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丨賰賲丞 丕賱爻賷賰賵亘丕鬲賷賷賳: 丿乇賵爻 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賲賳 丕賱賯丿賷爻賷賳 賵丕賱噩賵丕爻賷爻 賵丕賱爻賮丕丨賷賳
賷乇氐丿 賰賷賮賳 丿丕鬲賵賳 亘毓囟 爻賲丕鬲 丕賱毓賯賱 丕賱廿噩乇丕賲賷 丕賱爻賷賰賵亘丕鬲賷 賮賷 賲丐賱賾賮賴 芦丨賰賲丞 丕賱爻賷賰賵亘丕鬲賷賷賳: 丿乇賵爻 賮賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賲賳 丕賱賯丿賷爻賷賳 賵丕賱噩賵丕爻賷爻 賵丕賱爻賮丕丨賷賳禄 (丿丕乇 氐賮丨丞 爻亘毓丞 賱賱賳卮乇 賵丕賱鬲賵夭賷毓 鈥� 鬲乇噩賲丞: 毓亘丿 丕賱賲賯氐賵丿 毓亘丿 丕賱賰乇賷賲). 賷毓孬乇 毓丕賱賲 丕賱賳賮爻 丕賱亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱爻賲丕鬲 毓賱賶 兀賵噩賴 丕賱鬲卮丕亘賴 亘賷賳賴丕 賵亘賷賳 賲噩賲賵毓丞 丕賱爻賲丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 賷賯丿賾乇賴丕 丕賱賳馗丕賲 丕賱乇兀爻賲丕賱賷. 廿匕 賷賳胤賱賯 賲賳 兀爻卅賱丞 兀爻丕爻賷丞 丨賵賱 賲丕 廿匕丕 賰丕賳 賴賳丕賰 賲丕 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 賳鬲毓賱賾賲賴 賲賳 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱爻賷賰賵亘丕鬲賷丞貙 賵賷丨丕賵賱 丕賱廿噩丕亘丞 毓賳賴丕 亘丕賱丕爻鬲賳丕丿 廿賱賶 賲爻丨 亘乇賷胤丕賳賷 兀購噩乇賷 賱賱爻賷賰賵亘丕鬲賷賷賳 爻賳丞 2011.
368 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
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28092 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Dutton
19听books273听followersDr Kevin Dutton is a researcher at the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, and a member of the Oxford Centre for Emotions and Affective Neuroscience (OCEAN) research group.
He regularly publishes in leading international scientific journals and speaks at conferences around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,071 reviews
December 11, 2012
So, this was disappointing.
In sum, this book is about how some psychopathic qualities are actually really helpful and positive and incorporating them into your life can make you succeed. They can reduce anxiety and depression, make you more productive, and even make your more empathetic (although if you're a true psychopath with sadistic tendencies, the empathy payout is getting to enjoy the suffering of your victims more ... so, this isn't a heartwarming "hope for psychopaths" book).
Look, I'll be honest. I was kind of jealous of psychopaths after reading this book. I mean, I'd love to react to all situations in a cold and calculating manner, with a accompanying drop in blood pressure and heartrate. I'd love to be able to never take things personally, see projects through doggedly to the end, and keep myself from fearing by staying strictly in the "now." (And as far as getting that message across, it was more effective in this medium for me than those crunchy feely Eckhert Tolle books). I was actually approaching this book as a kind of self-help manual, because lawyers are really high on the psychopath list and if you can't beat them, join them. (Well, only for working hours, that is.)
What annoyed me is after all the promising studies, Dutton doesn't really tell us HOW to make the more positive traits of the psychopath into our own. While I understand part of the premise is that they're jsut "wired that way" (the author himself has part of his brain treated to feel like a psychopath for an afternoon). What I would've liked is something in the cognitive behavioral realm to get there. (There was also a mention of the dopamine-inhancing properties of amphetamines so I guess if all else fails ...) Instead, he wasted pages boycrushing on Special Forces agents, cops, and his childhood psychopathic friend who I'm unclear why he kept. Nope, he punted that to TIBETAN MONKS MEDITATING. Look, Tibetan monks have been doing that for a while. How about something more approachable?
