Peter1469
07-07-2019, 06:40 AM
The Perks of Being a Psychopath (https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-perks-of-being-a-psychopath/)
This is an interesting article about "successful psychopaths." They are psychopaths who embrace their dark side but do not break the law. Not because it is right, but because it makes sense.
Psychopathy has a number of higher-order dimensions, including Self-centered Impulsivity, Heartlessness, and Fearless Dominance. The first dimension, Self-centered Impulsivity, is associated with impetuosity, belligerence, and narcissism.
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A 2015 paper, titled Successful Psychopathy, introduces readers to a man by the name of Forest “Tommy” Yeo-Thomas, a real-life daredevil. By employing a number of disguises and fake documents, the World War II British spy regularly evaded capture by the Nazis. According to the authors, Yeo-Thomas once pretended to be a corpse while traveling in a coffin.
Known as “White Rabbit” to his enemies, Yeo-Thomas once leapt from a moving train. In a move straight out of Liam Neeson movie, our hero (anti-hero?) once strangled a prison guard with his bare hands. When Yeo-Thomas wasn’t busy strangling Nazis, he was busy seducing beautiful women.
Most people, I assume, are unfamiliar with the life and times of Yeo-Thomas. However, most are familiar with James Bond, his fictional incarnation. Yes, Yeo-Thomas was the inspiration for novelist Ian Fleming’s ostentatious, sex crazed, martini gulping hero. The WW2 spy is typical of what we in the profession call a “successful psychopath.” Unlike malignant psychopathy, which often involves criminal acts and imprisonment, the “successful psychopath” embraces the darkness to achieve real-life success.
Do “successful psychopaths” avoid breaking the law because it’s “right”? No, they avoid breaking the law because it makes sense. By reigning in their impulses, or at least channeling them in a more lucrative direction, “successful psychopaths” often go on to occupy positions of real significance.
So, what sort of professions attract psychopaths? Research already shows that psychopaths are more prevalent in certain occupations (https://www.inc.com/business-insider/where-what-psychopaths-work-do-for-a-living-kevin-dutton-wisdom-of-psychopaths.html). It will come as no surprise that they tend to gravitate towards positions of power — think CEOs, surgeons, lawyers, celebrities, and politicians.
The link between politics and psychopathy is an especially interesting one. In 2004, scientists asked 121 presidential biographers to rate 42 U.S. presidents, up to and including George W. Bush, on their pre-office traits of fearless dominance, one of the three dimensions of psychopathy. The findings made for interesting reading. According to the report, fearless dominance was strongly correlated with overall presidential performance, guidance, public perception, persuasiveness, and, rather predictably, a willingness to take risks.
This is an interesting article about "successful psychopaths." They are psychopaths who embrace their dark side but do not break the law. Not because it is right, but because it makes sense.
Psychopathy has a number of higher-order dimensions, including Self-centered Impulsivity, Heartlessness, and Fearless Dominance. The first dimension, Self-centered Impulsivity, is associated with impetuosity, belligerence, and narcissism.
***
A 2015 paper, titled Successful Psychopathy, introduces readers to a man by the name of Forest “Tommy” Yeo-Thomas, a real-life daredevil. By employing a number of disguises and fake documents, the World War II British spy regularly evaded capture by the Nazis. According to the authors, Yeo-Thomas once pretended to be a corpse while traveling in a coffin.
Known as “White Rabbit” to his enemies, Yeo-Thomas once leapt from a moving train. In a move straight out of Liam Neeson movie, our hero (anti-hero?) once strangled a prison guard with his bare hands. When Yeo-Thomas wasn’t busy strangling Nazis, he was busy seducing beautiful women.
Most people, I assume, are unfamiliar with the life and times of Yeo-Thomas. However, most are familiar with James Bond, his fictional incarnation. Yes, Yeo-Thomas was the inspiration for novelist Ian Fleming’s ostentatious, sex crazed, martini gulping hero. The WW2 spy is typical of what we in the profession call a “successful psychopath.” Unlike malignant psychopathy, which often involves criminal acts and imprisonment, the “successful psychopath” embraces the darkness to achieve real-life success.
Do “successful psychopaths” avoid breaking the law because it’s “right”? No, they avoid breaking the law because it makes sense. By reigning in their impulses, or at least channeling them in a more lucrative direction, “successful psychopaths” often go on to occupy positions of real significance.
So, what sort of professions attract psychopaths? Research already shows that psychopaths are more prevalent in certain occupations (https://www.inc.com/business-insider/where-what-psychopaths-work-do-for-a-living-kevin-dutton-wisdom-of-psychopaths.html). It will come as no surprise that they tend to gravitate towards positions of power — think CEOs, surgeons, lawyers, celebrities, and politicians.
The link between politics and psychopathy is an especially interesting one. In 2004, scientists asked 121 presidential biographers to rate 42 U.S. presidents, up to and including George W. Bush, on their pre-office traits of fearless dominance, one of the three dimensions of psychopathy. The findings made for interesting reading. According to the report, fearless dominance was strongly correlated with overall presidential performance, guidance, public perception, persuasiveness, and, rather predictably, a willingness to take risks.