Can a psychopath be a good person?

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

I was reading a couple of interesting articles that asserted that psychopathy is a spectrum disorder, so depending on the "grade" of the condition, an individual can be more like a "normal" person and even have a limited empathy for other people.

Another interesting point of the article is that while Hollywood tend to show all psychopaths as 100% irrediemably evil, in real life many people that get diagnosed as psychopaths actually manage to be good people nonetheless, if not in their intents at least in their actions.

I've had a chat with a diagnosed high-functioning psychopath, and I was surprised to see how upfront they were. This person is married and with children, and while she admitted she finds it very difficult to empathize with her husband and her children, she sees it as her "project" that they are happy, successful and taken care of and that she mostly rationalizes them as an "extension" of herself. Another positive aspect of her low empathy is that when she or her family has a problem or issue, her judgment is not clouded by emotions and she can come up with the most rational solution and advice.

I asked her if she genuinely loves her family and she replied she doesn't have an answer for that. She likes being with them, make them happy and "being adored" in return.

Link to the articles in question - https://www.healthyplace.com/personality-disorders/psychopath/can-psychopaths-love-cry-or-experience-happiness#:~:text=The%20lower%20on%20the%20scale,incapable%20of%20truly%20loving%20another.

[monorprise]

I really don't think a lack of empathy qualify anyone as a psychopath as that is a completely different issue. One can have a completely logical perspective and do great things for themselfs and others.

Legal and Moral codes are almost entirely logical, based in historic experience with the need to follow rules for mutually beneficial relationships to work.

By contrast a psychopath is defined as:"
1: A person who engages repeatedly in criminal and antisocial behavior without remorse or empathy for those victimized.
2: A morally irresponsible person.
3: A person with a personality disorder indicated by a pattern of lying, cunning, manipulating, glibness, exploiting, heedlessness, arrogance, delusions of grandeur, sexual promiscuity, low self-control, disregard for morality, lack of acceptance of responsibility, callousness, and lack of empathy and remorse. Such an individual may be especially prone to violent and criminal offenses.
"

The woman you describe does not appear to meet any of those definitions.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Thank you for your answer and analysis.
Well, she did admit to committing some awful actions when she was younger, but that she "grew out of it".

[monorprise]

@Sun_Kim-Ai
Again having done bad things does not make you a psychopath, the fact that she now does good, and even recognizes them as awful seems proof she is NOT a psychopath.

[Kaneki05]

Yes, many go through life without be even been recognised. It's not like TV were they are all killers and etc.
Normally they act pretty normal to blend it and sure they will do stuff that benefits them more like they may get with someone, because it's stable rather than out of love but is that evil? Nah. And Psychopath knows when they are doing something wrong just the difference is they don't care, but what they do care about is the consequences.

However if you are talking about sociopaths that's another story. They are more inclined to let the mask down and do bad things out of impulse and have usually a complex nature of been the Victim or always Right. It's not them who's wrong for their actions and don't think they should have consequences for it. Therefore these often do bad things while justifying it themselves and hoping they can get away with it rather than Psychopaths who would rather just not do it.

These are clear differences. However thanks to psychology been confused about all kinds of cases they just put it all under Anti-social Personality disorder. The confusion comes from this and also that not all Psychopaths or Sociopaths act the same even though their psychology would tell you they should.

[Kaneki05]

Aww she sounds nice. And is a good example of a psychopath who is good.

[Anonymous]

I think they can be good people. Just because someone has a condition that might prevent them from experiencing life the same way other people do, doesn't mean they are inherently good or bad. Just different.
Psychopaths get a bad reputation because they're always associated with not caring or being able to do bad things without feeling guilt. But it really just boils down to their own virtues. Sure they don't feel emotions as intensely or at all compared to other people. However, they can still think, understand, and act based on what is socially or morally acceptable.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

That's one of the best answers on this question, thank you for sharing it.

[Agape93]

Nope. Goodness as a trait is based on morals vs actions. You can do a good thing for selfish or negative reasons, and that does not make you a good person. You have to do a good thing for a positive reason, to be a good person

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

"Do a good thing for a positive reason, to be a good person" I like that sentence.
In your opinion, if you do a good thing for selfish reasons (ie. you want to feel good about yourself) does this make you a bad person, or a morally neutral one?

[serious]

@Agape93

Well said.

[Agape93]

Thanks

More neutral. Doing a good thing so you feel better about yourself is not a bad thing, nor is it a wholly good thing.

[Twalli]

Hell is full of good means. Heaven is full of good works.

Why do I care why you did something goid as long as you did it?

[Agape93]

If you care or not, or why, is wholly irrelevant

[Agape93]

Besides, religion has fuck all to do with the topic.

[Twalli]

I'm a Utilitarian Consequntalist. All actions should be to increase happiness which is the only good and as long as happiness is increased the meas are justified.

Let's say I could cure cancer by killing a randomly selected 100 people. I would do that, even if some of the 100 were close to me. Cancer kills far more people and removing that from the world would bring more happiness

[Agape93]

Good for you. I would kill this world if it meant my loved ones would survive elsewhere.

[Twalli]

I would lie my life down for those I love, but I will not betray my morality

[Agape93]

Good on you.

[Guy13]

Psychopath does not have the ability to feel anything for others do every decision would be for him or her Self. Everything is Me, Myself, and I.

It is an impossibility for one coming with that perspective to be a good person, although, “his Good” may be the Good for the whole on occasion.

[OlderAndWiser]

Yes, sociopathy occurs on a spectrum and some of the more fortunate sociopaths have some good qualities.