At the very least, it would've been considerate of him to include the questionnaire used to measure the index of one's own psychopathic tendencies, even if I was just a little morbidly curious after discovering I have not issues whatsoever shoving fat guys in front of streetcars to save other people. Since most of the studies use this as a basis to pick their subjects and control group, it would've been helpful.
That said, I still learned enough from this book not to make it a tossup, but in the realm of essays on weird psychological phenomenon and its relevance, this had nothing on other books and lacked a real tongue-in-cheek (his OWN tongue, mind you) feel that probably would've made it roll a bit better. Instead, I felt like the author got too absorbed in exhibiting his comfort level around those tough manly manly psychopaths. The lack of female psychopaths in this book was also a real problem, even though he did point out they are the minority a contrast would've been nice since I think dealing with psychopathic females always has its own issues. In fact, given that he was targeting the "most successful psychopaths" and singing their praises to high heaven, some rep of the fairer sex would've been much appreciated. I mean, we're allowed to be lawyers now - even CEOs, the number ONE profession where you have a tendency to be a psychopath.
Stil, a quick read to break in my new Kindle. Not bad if you want to learn that a psychological label doesn't turn you into Hannibal Lecter, not so great when you'd prefer to learn how to serve the other side its own kidneys at trial.
In sum, this book is about how some psychopathic qualities are actually really helpful and positive and incorporating them into your life can make you succeed. They can reduce anxiety and depression, make you more productive, and even make your more empathetic (although if you're a true psychopath with sadistic tendencies, the empathy payout is getting to enjoy the suffering of your victims more ... so, this isn't a heartwarming "hope for psychopaths" book).
Look, I'll be honest. I was kind of jealous of psychopaths after reading this book. I mean, I'd love to react to all situations in a cold and calculating manner, with a accompanying drop in blood pressure and heartrate. I'd love to be able to never take things personally, see projects through doggedly to the end, and keep myself from fearing by staying strictly in the "now." (And as far as getting that message across, it was more effective in this medium for me than those crunchy feely Eckhert Tolle books). I was actually approaching this book as a kind of self-help manual, because lawyers are really high on the psychopath list and if you can't beat them, join them. (Well, only for working hours, that is.)
What annoyed me is after all the promising studies, Dutton doesn't really tell us HOW to make the more positive traits of the psychopath into our own. While I understand part of the premise is that they're jsut "wired that way" (the author himself has part of his brain treated to feel like a psychopath for an afternoon). What I would've liked is something in the cognitive behavioral realm to get there. (There was also a mention of the dopamine-inhancing properties of amphetamines so I guess if all else fails ...) Instead, he wasted pages boycrushing on Special Forces agents, cops, and his childhood psychopathic friend who I'm unclear why he kept. Nope, he punted that to TIBETAN MONKS MEDITATING. Look, Tibetan monks have been doing that for a while. How about something more approachable?
At the very least, it would've been considerate of him to include the questionnaire used to measure the index of one's own psychopathic tendencies, even if I was just a little morbidly curious after discovering I have not issues whatsoever shoving fat guys in front of streetcars to save other people. Since most of the studies use this as a basis to pick their subjects and control group, it would've been helpful.
That said, I still learned enough from this book not to make it a tossup, but in the realm of essays on weird psychological phenomenon and its relevance, this had nothing on other books and lacked a real tongue-in-cheek (his OWN tongue, mind you) feel that probably would've made it roll a bit better. Instead, I felt like the author got too absorbed in exhibiting his comfort level around those tough manly manly psychopaths. The lack of female psychopaths in this book was also a real problem, even though he did point out they are the minority a contrast would've been nice since I think dealing with psychopathic females always has its own issues. In fact, given that he was targeting the "most successful psychopaths" and singing their praises to high heaven, some rep of the fairer sex would've been much appreciated. I mean, we're allowed to be lawyers now - even CEOs, the number ONE profession where you have a tendency to be a psychopath.
