Psychopaths have empathy, they just choose not to use it

[P3nT4gR4m]

Sociopathy, in particular, is very sad, as the sociopath simply does not and cannot feel the emotional connection required for successful social interactions. They may become very skilled at them (if they are a very intelligent sociopath) but they fundamentally don't really understand them, making them eternally lonely and alienated, which would be sad except they don't seem to experience loneliness or alienation so, whatever I guess.

For some reason this made me think of autism

[Pergamos]

I'll add that most sociopaths lead perfectly normal lives. Those who have an internalized concept of themselves as good people typically function as good people in society. They look to others for cues about acceptable attitudes, and mirror them. To me, these functional sociopaths are the most interesting, because they indicate that sociopathy is not necessarily a result of trauma or stress, but a natural condition.

However, the more dysfunctional society is, the more sociopaths will have motivation to ignore social norms for their own gain.

There's also cultural norms that tend toward sociopathy, such as the culture that seems to be pervasive in high finance. 

[Doktor Howl]

I'll add that most sociopaths lead perfectly normal lives. Those who have an internalized concept of themselves as good people typically function as good people in society. They look to others for cues about acceptable attitudes, and mirror them. To me, these functional sociopaths are the most interesting, because they indicate that sociopathy is not necessarily a result of trauma or stress, but a natural condition.

However, the more dysfunctional society is, the more sociopaths will have motivation to ignore social norms for their own gain.

There's also cultural norms that tend toward sociopathy, such as the culture that seems to be pervasive in high finance.

Yes, it's really that simple.

[Left]

There was a better article on this, but I've got to go get ready to leave, will try looking for it later.
http://sites.psu.edu/michellebingertrclblog/2013/01/31/does-american-culture-breed-sociopaths/

Studies show that 35-50% of these dangerous traits that sociopath contain derive from genetics. This shows us that over half of their development into a sociopath comes from environment. Our American society is an environment which breeds many more sociopaths than other cultures do. East Asian countries have a .03-.14% prevalence of antisocial personality disorder while our Western culture has around a 4% prevalence of this disorder.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Sociopathy, in particular, is very sad, as the sociopath simply does not and cannot feel the emotional connection required for successful social interactions. They may become very skilled at them (if they are a very intelligent sociopath) but they fundamentally don't really understand them, making them eternally lonely and alienated, which would be sad except they don't seem to experience loneliness or alienation so, whatever I guess.

For some reason this made me think of autism

Autistics, as a rule, totally feel automatic empathy... what they can't do well is pick up on body language and social cues, so they can't infer what someone is feeling by cues most of us take for granted.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I'll add that most sociopaths lead perfectly normal lives. Those who have an internalized concept of themselves as good people typically function as good people in society. They look to others for cues about acceptable attitudes, and mirror them. To me, these functional sociopaths are the most interesting, because they indicate that sociopathy is not necessarily a result of trauma or stress, but a natural condition.

However, the more dysfunctional society is, the more sociopaths will have motivation to ignore social norms for their own gain.

There's also cultural norms that tend toward sociopathy, such as the culture that seems to be pervasive in high finance.

Is there something I'm doing wrong that's causing people to restate what I just said as if they're correcting me? Am I not being clear in my writing?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

There was a better article on this, but I've got to go get ready to leave, will try looking for it later.
http://sites.psu.edu/michellebingertrclblog/2013/01/31/does-american-culture-breed-sociopaths/

Studies show that 35-50% of these dangerous traits that sociopath contain derive from genetics. This shows us that over half of their development into a sociopath comes from environment. Our American society is an environment which breeds many more sociopaths than other cultures do. East Asian countries have a .03-.14% prevalence of antisocial personality disorder while our Western culture has around a 4% prevalence of this disorder.

It's very likely, since we reward people who express psychopathic behavior in the business realm. They're more likely to breed.

[Left]

Well...the question is, what do Asian cultures do differently?
Or, let me rephrase that:
How is it that they promote non-sociopathic behavior?

[Pergamos]

I'll add that most sociopaths lead perfectly normal lives. Those who have an internalized concept of themselves as good people typically function as good people in society. They look to others for cues about acceptable attitudes, and mirror them. To me, these functional sociopaths are the most interesting, because they indicate that sociopathy is not necessarily a result of trauma or stress, but a natural condition.

However, the more dysfunctional society is, the more sociopaths will have motivation to ignore social norms for their own gain.

There's also cultural norms that tend toward sociopathy, such as the culture that seems to be pervasive in high finance.

Is there something I'm doing wrong that's causing people to restate what I just said as if they're correcting me? Am I not being clear in my writing?

I didn't think I was correcting you, I thought I was elaborating.  You were talking about sociopaths in relatively nonsociopathic society, I was talking about less sociopathic people in a sociopathic society.

[Cain]

Well...the question is, what do Asian cultures do differently?
Or, let me rephrase that:
How is it that they promote non-sociopathic behavior?

The normal explanation is that Asian culture tends to be more community focused, and so do not create the social conditions which promote psychopathy.

However, I find that a bit suspect.  I know there is a Masters thesis from a grad at Emory which actually showed higher incidence of psychopathy among international students hailing from Asia.  A study in Taiwan and Japan did show lower incidences of psychopathy in those two areas, but the studies on mainland China are inconclusive.  South Korea, by contrast, has shown a high level of antisocial personality disorder, which is considered related, if not the same as, psychopathy.

In short, the "community culture" reason isn't a sufficient one to explain what is happening.  There is also, I suspect, a strong constituency for trying to turn different rates of psychopathy into a moral and racial issue, as I've seen more than a few papers lingering over the promiscuous, violent blacks and native americans, when compared with the virtuous and sober minded caucasians and asians.  These papers typically do not seek to try and locate socio-economic conditions which may illustrate why the rates do differ.

[Junkenstein]

There was a fantastic loompanics article regarding the "Running Amok" syndrome and occurrences in  unusual places such as remote Inuit tribes. Well worth a read.

From memory, I believe there were links between perceived and actual isolation and instances of tremendous violence. I think the overall conclusion was that this shit happens pretty much everywhere, it's just a lot easier to process/broadcast/spin when it happens to be Those people up to their crazy antics again.

Compare that to now and the crazy people look like you. The need to report and vilify seems to still be there, but the underlying factor/narrative appears to have changed from "Uncivilised savages cant control themselves" to "Islamist/extremist is a traitor".


That article is probably at least 15ish years old though and loompanics so information content may be sketchy.