Any sociopaths on here? You can go anon so it’s alright for you to be honest. You won’t be “found out”? So tell us how look at the world?

[Anonymous]

No I’m not a sociopath. In fact I am sometimes too empathetic for people.

Anyway I have known a few in my life (even regrettably dated one in the past). I can’t change their nature but just accept the sad fact they can never be trusted. Sociopaths will only value people to the point they get value out of them. This can be sneaky because their “value” can mean different things. It can be looks, money, sex , social optics, etc. Even the ones who are heavily involved in “social justice” initiatives just want the social kudos that come along with it vs. really caring about the people they are supposedly fighting for. Sociopaths see life as a chessboard.

They get paranoid about being “found out” because when they know when that happens people don’t trust them. They need to be trusted to gain their own ends. So they are good at acting and behaving seemingly genuine. But when no one’s looking they will be the last to inconvenience themselves to help someone else who can’t repay them. That’s the acid test of identifying a sociopath; how do they treat people who can’t benefit them.

With all that said a part of me can’t help a bit envy for these people at times. They seem to always get what they want. Sociopathic men usually do (at least initially) very well romantically with women compared to more empathetic men.

It’s because they come off as confident and non chalant because they aren’t worried about hurting a woman’s feelings. They understand the concept of challenge and good at being manipulative. But they put on acts like they care to convince them otherwise. And of course they become the nasty heart break stories women complain about. Then some of these hurt women generalize ALL men for these asshole’s bs.

But on the flip side it must be a heavy burden knowing that you can never really be trusted and must always cover your ass.

Yes

No

Updates

1 mo

Just FYI i doubt there are that many sociopaths on GAG. Most people on here post s out their feelings. Whether it’s to give or take advice/support or to troll other people to ventilate.

A sociopath would see this as a waste of time. Unless the advice they get can help them with their scheme/manipulation. But talking and caring about other peoples feelings is a waste of time to them.

Updates

1 mo

Also it seems like I am being very negative about these type of people. But getting angry at them is a waste of time. Because you can’t change the way they think. You can only change your expectations on how to interact with them. They don’t feel guilt or remorse but it’s not likely their fault. Instead they need to know how showing compassion for someone else benefits their own existence.

You can’t “guilt them” for being selfish. It’s an ugly reality but it’s just how they operate.

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

No, I seem kind of opposite.

I'm really hyper-sensitive on the empathy side to a fault, like I'm the one who can be smiling and laughing really big at parties only to spot a stranger out of the corner of my eye who looks upset. Then I stop smiling and friends are like, "What happened?" I then point the person out who looks upset and they're like, "What? You don't even know him/her!" But I get affected by other people's feelings a lot more than I wish.

I'm also concerned with ethics above all else. It has gotten to a point now where there's rarely anything external which upsets me, only my own misbehavior.

Also married and adore my wife. Was a bit of a serial monogamist in the past but I was always looking for the ultimate commitment.

[Anonymous]

I used to think that I was one because I sometimes had to fake my reaction towards certain things just to appear “human”. Like when my friends would show me videos of children dying in war I would pretend that my heart aches for them but in reality I know I can’t do shit about them so I don’t really feel sad. It’s just the reality of war.

Things like these kept on happening so I went to therapy. Turns out I just had a lot of unresolved childhood trauma from all the abuse that I went through as a child lol I was just pessimistic and seemed to be lacking in empathy because apparently I had the mentality that “people are evil and will do evil things so just learn to accept it rather than cry about it”.

I was so numbed to all the evil things that the adults around me have done to me that I basically accepted it as the norm and thus I was never phased by those sad videos on the victims of war.

[MemeSupreme]

what lol

you know it's called ASPD right and it impacts all of them differently. sociopath and psychopath are not longer used in the DSM

[Juxtapose]

They also say gender dysphoria is not a mental illness anymore which is absolutely bonkers.

[Asker]

@memesupreme “ sociopath and psychopath are not longer used in the DSM”. Is that true? Do you have a spruce. If yes that’s completely insane.

I can understand the dangers of labeling someone too quick. But there are benefits as well. It makes law enforcement more efficient. It makes criminal justice for efficient as well.

Let’s say someone committed a violent crime. If they are accurately diagnosed psychopath you would sentence them differently vs. an otherwise normal person who got caught up in the heat of the moment. The former will continue to be a danger to society. The latter can be rehabilitated.

[Asker]

* have a source?

[MemeSupreme]

you can read the dsm lol it's online

or google it

[MemeSupreme]

they stopped using it bc the terms are too black and white. ASPD is a spectrum bc it impacts everyone differently and that goes for serial killers too

[Juxtapose]

I have friends who are sociopaths and they essentially have to arrive at the conclusion that cooperation is beneficial through pure reason rather than through any sort of emotion.

