Psychopaths

I’ve known some freaky people. After awhile I just want to avoid them, so I do. The thing they have in common is they all appear to be psychopathic. I know that’s a throw away word for people you don’t like so I’ll explain it.

I don’t think there’s a “type” of person that becomes that way. Anyone can do it. It’s a natural response, a way to handle conflicting influences, basically: serving 2 masters. If a person learns it early in life, it has more time to develop and has more encompassing effects.

The basic progression is when some one has to recognize multiple authorities. As a defense, they play them against each other and discover that process is a handle to manage similar conflicts, then broader conflicts till it’s used to justify anything they want. For example Johnny want’s to visit his friend. He know mom won’t let him go unless its ok with dad, and the same with dad who won’t let him go unless his mom say it’s ok. He surmises that neither want to cause conflict w/ their partner, so he asks each (separately) “is it ok to go if it’s ok w/ mom (or dad)? and they both say “sure”, so Johnny hops on his bike and leaves to play w/ his friend.

But Johnny looses the moral model taken from authorities and his success develops the way burnout follows interest. Mark Twain always loved the Mississippi River, so he understudied and became a River Boat pilot but later said it ruined his admiration for the river because looking at it now as a Pilot, he could no longer see the majesty and beauty, only the probable places where current, submerged snags and sand bars would be located. So it goes with talking to people, knowing they can be manipulated to get what you want. They’re no longer friends, just marks. He secretly becomes a gloating alien king.

The aspiring alien imitates authority and fantasizes conversations that let him manipulate the outcome: who will object, who’ll go along. But that ability is restricted by his willingness to lie. And that willingness is created by his moral environment. Gullible people are easier marks so he focuses his attention on the ones who’ll listen to his personal media and buy his bitcoins because they’re the suckers. At first he restricts his lying because getting caught out damages his credibility but after awhile he doesn’t care, the only people he’s interested in are the stupid ones anyhow.

Ideally the church and schools teach altruism. It often doesn’t penetrate too deeply but at least it’s out there and they’re a recognized refuge in an environment where the weak (altruistic) are eaten, or pushed out of the nest. So Jonny checks out available slots for his people skills and decides to become a politician, CEO, preacher, drug dealer, pimp or whatever else fits. He says the right words, is naturally forgiven for his sin and goes out to talk with the people who have a conscience and make easy money.

Lookin' at you Donny :)