Why are people more interested in psychopaths and sociopaths than empaths?

[Abcdenfp]

Because people have a fascination with the darker capabilities Of other humans they don't really have an interest in seeing the best in people and they like a comparison to say well this person is really bad I'm not so bad

 

[Qlip]

People put more attention on fear.

 

[Population: 1]

It behooves us to pay attention to something that is a potential threat or source of problems, yes. We need to understand it to be able to address or defend against it if need be.

Most animals and insects in my area leave my herb garden alone. Occasionally, there are green and black caterpillars that eat the dill plants down to bare stems in just a few days. As a result, I tend to focus on these, and ignore the other critters.

Precisely. I’m not concerned about empaths becoming Hannibal Lecter or Buffalo Bill.

 

[Population: 1]

OK, sure.

Still, I think there's plenty of Jokers, I'd rather hear from a Batman which upstages them one of these days.

Where are the all the Skywalkers?!

I’d rather be Han Solo.

 

[á´…eparted]

Cause scary and dangerous things are fascinating! It's why I became a chemist.

 

[Nomendei]

In my opinion, there are many reasons. Let’s see them step by step.

First, I think oversensitive people are less enjoyable to be around. Just imagine being around someone who has strong mood swings, who cries for nothing and hates you because you don’t agree with his/her opinion. It’s like speaking to a child.

Then, psychopaths don’t really feel emotions and are able to take more risks. They don’t fear easily, which is something valuable in society. Humans wants to be free, do whatever they want. Psychopaths are more free than normal people. They are not restrained by moral rules.

Psychopaths are more often intelligent individuals. They are often Bankers, Doctors and so on. Intelligence is a virtue seen in many leaders and entrepreneur. Intelligence usually brings to money, and money brings power.

So intelligence, risk-taking and fearlessness can bring charisma. This is why so many people are obsessed with the joker. He does whatever he wants, when he wants, and does not easily get caught due to his intelligence, quick-thinking improvisation skills and the danger he put himself in.

Interest is the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or of wanting, to be involved with and to discover more about something. You don’t want to give your attention to something you find pitiful. If you don’t like mathematics you won’t make a bachelor or a master about mathematics. And we are educated to control our emotions. From childhood we are told to stay calm, don’t be violent, don’t cry in public… And in the end what better way to not show your emotions than don’t having any?

 

[Lark]

I’d rather be Han Solo.

 

[Agent Washington]

Because the traits that we ought to value in people are directly opposite to the traits that actually make people successful under the capitalist system.

 

[Lark]

In my opinion, there are many reasons. Let’s see them step by step.

First, I think oversensitive people are less enjoyable to be around. Just imagine being around someone who has strong mood swings, who cries for nothing and hates you because you don’t agree with his/her opinion. It’s like speaking to a child.

Then, psychopaths don’t really feel emotions and are able to take more risks. They don’t fear easily, which is something valuable in society. Humans wants to be free, do whatever they want. Psychopaths are more free than normal people. They are not restrained by moral rules.

Psychopaths are more often intelligent individuals. They are often Bankers, Doctors and so on. Intelligence is a virtue seen in many leaders and entrepreneur. Intelligence usually brings to money, and money brings power.

So intelligence, risk-taking and fearlessness can bring charisma. This is why so many people are obsessed with the joker. He does whatever he wants, when he wants, and does not easily get caught due to his intelligence, quick-thinking improvisation skills and the danger he put himself in.

Interest is the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or of wanting, to be involved with and to discover more about something. You don’t want to give your attention to something you find pitiful. If you don’t like mathematics you won’t make a bachelor or a master about mathematics. And we are educated to control our emotions. From childhood we are told to stay calm, don’t be violent, don’t cry in public… And in the end what better way to not show your emotions than don’t having any?

And the case studies just keep on comin'

 

[Lark]

Because the traits that we ought to value in people are directly opposite to the traits that actually make people successful under the capitalist system.