If I step on your foot and hurt you, I will feel bad for you. A sociopath will have to logically learn how stepping on your foot and hurting you is not worth the sadistic pleasure but as a matter of fact will make their life more inconvenient. Your emotions are not contagious to a sociopath whatsoever while to a normal person your emotions are actually contagious.

Those are the smart sociopaths who can integrate into society properly. The dumb ones end up as politicians, etc or in prison.

[Juxtapose]

In my opinion a smart sociopath will actually be very pleasant and charismatic. They will enjoy the pleasant atmosphere but not feel compassion like you or I can. If somebody they like dies, they don't feel sad. They regret missing their company and the entertainment it can bring them but they don't really truly care about how the other person feels or what their last moments were like.

[Asker]

@juxtapose yep i get exactly what you are talking about. If they were raised in a good family and understand that it’s more advantageous (for them) to treat people decently they can act very pleasant (for them).

But they also know that “if they get found out” paranoia. Because if people realize how they really operate then people won’t trust them. That will limit what’s advantageous to them. So they are always on the look out to act like they really care when they don’t. They have to development charisma and charm (of if benefits them they can be brutal and intimidating)

I guess if someone is born with that mental condition you can’t get angry at their nature in itself. The part of their brain that is supposed to feel empathy and compassion just doesn’t function. It can’t be changed.

But you need to look at every interaction you do with them as business. They only value you for benefits they get out of you. Things can still be friendly but you have to constantly be on your guard. For example I would never confide a dark secret with one. They could be use that against me later should decide our friendship is no longer of value. Then they might gossip my dark secret if they find it advantageous (for them) with someone else.

But these guys are usually good with women. Since they are often acting to manipulate people they can be extremely charismatic. They also don’t worry about harming a woman’s feelings. So they only care about what they can get away with.

I am pretty sure Harvey Weinstein was a sociopath. He even “supported” feminism in the 2000s with his Kill Bill series and Hollywood lip service. But he didn’t give a shit about women. Only about his dick.

[Juxtapose]

My most sociopathic friend is pretty frank about it and warns me of behaviors that put others off, such as small lies. This friend had a very hard life but they are incredibly intelligent.

They could have kept it all secret from me but they didn't, they saw me for what I am and knew they could trust me after testing me.

Their emotional warmth is faint but their reason and actions speak of a type of strange, platonic love that developed outside of a large portion of emotion. Sociopaths can "love" in my opinion but it's different from how we understand it. It's divorced from emotion almost entirely but they make a conscious choice to mutually benefit from your company without screwing you over. There is loyalty there as long as you treat them well.

[Juxtapose]

I don't mind that arrangement. People shouldn't be loyal to me if I treat them poorly anyway 🤷‍♀️

[Asker]

@juxtapose that’s not my experience with the sociopaths I’ve met. You usually have to find out via their behavior.

I guess some of them are long thinkers and will do random acts of seemingly genuine loyalty. Even if there is no foreseeable short benefit. They can assume that in the long run it helps their “image”.

But I find that female sociopaths are the worst.

[Juxtapose]

The friend I am talking about is actually female and her emotional intelligence despite not having any sort of emotional warmth or emotional empathy is absolutely incredible.

At the end of the day though, humans don't help each other for no reason. If I give money to a homeless person, I am getting at least some sort of emotional satisfaction from it. If it gave me sharp pains in my body every time I gave money to a homeless person, I would do it far less!

Altruism is essentially basically projecting yourself onto another person because that's the only way we can really care about the other person. If I see you get hurt, there must be some sort of feedback either emotionally or intellectually that gives me a reason to care.

[Juxtapose]

Edit: *despite having very little emotional warmth

[Siri137]

There have been times when I thought that I might be a sociopath, but when I think about it for more than just a couple of minutes I realise that I can't be one. I care too much, about everything and everyone, and small children and animals are well-known for being able to detect evil people, and they can't get enough of me!

[Asker]

“And they can’t get enough of me!….”

Ask yourself very carefully what your motivations are. How would you act if showed empathy yet nobody ever noticed or even cared. Think about that.

[Siri137]

That's beside the point. A person doesn't empatise in order to be recognised by others, and if you think that's the reason for it then you don't understand empathy.

[NewgodOmega]

I dont know you posted a great wall of China text and I dont like to read that much
I feel I am best for society I am a man and society demands a lot from me and I don't fullfill any of them

[Juxtapose]

Six paragraphs is pretty light reading mate.

[NewgodOmega]

@Juxtapose
That's too much for me
Keep it short simple and in the question itself,

[Asker]

@newgodomega it’s up to you if you care to read it or not.

[NewgodOmega]

I said I didn't I replied to the question

[slatyb]

Judging by the number of MAGA-heads, there are many.

[Asker]

Your 49 years old and you still think that way? Smdh