In the following excerpt from “Sociopath Divine” by Richard King Perkins II, the speaker, describes himself: I’m not known for caring. I’m starved by empathy, friends, the light of dusk. You never noticed me until I switched on; an optic nerve black out waiting for the orange trucks and moments of sacrilege; a wind stream where the night sweeps away like Jägermeister and Grand Marnier. (qtd. in Perkins 33)
Who is he? He is a man with antisocial personality disorder (APD). The general public generally hears about this disorder when the news speaks of serial killers; APD is common amongst many murderers. For many people, APD can create an uneasy feeling due to its connotation. Many people probably would not be able to identify causes …show more content…
People with APD usually have introversion and superiority as personality traits. A sociopath cannot make real connections with other people even though he or she might seem as if he can. He is quiet and shy, and he is probably an introvert. Sociopaths like to be in solitude and will certainly not be in the popular group at parties. They will be by themselves, all alone (Stout 72). Hervey Cleckley, an American psychiatrist, states, “While not deeply vicious, he [a sociopath] carries disaster lightly in each hand” (qtd. in Lykken 29). Sociopaths rarely show their true personalities outwardly. While they are introverts, sociopaths will assert themselves over others. M.E. Thomas, a distinguished lawyer and diagnosed sociopath, likes to the person in control. A sociopath likes stability and authority. Because they like to take risks, sociopaths can pull off stressful jobs with ease and amusement (59). Some people with APD claim to be more advanced than other humans because their brains work differently, and they may even call themselves superior and dominate themselves. The speaker in “Sociopath Divine” claims to be “an undeniable evolution” (qtd. in Perkins 33). Because sociopaths think so highly of themselves, they look down on others and often degrade others to makes themselves appear more dominant and superior (“Antisocial Personality-Part I”). Perhaps these traits of superiority …show more content…
In fact, sociopaths do not experience any emotions at all, especially fear and worry. David T. Lykken, a behavioral geneticist, claims that fear and worry are the main two emotions that a person with antisocial personality disorder cannot experience (Lykken 29). Some people say that a sociopath could not partake in the violent acts he commits without emotions (Lykken 29). However, a sociopath is violent because he is trying to feel something. Sociopathic serial killers murder again and again: they are trying to feel an emotion from their actions. Also, a sociopath may base his feelings on “the reactions of others to decide what feelings to display, because otherwise he would not know what is appropriate” (“Antisocial Personality-Part I”). In order to resolve issues dealing with emotions, sociopaths must work them out in a way unlike normal people. Normal people respond to emotional issues quickly while sociopaths address these issues in steps (Stout
Who is he? He is a man with antisocial personality disorder (APD). The general public generally hears about this disorder when the news speaks of serial killers; APD is common amongst many murderers. For many people, APD can create an uneasy feeling due to its connotation. Many people probably would not be able to identify causes …show more content…
People with APD usually have introversion and superiority as personality traits. A sociopath cannot make real connections with other people even though he or she might seem as if he can. He is quiet and shy, and he is probably an introvert. Sociopaths like to be in solitude and will certainly not be in the popular group at parties. They will be by themselves, all alone (Stout 72). Hervey Cleckley, an American psychiatrist, states, “While not deeply vicious, he [a sociopath] carries disaster lightly in each hand” (qtd. in Lykken 29). Sociopaths rarely show their true personalities outwardly. While they are introverts, sociopaths will assert themselves over others. M.E. Thomas, a distinguished lawyer and diagnosed sociopath, likes to the person in control. A sociopath likes stability and authority. Because they like to take risks, sociopaths can pull off stressful jobs with ease and amusement (59). Some people with APD claim to be more advanced than other humans because their brains work differently, and they may even call themselves superior and dominate themselves. The speaker in “Sociopath Divine” claims to be “an undeniable evolution” (qtd. in Perkins 33). Because sociopaths think so highly of themselves, they look down on others and often degrade others to makes themselves appear more dominant and superior (“Antisocial Personality-Part I”). Perhaps these traits of superiority …show more content…
In fact, sociopaths do not experience any emotions at all, especially fear and worry. David T. Lykken, a behavioral geneticist, claims that fear and worry are the main two emotions that a person with antisocial personality disorder cannot experience (Lykken 29). Some people say that a sociopath could not partake in the violent acts he commits without emotions (Lykken 29). However, a sociopath is violent because he is trying to feel something. Sociopathic serial killers murder again and again: they are trying to feel an emotion from their actions. Also, a sociopath may base his feelings on “the reactions of others to decide what feelings to display, because otherwise he would not know what is appropriate” (“Antisocial Personality-Part I”). In order to resolve issues dealing with emotions, sociopaths must work them out in a way unlike normal people. Normal people respond to emotional issues quickly while sociopaths address these issues in steps (Stout