless a psychopath wipes out all of us, which is a commonly known weakness of evolution in general)

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#24

Post by simonh »

Yhippa wrote: post #12

At one point in our evolution was there some advantage that being a psychopath conferred?

Purely as a matter of opinion, the way to think about this is not as an advantage for an individual, but for as a gene pool.

Mostly a human gene pool's survival and prosperity is best served by community co-operation, mutual support and self sacrifice for the good of loved ones and other community members. Sometimes though, the group as a whole has had it and the route to the survival of any of the gene pool is for one or a few to sacrifice the rest and make an all-out bid for personal survival. E.g. a terrible winter in which there is insufficient food and everyone is starving to death.

Another situation where psychopathy could be useful is warfare. Sometimes having a cold blooded killer with no remorse on your side isn't such a bad thing.

Ultimately, it's a matter of variety. You never know what challenges your community is going to face, and what range of behaviors are going to be optimal. Having a full range of behavior types available in your community gives it flexibility in it's response, especially to to existential challenges.

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#25

Post by happimess »

Yhippa wrote: post #12

At one point in our evolution was there some advantage that being a psychopath conferred?

Based on this account, I imagine that being a psychopath confers some advantage for just about our entire history as creatures that can form and execute plans.

Being a sincere participant in social groups has probably provided an advantage for just as long, if not longer.

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#26

Post by contextual »

Fuxy wrote: post #3

Interesting. I would like to meet this person. I find it very helpful to surround myself with people that have a different way of seeing the world.

Pathological lying and manipulativeness are hallmarks of a psychopath [1]. It would be like befriending a spider - when you're the fly.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_Psychopathy_Checklist

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#27

Post by sillysaurus2 »

ama729 wrote: post #21
sillysaurus2 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would like to meet this person. No, no no no no. No you would not. Not unless you mean it like "I'd like to meet a serial killer, just for the experience." Maybe it'd be interesting to get their point of view, sure, but you are far better off without them in your life. And certainly without having any form of relationship with them. One of the main reasons this guy wrote this letter was probably self-aggrandization…

> What's inherently a bad thing is that when human remorse and guilt has been genetically disabled, those people will do things to you which are fucked up. Honestly, did you read the entire letter? Because he clearly address that point: Its true that I do not 'feel' guilt or remorse, except to the extent that it affects me directly, but I do feel other emotions, which do not have adequate words of description, but ne…

Isn't it possible the person who is genetically predisposed to being manipulative is manipulating your feelings here?

Yes, what he wrote is interesting, and I read all of it. No, I don't believe he feels "satisfaction in contributing to society." I believe he feels satisfaction in contributing to himself and his own self-image, even unblinkingly at the expense of others.

I'm of course biased in this, having been the target of one of these manipulators, so maybe it's better to ignore me. But man, be grateful you weren't the target, because it had pretty dramatic effects on my life, and took a long time to get over.

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#28

Post by anovikov »

The more i read about phychopaths is that they are normal guys/girls and it is the society's problem to 'treat' them (because they are too strong competitors and shall be neutralized) rater than their own.

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#29

Post by ama729 »

Yhippa wrote: post #12

At one point in our evolution was there some advantage that being a psychopath conferred?

Don't necessarily think in term of advantage, but rather in term of probability it will stay in the gene pool.

If psychopathy is genetically linked to say, a better resistance to cold or hunger, then it might stay even with the disadvantage of psychopathy, just because people with it will survive better.

Re: Letter From A Psychopath

#30

Post by kingkawn »

contextual wrote: post #26
Fuxy wrote: post #3

Interesting. I would like to meet this person. I find it very helpful to surround myself with people that have a different way of seeing the world.

Pathological lying and manipulativeness are hallmarks of a psychopath [1]. It would be like befriending a spider - when you're the fly. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_Psychopathy_Checklist

These are justifications for not attempting to understand and thereby humanize him. These same sort of broad brush strokes have been used against any group of people that are deemed unworthy of being truly seen.
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