Stil, a quick read to break in my new Kindle. Not bad if you want to learn that a psychological label doesn't turn you into Hannibal Lecter, not so great when you'd prefer to learn how to serve the other side its own kidneys at trial.
February 24, 2019
What the author was going on about and what I particularly liked here is that there is nothing simple about human mind. A verifiable psychopath can have a bunch of traits that anyone can have (probably not all at the same time, still, a bunch of those). A healthy person can have exactly same things.
For example, if you meditate, theta waves will be more often appearing on your EEG. Psychopaths (according to this researcher) have theta waves more often as well. Does meditation make you psychopathic? I doubt it.
Another interesting tidbit to consider: we can't diagnose psychopathy reliably. We can't even diagnose depression or bipolar or OCD or ADHD or pretty much anything else reliably. Fore more on this one can refer to the Rosenhan experiment: . Yes, it's old. Have things gotten better? Why should they have? I don't think so. We just won't see any today's experiments of this eloquence: the medical industry is not going to let such things happen, anymore. The industry is lucrative and foolproof (try proving you aren't insane, ADHD, depressive, etc... ). Spoiler: you can't prove a negative. And to prove a positive you just have to check a bunch of inane questions, like: have you been feeling restless? do you often feel distracted? Even the way such questionnaires are built can affect our responses (positive/negative questions, the order of questions, priming... ), so if you are to be considered ill, you will be, whatever you do.
For one thing, it's dreadfully easy to go about our respective lives sticking labels at people:
- You are feeling restless? ADHD is your problem, have some prescription drugs and be gone! You'll be stoned but you won't be distracted...
- You want to be a surgeon/spy/policeman/priest? Psychopath, that's what you are - here are some handcuffs and obligatory therapy (and a surgery, maybe?) and a ban from some jobs and... whatever our society comes up with next...
We have somehow gotten prone to villainizing or glorifying conditions. Bipolar becomes a trademark of creativity, psychopathy of evilness... It's no good, since there is no absolute normality. Everyone is abnormal in some way and medicating everyone into uniformity is not the best way to go about building a healthy society.
Q:
Theta waves are associated with drowsy, meditative, or sleeping states. Yet in psychopaths, they occur during normal waking states, even sometimes during states of increased arousal. (c)
Q:
Traits that are common among psychopathic serial killers, Kouri observes鈥攁 grandiose sense of self-worth, persuasiveness, superficial charm, ruthlessness, lack of remorse, and the manipulation of others鈥攁re also shared by politicians and world leaders: individuals running not from the police, but for office. Such a profile... allows those who present with it to do what they like when they like, completely unfazed by the social, moral, or legal consequences of their actions. (c)
Q:
Psychopathy is like sunlight. Overexposure can hasten one鈥檚 demise in grotesque, carcinogenic fashion. But regulated exposure at controlled and optimal levels can have a significant positive impact on well-being and quality of life. (c)
Q:
I think the problem is that people spend so much time worrying about what might happen, what might go wrong, that they completely lose sight of the present. They completely overlook the fact that, actually, right now, everything's fine. You can see that quite clearly in your interrogation exercise. What was it that chap told you? It's not the violence that breaks you. It's the threat of it. So why not just stay in the moment? (c)
Q:
I realised from quite early on in my childhood that I saw things differently from other people,' he wrote. 'But, more than not, it's helped me in my life. Psychopathy(if that's what you call it) is like a medicine for modern times. If you take it in moderation it can prove extremely beneficial. It can alleviate a lot of existential ailments that we would otherwise fall victim to because our fragile psychological immune systems just aren't up to the job of protecting us. But if you take too much of it, if you overdose on it, then there can, as is the case with all medicines, be some rather unpleasant side effects. (褋)
Q:
These eight independent satellite states of the psychopathic personality--Machiavellian Egocentricity, Impulsive Nonconformity, Blame Externalization, Carefree Nonplanfulness, Fearlessness, Social Potency, Stress Immunity, and Coldheartedness. (c)
Q:
... Psychopaths are shadowmancers', the agent tells me, a large-scale map of the US dotted with timelines, hotspots and murderous crimson trajectories plastered across the wall behind his desk.
