Psychopathy
Overview
Psychopathy is a psychological condition apparently caused by total disinterest in the welfare of others, i.e. lack of any empathetic sense. The major symptom is a consistent tendency towards amoral and antisocial behavior.
lack of objectivity
One trait which has been observed but not yet (as far as we know) rigorously confirmed is that, to a psychopath, there is no such thing as objective reality; "reality" is whatever the psychopath can convince other people that it is, and "facts" are whatever the psychopath feels are most convenient for her/his current purposes or desires. With no objective reality and no solid facts upon which to base an argument, all negotiation is a carrot-and-stick power struggle, and all criticisms are strictly personal.
argumentative strategies
Psychopaths tend to use the following rhetorical deceptions:
- diversion, a.k.a. shifting the topic
- lying
- covert intimidation
- minimization
- vilifying the victim
- rationalization
- denial
quotes
| Dr. Kevin Barrett said: |
|
So-called conspiracy theorists, some of whom deserve the pejorative connotation of that much-abused term, often imagine that secret societies of Jews, Jesuits, bankers, communists, Bilderbergers, Muslim extremists, papists, and so on, are secretly controlling history, doing dastardly deeds, and/or threatening to take over the world. As a leading “conspiracy theorist” according to Wikipedia, I feel eminently qualified to offer an alternative conspiracy theory which, like the alternative conspiracy theory of 9/11, is both simpler and more accurate than the prevailing wisdom: The only conspiracy that matters is the conspiracy of the psychopaths against the rest of us. |
Links
Reference
- Wikipedia
Conservapediano article as of 2008-01-15
- dKosopedia (Corporate psychopaths): stub article making a point about corporate personhood
- SourceWatch (psychopath)
Essays
- 2008-01-08 Comments on psychopaths in the software industry by Rickard Öberg