ep delurks to remark on Psychopaths – A Users Guide
“All the sociopaths I’ve witnessed will cross the line eventually, in that when their shenanigans finally catch up to them, they try to shift blame onto their closest associates. *relurks*”
ep – good point. But I think there are some who never see their shenanigans catch up. One of the reasons is that they’re able to see where certain lines are and manage themselves. I don’t think there are hard and fast rules when you get way out there on the continuum. You have to take them on a case by case basis which is one of the points I meant to make.
I think you can take the species, “sociopath” and subdivide it over and over until you’re just looking at the one individual. While the species has traits in common, the individual is unique. I think this is the same as with any family or larger group of whatever type. As an example: “Italians” Italians has some things in common but each is an individual. I don’t think this can be denied.
I don’t think you can identify a sociopath from an astrology chart. But if you had the sociopath identified you would be able to tell from the chart, which individuals would be “bounded”, as compared to those who are (seemingly?) boundless.
I see I was not very clear in what I was trying convey. A psychopath opting not to bite the hand that feeds them or supports them in some way is just one example of how some of them self-preserve.
Another example would be the psychopath who knows a bigger fish when he or she see one and so avoids offending that individual as they are in no mood to be swallowed whole. In other words, they want to be a threat not suffer one.
If you want a scenario, a psychopath may do x, y and z to certain person. He may do that same thing to the next person and the next. He may plan to do the same thing to this other person too. But when he finds out she is connected to the mob… er, maybe not.
He wants to do his thing but he doesn’t want to pay for or it or be prevented from doing it so he’s comes up with a “hands off” policy are a certain individual or individuals, not because he cares about anyone but because he cares about himself.
pictured – Brenda Ann Spencer
The more I think about it, I realize I’ve met many people who fit the above description. I’ve also met many who don’t of course, but I wonder if the statistics are correct: 1-4% of the population are pyscho/sociopaths? For such a miniscule segment of society, they are remarkably powerful. It is as if 1 psychopath does the same amount of damage as hundreds of normal people. In terms of their cumulative effect, 1-4% psychopathy is a lot!
Good point! I wonder if the continuum is influenced also by factors like individual intelligence? In spite of the fact that they don’t seem to value other people the same way we do, perhaps the smarter ones value people for their own reasons. I still don’t trust the ones I’ve met not to try something at some point, though.
ep – they will do things to you and I can tell you exactly what as a matter of fact… I mean, I can give you some examples. But the thrust of what I am saying here is if you are and have to be or want to be (say they are family??) involved with a sociopath it is inordinately helpful if you can note their lines because once you know they are there you can find them easy enough.
Indiv. intelligence probably does play but I don’t know that it is more important than the person’s configuration in general. It’s like some people like chocolate ice cream not strawberry and they hate MINT. If you can figure out what “mint” is to them.. well, then you’re getting somewhere.
exactly (on elsa’s commentpost.) if you know what boundaries to walk around and what they will avoid doing, you can figure what they’re likely to stay away from and what you cannot, under any circumstances, trust them with.
usually you have to learn by getting yourself burned a few times, though. it’s easier to stay away if you have that choice.
though “trust” is not appropriate… you can just determine what their bed is that they won’t soil… by watching… assumptions about anything in that regard are dangerous.
One more thing – it’s possible they recognize other sociopaths as “bigger fish” as well, and avoid them too. I have never seen two of these types link up yet.
AnaBanana I think sociopaths are parasitic and recognize they aren’t going to be able to feed off of other sociopaths.
Astute observation!
oh they do link up… but only to double their effect on the rest of the world. it’s a scary scary thing…
“I don’t think by any stretch of the imagination you can identify a sociopath from an astrology chart…”
i’m glad you pointed that out.. because firstly, a sociopath is characterized by lack of empathy.. so if you already know an individual lacks empathy/love, I kind of feel that it speaks for itself, like the astrology becomes null, or void ( to me anyway. ). Empathy is what makes us human, and so if you don’t have any, what’s there to expect in manifesting any of the energies in a chart in a positive way? Their agenda is clear, it speaks for itself.
And what you say on self-preservation rings true, because look at John Wayne Gacy Jr. … the serial killer who murdered over thirty adolescent/young boys( whom i was actually surprised to read was a Pisces sun, born March 17th.. but that in itself kind of shows again, astrology is null when it comes to these types i think.) .. he would dress up as a clown to entertain children at the local hospital.. he would be involved in town activities.. And the “why” part becomes clear when you consider self-preservation… You wouldn’t suspect a guy who works with children and is active in the community to be a murderer. He *actively* created this facade in order to deflect suspicion.. and to ultimately preserve his own behind.
I’m with wyrdling. I’ve witnessed them link up. One was a social butterfly who loved to control everyone but only allowed people to get “this close”. Which meant, um, not close at all. Then through her smiles, she’d talk crap about others. Sort of injecting mean things about others into the minds of people who had no idea of who she was, so they believed her and actually stood up for her. She was conniving and a half. Attaches herself to those of “status” and criticizes and spreads rumors like heck. Also cried crocodile tears when I knew her.
The second gal, her best friend in the wide world, is not a shallow, social butterfly but the opposite. Quiet. To herself. Conniving. Never leaves the house if she can help it. When you meet her, you want to “help” her because she presents troubles and the kind of face and story and overall demeanor that it would probably hurt to turn her down. I went against my gut on this one, giving this gal the benefit of the doubt. (Don’t ever go against your gut with anyone like this, by the way.) She had us doing her bidding until I felt like a total ass (stupid) and completely shut her from my life. I think I got lucky, because what followed were the longest, meanest e-mails, hang-up calls, some messes in the front of our house and so on from she and her friend above.
The two of them found their torment really funny. Until I threatened to forward their information to the police.
The two personalities they present to everyone are so, so, so different than who these gals truly are. When your spidey senses are telling you something about someone, no matter how subtle the clues appear to be, my suggestion is to heed to them.
I am so tired of talking about my ex, but he fits in so well with posts like these.
As soon as we divorced, he became a “nice guy.” He even told me, “I’m a nice guy. I’ll help you fix things during the Summer.”
He never fixed anything when we were married, and he certainly is so far from being a “nice guy” I wanted to puke all over him when he said it. The fact that he was able to utter those words amazes me.
On a spiritual level, he couldn’t fight the positive energy I made to counteract, and ultimately overcome, his negativity. That’s when he left.
He gets on my last nerve, called me last night, and got me arguing with him, which he loves. I am being forced into going to his mother’s house this weekend WITH HIM. I may make a post about it because this is so not fair to me, but I know it’s the right thing to do. I have to walk the talk, and do the right thing. SIGH.
I have to make sure I do not give him what he wants (feisty interaction) and do what he HATES (ignore him and be pleasant).
(((isernia)))