[AdithyaR]

The lack of empathy and lack of regard to society rules can easily be an issue.
For example, this women rationalises her family as extensions of her to be able to act in a way that caring towards them. If tomorrow she found no more reason to continue that rationalisation, she could just as easily abandon them since they do not serve the purpose anymore. I'm not saying she will but the possibility always lies.
Individuals with sociopathic or psychopathic tendencies always do everything to serve a purpose for themselves, so as long as the action brings benefit to them, they'll justify it in their minds.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Well, many non-psychopathic people dump their
families as well, but I understand what you mean.

[AdithyaR]

Oh definitely, dumping family is not at all limited to psychopathic people. And my comment wasn't with the intention of attacking or alienating them either.
I was just stating the clinical aspect of it based on what I learnt in psychology class.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Don't worry, I understood it was an observation and not an attack.
The woman I spoke to mentioned getting mistreated by her mother and that's why she makes a point of not making her children suffer. More to show that she's better than her.

[AdithyaR]

That's very mature of her. Almost feels like a certain of empathy actually.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Maybe it is, maybe it's her wanting to try and have one. I've read that some "benign psychopaths" try to simulate empathy to help and be a positive person.

[AdithyaR]

Yes that is possible. In fiction, that's kind of what Sherlock Holmes does. It is very possible that it could happen in reality.

[Anonymous]

What's a good person?
Someone who does good things? Someone who cares about other people? Someone who's friendly and helpful? All of the above?

Psychopaths are just people who lack the ability to feel empathy. They can still care about people, but it's usually a select few.

So if a psychopath goes through his life trying to do the right thing, protecting the people he cares about, putting others first, contributing to society, and being kind to everyone, I'd say he's a good person.

Most people don't do anything good unless it benefits them in some self righteous way. So if being a selfish prick makes someone a psychopath, then I guess we're all psychopaths.

Altruism is rare, if not non-existent

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

I have to say this is one of the best answers on the question in my opinion.

[Opinion Owner]

Right on, thanks man

[Anonymous]

no, they just try to act like a normal person, imitate the others. It actually depends on the environment that they grow up in. If they are raised by good parents and behaved carefully and well then they learn to act like an average person. but they still have no emotions. they feel exactly nothing. So the environment is very important for psychopaths because it's a determining factor in the character formation. If a person with a psychopath brain grows up in a dysfunctional family, then stay away from him, most dangerous person alive!

[Catarine]

This is a difficult question. They can act like good people, they can act like they feel feelings, but in reality they cannot. A psychopath can do good things but rather than for the good of their heart they do it for their personal gain. They can function in society just fine (a lot of CEOs are psychopaths). Not all psychopaths are serial killers, but most serial killers are psychopaths. So yes they can be a good person, but not be a good person.

[Anonymous]

Hi, my age is 26 i just got recovered from schizophreniform. From 18 years age i'm still constantly in depression, All those mental disease happend because i suffered typhoid last stage, that time i was like 8 years old. Doctor told my perents that "you have 72 hours left". Doctors experimented and injected steroid all over my body to keep me alive, from that time i develop serious trauma from now on,

But i kind of like used to on it now.

But i can feel, cared, other emotions too.

But sometimes i feel really guilty. My perents suffered so much because of me only.

And maybe i'm a psychopath or not. I love everyone.

[Haha456]

you would only ask something like that if you don't understand what a psychopath is.

you can't be a good person if you can't feel bad when you hurt others. Good people act well because they are considerate of other people. in other words, they care about the well being others. they feel bad when they hurt others. thats why they refuse to do it

[FreyaRed]

Yes. I grow up under influence of a psychopath and this isn't everything black and white, it's bright gray.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Did this person treat you well?

[FreyaRed]

Mostly

[AngryCarl2]

Psychopathy can be described as a group of behaviours, which includes risk taking and lack of empathy. It should not be confused with sociopathy or narcissism, although narcissism may be present. Not all psychopaths are criminals and some even make a positive contribution to society.

But don't take my word from it, let's hear from an actual psychopath:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/BlKMT30QM5E

[OddBeMe]

Of course. Big studies have found major Ceos share psychopathic traits. Which makes sense (cough Steve Jobs). I like this clip about it:

https://youtu.be/EdK8wJqyCJ8

[Twalli]

They can't expierence empathy or love. They are not inherently evil because they don't act uncaring out if spite and hatred. They just don't have those emotions. For example I don't have odium, so I can't express it. They don't have empathy or love.

[Moose304]

People with what is correctly called ASPD can be good one day, and bad another. They can be your best friend on Monday and your worse nightmare the next day. Their inner feelings are not genuine. I know several people that have ASPD, and while I don't go out of my way to be mean to them I don't consider them close friends and I don't trust them. I also know about the ASPD from their family members.

[Anonymous]

Can a psychopath be a good person? It can be possible as you can see.

How many psychopaths are actually good people? Well, that's where it gets quite tricky. It would be a whole topic I'd dive deeper into if i was working in a mental institution and not in IT.

[Juxtapose]

They can certainly do things that are good for others but unless they have a small bit of compassion in them, it's all self-serving and they are perplexed at the concept of altruism. They view it as some sort of mind control that makes those of us who have altruism act irrationally.

[spartan55]

If they have limited empathy for people then they would be a sociopath. A psychopath has none. That's one of the main differences.

[spartan55]

blogs.psychcentral.com/.../

[Luopio27]

Easy for us to judge them by movies based on fiction, especially when we have no real life interactions with them.

[genericname85]

absolutely. being a psychopath doesn't mean you're a misantropist. you can be a psychopath but still do good. actually many people have the ability to act in psychopathic ways. it can actually be a good thing in many situations.

[HippieVeganJewslim]

Heather from the film Good Burger seemed to be a good person. Otherwise, yes ONLY if they do nothing bad. Nothing bad is a good thing.

[Anonymous]

I don't think they can. I don't think it's in their nature to be good.