'They survive by moving around. They don't have the same need for close relationships that normal people do. So they live in an orbit of perpetual drift, in which the chances of running into their victims again is minimised. (c)
Q:
Because of these exaggerated dopamine responses, once they focus on the chance to get a reward, psychopaths are unable to alter their attention until they get what they're after. (c)
Q:
The results were extraordinary. Over 70 percent of those who scored high on the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale correctly picked out the handkerchief-smuggling associate, compared to just 30 percent of the low scorers. Zeroing in on weakness may well be part of a serial killer鈥檚 toolkit. But it may also come in handy at the airport. (c)
For example, if you meditate, theta waves will be more often appearing on your EEG. Psychopaths (according to this researcher) have theta waves more often as well. Does meditation make you psychopathic? I doubt it.
Another interesting tidbit to consider: we can't diagnose psychopathy reliably. We can't even diagnose depression or bipolar or OCD or ADHD or pretty much anything else reliably. Fore more on this one can refer to the Rosenhan experiment: . Yes, it's old. Have things gotten better? Why should they have? I don't think so. We just won't see any today's experiments of this eloquence: the medical industry is not going to let such things happen, anymore. The industry is lucrative and foolproof (try proving you aren't insane, ADHD, depressive, etc... ). Spoiler: you can't prove a negative. And to prove a positive you just have to check a bunch of inane questions, like: have you been feeling restless? do you often feel distracted? Even the way such questionnaires are built can affect our responses (positive/negative questions, the order of questions, priming... ), so if you are to be considered ill, you will be, whatever you do.
For one thing, it's dreadfully easy to go about our respective lives sticking labels at people:
- You are feeling restless? ADHD is your problem, have some prescription drugs and be gone! You'll be stoned but you won't be distracted...
- You want to be a surgeon/spy/policeman/priest? Psychopath, that's what you are - here are some handcuffs and obligatory therapy (and a surgery, maybe?) and a ban from some jobs and... whatever our society comes up with next...
We have somehow gotten prone to villainizing or glorifying conditions. Bipolar becomes a trademark of creativity, psychopathy of evilness... It's no good, since there is no absolute normality. Everyone is abnormal in some way and medicating everyone into uniformity is not the best way to go about building a healthy society.
Q:
Theta waves are associated with drowsy, meditative, or sleeping states. Yet in psychopaths, they occur during normal waking states, even sometimes during states of increased arousal. (c)
Q:
Traits that are common among psychopathic serial killers, Kouri observes鈥攁 grandiose sense of self-worth, persuasiveness, superficial charm, ruthlessness, lack of remorse, and the manipulation of others鈥攁re also shared by politicians and world leaders: individuals running not from the police, but for office. Such a profile... allows those who present with it to do what they like when they like, completely unfazed by the social, moral, or legal consequences of their actions. (c)
Q:
Psychopathy is like sunlight. Overexposure can hasten one鈥檚 demise in grotesque, carcinogenic fashion. But regulated exposure at controlled and optimal levels can have a significant positive impact on well-being and quality of life. (c)
Q:
I think the problem is that people spend so much time worrying about what might happen, what might go wrong, that they completely lose sight of the present. They completely overlook the fact that, actually, right now, everything's fine. You can see that quite clearly in your interrogation exercise. What was it that chap told you? It's not the violence that breaks you. It's the threat of it. So why not just stay in the moment? (c)
Q:
I realised from quite early on in my childhood that I saw things differently from other people,' he wrote. 'But, more than not, it's helped me in my life. Psychopathy(if that's what you call it) is like a medicine for modern times. If you take it in moderation it can prove extremely beneficial. It can alleviate a lot of existential ailments that we would otherwise fall victim to because our fragile psychological immune systems just aren't up to the job of protecting us. But if you take too much of it, if you overdose on it, then there can, as is the case with all medicines, be some rather unpleasant side effects. (褋)
Q:
These eight independent satellite states of the psychopathic personality--Machiavellian Egocentricity, Impulsive Nonconformity, Blame Externalization, Carefree Nonplanfulness, Fearlessness, Social Potency, Stress Immunity, and Coldheartedness. (c)
Q:
... Psychopaths are shadowmancers', the agent tells me, a large-scale map of the US dotted with timelines, hotspots and murderous crimson trajectories plastered across the wall behind his desk.