And how do you think that shit happens?

 

[Agent Washington]

So intelligence, risk-taking and fearlessness can bring charisma. This is why so many people are obsessed with the joker. He does whatever he wants, when he wants, and does not easily get caught due to his intelligence, quick-thinking improvisation skills and the danger he put himself in.

None of these traits have anything to do with empathy. Risk-taking and fearlessness in sociopathy & psychopathy is a result of lack of long-term consequence cognition. In the real world, ppl like that either become v. successful or go to jail. Intelligence is also a quotient that has nothing to do with sociopathy or psychopathy. And protagonists in media usually exhibit empathy.

 

[Agent Washington]

And how do you think that shit happens?

I have read (I forgot where, because I have to read a lot of academic writing) that advanced capitalism essentially has certain patterns similar to aristocratic world order, i.e. that the capitalist elite re-defines meritocracy based on traits that they themselves have access too.

 

[Lark]

None of these traits have anything to do with empathy. Risk-taking and fearlessness in sociopathy & psychopathy is a result of lack of long-term consequence cognition. In the real world, ppl like that either become v. successful or go to jail. Intelligence is also a quotient that has nothing to do with sociopathy or psychopathy. And protagonists in media usually exhibit empathy.

What do you think makes the difference?

 

[Lark]

I have read (I forgot where, because I have to read a lot of academic writing) that advanced capitalism essentially has certain patterns similar to aristocratic world order, i.e. that the capitalist elite re-defines meritocracy based on traits that they themselves have access too.

That sounds right most elites are self-selecting in the criteria they use to identify others for inclusion in as one of them.

 

[Agent Washington]

What do you think makes the difference?

A lot of things. Class, luck, ability to control investigative journalism and whistleblowers, etc. This isn't to say that poor ppl are saints, it's just that there is a systemic inequality at work in the judicial system, in education, in academic qualifications and alumni system (...example: George W. Bush Jr isn't the brightest bulb in the hardware store, but he still has his qualifications), ability to buy freedom for exorbitant sums of money or stay in jail until trial, etc.

Also personal qualities like IQ and self-control. Psychopathy for instance tends to have lower functioning than sociopathy, but it's been a while since I last read up on criminal psychology. Rusty.

I forgot to add, there's also mediocre ones that are successful by the layman's definition (i.e. they fit into society and ruin lives in smaller ways that, if played well, are undetected), not by the glamorous definition.

 

[Agent Washington]

That sounds right most elites are self-selecting in the criteria they use to identify others for inclusion in as one of them.

Precisely.

 

[deathwarmedup]

They're the dissonant note in the bland symphony of moral expectations that is as old as our species.

 

[Forever]

ok...lets paint 2 pictures.

A room full of "sociopaths"...who is the last one standing

A room full of "empaths"...who feels first?

I mean, common, which is more interesting to watch.

I mean I consider myself an empath (Which I think definitely a minority too).

If I were forced to go to a room were either it was full of sociopaths or full of empaths. I’m taking the latter for sure. We’d hug it out, achieve spiritual enlightenment, and then ascend ourselves into heaven/merge again with source energy/achieve nirvana/etc. all to just get back in time for dinner!

Here’s how it’d go with sociopaths:

So really in both cases no one is left standing!

 

[anticlimatic]

Young people go through a phase in early adulthood when the sudden onset of individual liberties and consequences open both pleasant and unpleasant new doors emotionally, and the primary role of psychopathy is defensive- so it has a natural allure as a quickstop remedy for those unpleasant emotional experiences. Since most people on the internet are in that younger demographic, I'm certain that's why it's overrepresented. On the surface it seems like strength to the naive, and it's only after decades of learned wisdom that empathy reveals itself as the true spine of strong individuals.

 

[Jaguar]

I mean, common, which is more interesting to watch.

Frankly, I preferred watching Princess Diana over David Koresh.