The Psychopath Test - Jon Ronson

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Just call me Chhilt :)

@chhilt

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Posted: 13 years ago

#11

Originally posted by: -Mystery-
I read The Psychopath Test!

Wow, it's a pretty intriguing book. Got so many thoughts on it.. will share soon.

Thanks for recommending it, Chhilt!

I can't take the credit for recommending it ha, it was recommended to me as well :P Waiting to see what you think of it! :)

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Mahi

@-Mystery-

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 13 years ago

#12

But you recommended it to me, Chhilt, so you still get the credit :)

It was a pretty intriguing book. I actually finished it in a couple days, couldn't stop reading.

I agree with a lot of the points he raised throughout about the psychopaths. But I don't think it's all genes even though supposedly you're born with it. I think it's got to be some mix of nature & nurture. The point about the only difference between the Broadmoor psychopaths & Executive psychopaths is being born into a resourceful family was very interesting. I kind of feel bad for the psychopaths. If they are born with the specific something in their brains that makes them psychopaths & they really have no control over it then they're sort of helpless? Now these are cold hearted murderers & rapists. And I'm feeling bad for them. What does it say about me?! I guess I have to believe in the nature & nurture theory otherwise the psychopaths become the victims in my mind & that's so not right. And not fair to the real victims & their families.

I think I agree with the fact that psychiatric disorders are over diagnosed. This is a very genuine problem - that of somewhat odd but perhaps normal behaviors being diagnosed & labelled as psychiatric disorders especially in kids. But I think that's not the only problem with over diagnosis. On the other end of the spectrum, there are people who hide under these diagnoses & explain away irrational thoughts & behaviors. 'Oh, I have obsessive compulsive disorder so I can't control this habit' or 'I have depression & I just can't work.' Now I certainly don't want to sound insensitive. I just think that giving a label of psychiatric disorder sometimes make people not take responsibility of their otherwise perfectly controllable actions or behaviors.

Anyway, it was very interesting to see about his interactions and conversations with all the different people who appeared to be psychopaths..

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Mahi

@-Mystery-

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 13 years ago

#13

Originally posted by: chhilt

I guess it all comes down to what that lady (I forgot her name) said to Ronson. There's no point in caring about them because they genuinely do not care about you.

See but that's the thing. They don't choose! If they had a choice to be this or someone else, I'd find it easier to hate them or at least not feel bad about them. But they don't have a choice, That's just how their brain is. It's weird.

Originally posted by: chhilt
I understand where you're coming from. But there are also the people who self-diagnose who are a hundred times more frustrating than the ones who actually are diagnosed with something. I don't know a whole lot about Psychiatry but borrowing from the book for a second, remember what that guy from Broadmoor said? It's easy to get someone to think you're crazy. The hard part is trying to convince them that you're not.

Having said that, I do believe that if you genuinely have a disorder then it inhibits your life in a lot of ways. It doesn't mean that you are absolutely incapable of controlling your habits though. Sure, OCD is a pain to live with, but a lot of people are getting by just fine because they have the drive and the will to not let it dictate their lives.

Absolutely agree with you here!! You have to make the best of the cards you're dealt. YOU have to have the drive, the urge to takeover whatever problem you have and not let it take over your life.

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Just call me Chhilt :)

@chhilt

Rocker

Posted: 13 years ago

#14

Originally posted by: -Mystery-

See but that's the thing. They don't choose! If they had a choice to be this or someone else, I'd find it easier to hate them or at least not feel bad about them. But they don't have a choice, That's just how their brain is. It's weird.

I understand what you mean. It is weird definitely. And on some level, it is a little sad that they never really had the choice to be this way. All about playing the hand you've been dealt, I suppose.

Absolutely agree with you here!! You have to make the best of the cards you're dealt. YOU have to have the drive, the urge to takeover whatever problem you have and not let it take over your life.