'They survive by moving around. They don't have the same need for close relationships that normal people do. So they live in an orbit of perpetual drift, in which the chances of running into their victims again is minimised. (c)
Q:
Because of these exaggerated dopamine responses, once they focus on the chance to get a reward, psychopaths are unable to alter their attention until they get what they're after. (c)
Q:
The results were extraordinary. Over 70 percent of those who scored high on the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale correctly picked out the handkerchief-smuggling associate, compared to just 30 percent of the low scorers. Zeroing in on weakness may well be part of a serial killer鈥檚 toolkit. But it may also come in handy at the airport. (c)
February 12, 2022
In Praise of Evil
I can imagine a conversation with the author, Kevin Dutton, in the recovery ward after my last surgery: 鈥淒id you know that the cool, calculating, calm-under-pressure neurosurgeon who just did your spinal de-compression is a psychopath? Best in the business actually. You鈥檙e lucky you snagged him. Most of the medical psychopaths have moved to America鈥� So now I know - psychopaths just have to find their appropriate role in society.
That in brief is Kevin Dutton鈥檚 argument. We ought to recognise that psychopaths, those folk characterised by an extreme 鈥済randiose sense of self-worth, persuasiveness, superficial charm, ruthlessness, lack of remorse, and the manipulation of others,鈥� have been stigmatised by their association with serial killers, sexual abusers, and other violent criminals. Psychopaths, he claims, can also play a productive role in society if we give them a chance.
Dutton employs some curious reasoning to get to this conclusion. For example, he writes that these same psychopathological traits: 鈥溾€� are also shared by politicians and world leaders: individuals running not from the police, but for office,鈥� as if achieving positions of power and influence demonstrates that psychopathology is a positive genetic adaptation to modern life. Leaders without conscience are simply not problematic for Dutton. Shame and feelings of personal responsibility have no place in his leadership-world.
Dutton then goes on to immediately cite a leading researcher in the field of mental disorders as if confirming his opinion about benign psychopathy. 鈥淪uch a [psychopathic] profile,鈥� allows those who present with it to do what they like when they like, completely unfazed by the social, moral, or legal consequences of their actions.鈥� This Dutton believes is situationally virtuous, that it is the kind of ruthless, focussed, remorseless service we expect from people in charge - especially the robocop police and the best politicians money can buy!
The underlying assumption from which Dutton elaborates his view is that we鈥檙e all psychopaths to some degree, and further that this is a good thing. As he says, 鈥溾€� there鈥檚 evidence to suggest that psychopathy, in small doses at least, is personality with a tan鈥攁nd that it can have surprising benefits.鈥� I have no experience of a tanned personality, but I take him to me that such a thing has some aesthetic attractiveness.
And in this aesthetic evaluation of psychopathy Dutton is correct. I accept his judgement at face value. They lie well, and can charm the most wary of victims:
And this is what we all possess? Deep down we are all ice-cold predators? Hardly. Even the most pessimistic Gnostic never made such a claim. Even Augustine and Calvin left some wiggle room. Dutton is projecting a personal fantasy. The diagnosis of psychopathology is a defined medical condition. It鈥檚 not a spectrum. The neuroses prevalent in the population as a whole do not constitute pathological symptoms, tendencies toward psychotic breaks, or predictors of future violence. There is arguably a spectrum of mental health. But to claim that we all share the psychopath鈥檚 condition is absurd.
Dutton鈥檚 intention is clear. He wants us to empathise with the psychopath. Do they not bleed? Dutton provides everything from a mythical history of human evolution (predatory violence put food on the table) to descriptions of a wide variety of jobs in current society which can be filled by psychopaths (CEO, astronaut, entrepreneur, bomb disposal experts, terrorist perhaps). We need to promote a caring/sharing attitude towards these people who are wrongly categorised as a social menace. They should be welcomed not subjected to discrimination.
This to me is some king of faux tolerance gone mad. Psychopaths are domestic terrorists. Not all are violent criminals but a significant number are. And those who are not violent nevertheless destroy the lives of those over whom they have control. They start families, seek leadership roles, and run for public office precisely in order to dominate. From those positions they are able to inflict psychological and physical damage on whole populations. Having admitted that they succeed so well, Dutton still can鈥檛 understand that this is a social problem. As far as he鈥檚 concerned, the inmates are the most capable folk around to run the asylum.
Dutton portrays psychopathology as a sort of malevolent skill that we should recognise as such. But he also says that 鈥溾€y being a psychopath, you in fact have an advantage over other people.鈥� This sounds like a rallying call for the successful but still scorned psychopaths among us, not unlike the various pedophile groups which promote an 鈥榰nderstanding鈥� of the naturalness of adult attraction to children. Dutton鈥檚 offers an equally creepy message.
I can imagine a conversation with the author, Kevin Dutton, in the recovery ward after my last surgery: 鈥淒id you know that the cool, calculating, calm-under-pressure neurosurgeon who just did your spinal de-compression is a psychopath? Best in the business actually. You鈥檙e lucky you snagged him. Most of the medical psychopaths have moved to America鈥� So now I know - psychopaths just have to find their appropriate role in society.
That in brief is Kevin Dutton鈥檚 argument. We ought to recognise that psychopaths, those folk characterised by an extreme 鈥済randiose sense of self-worth, persuasiveness, superficial charm, ruthlessness, lack of remorse, and the manipulation of others,鈥� have been stigmatised by their association with serial killers, sexual abusers, and other violent criminals. Psychopaths, he claims, can also play a productive role in society if we give them a chance.
Dutton employs some curious reasoning to get to this conclusion. For example, he writes that these same psychopathological traits: 鈥溾€� are also shared by politicians and world leaders: individuals running not from the police, but for office,鈥� as if achieving positions of power and influence demonstrates that psychopathology is a positive genetic adaptation to modern life. Leaders without conscience are simply not problematic for Dutton. Shame and feelings of personal responsibility have no place in his leadership-world.
Dutton then goes on to immediately cite a leading researcher in the field of mental disorders as if confirming his opinion about benign psychopathy. 鈥淪uch a [psychopathic] profile,鈥� allows those who present with it to do what they like when they like, completely unfazed by the social, moral, or legal consequences of their actions.鈥� This Dutton believes is situationally virtuous, that it is the kind of ruthless, focussed, remorseless service we expect from people in charge - especially the robocop police and the best politicians money can buy!
The underlying assumption from which Dutton elaborates his view is that we鈥檙e all psychopaths to some degree, and further that this is a good thing. As he says, 鈥溾€� there鈥檚 evidence to suggest that psychopathy, in small doses at least, is personality with a tan鈥攁nd that it can have surprising benefits.鈥� I have no experience of a tanned personality, but I take him to me that such a thing has some aesthetic attractiveness.
And in this aesthetic evaluation of psychopathy Dutton is correct. I accept his judgement at face value. They lie well, and can charm the most wary of victims:
鈥淚f there鈥檚 one thing that psychopaths have in common, it鈥檚 the consummate ability to pass themselves off as normal everyday folk, while behind the facade鈥攖he brutal, brilliant disguise鈥攂eats the refrigerated heart of a ruthless, glacial predator.鈥�
And this is what we all possess? Deep down we are all ice-cold predators? Hardly. Even the most pessimistic Gnostic never made such a claim. Even Augustine and Calvin left some wiggle room. Dutton is projecting a personal fantasy. The diagnosis of psychopathology is a defined medical condition. It鈥檚 not a spectrum. The neuroses prevalent in the population as a whole do not constitute pathological symptoms, tendencies toward psychotic breaks, or predictors of future violence. There is arguably a spectrum of mental health. But to claim that we all share the psychopath鈥檚 condition is absurd.
Dutton鈥檚 intention is clear. He wants us to empathise with the psychopath. Do they not bleed? Dutton provides everything from a mythical history of human evolution (predatory violence put food on the table) to descriptions of a wide variety of jobs in current society which can be filled by psychopaths (CEO, astronaut, entrepreneur, bomb disposal experts, terrorist perhaps). We need to promote a caring/sharing attitude towards these people who are wrongly categorised as a social menace. They should be welcomed not subjected to discrimination.
This to me is some king of faux tolerance gone mad. Psychopaths are domestic terrorists. Not all are violent criminals but a significant number are. And those who are not violent nevertheless destroy the lives of those over whom they have control. They start families, seek leadership roles, and run for public office precisely in order to dominate. From those positions they are able to inflict psychological and physical damage on whole populations. Having admitted that they succeed so well, Dutton still can鈥檛 understand that this is a social problem. As far as he鈥檚 concerned, the inmates are the most capable folk around to run the asylum.
Dutton portrays psychopathology as a sort of malevolent skill that we should recognise as such. But he also says that 鈥溾€y being a psychopath, you in fact have an advantage over other people.鈥� This sounds like a rallying call for the successful but still scorned psychopaths among us, not unlike the various pedophile groups which promote an 鈥榰nderstanding鈥� of the naturalness of adult attraction to children. Dutton鈥檚 offers an equally creepy message.
October 17, 2012
In so far as dishing out some interesting facts on psychopathy this was a decent read. I'm all for learning the on/off switches that control what we define as our personalities and the book delivers on that front.
In terms of pointing out worthwhile lessons to be taken from the personality disorder it was oddly biased (the author claims his father and best friend are psychopaths) and even more muddled. It makes a case that there are some instances where having a 'me me me' philosophy is beneficial to yourself (duh) but makes absolutely no coherent case for how it's beneficial for society as a whole. It's an instruction manual on how to come out on top when the ship is sinking, rather than a book on how to fix the damn hole in the boat.
The author uses the game of 'chicken' to illustrate a possible instance where being a psychopath is a good thing, that the man who keeps his foot down on the pedal wins over the man who swerves out of the way. In terms of stats, I'm sure this plays out often enough for it to be a fun thought. In terms of applying it to international politics, I think one Cuban missile crisis is enough for the next millennium. Thanks anyway. I think I'd like some dudes in charge who don't get us into that game in the first place.
It's rare that I'm bothered to write a review and having done so now I'm second guessing myself - maybe the book was pure satire? A Ferenghi's guide to surviving humanity? In any case, I doubt many readers would take it that way.
In terms of pointing out worthwhile lessons to be taken from the personality disorder it was oddly biased (the author claims his father and best friend are psychopaths) and even more muddled. It makes a case that there are some instances where having a 'me me me' philosophy is beneficial to yourself (duh) but makes absolutely no coherent case for how it's beneficial for society as a whole. It's an instruction manual on how to come out on top when the ship is sinking, rather than a book on how to fix the damn hole in the boat.
The author uses the game of 'chicken' to illustrate a possible instance where being a psychopath is a good thing, that the man who keeps his foot down on the pedal wins over the man who swerves out of the way. In terms of stats, I'm sure this plays out often enough for it to be a fun thought. In terms of applying it to international politics, I think one Cuban missile crisis is enough for the next millennium. Thanks anyway. I think I'd like some dudes in charge who don't get us into that game in the first place.
It's rare that I'm bothered to write a review and having done so now I'm second guessing myself - maybe the book was pure satire? A Ferenghi's guide to surviving humanity? In any case, I doubt many readers would take it that way.
January 27, 2013
Psychopaths are not misunderstood geniuses with much to teach us about how to be human, as the author contends. They are murderers, rapists, child molesters and criminals of every stripe. They are Wall Street cheats and ruthless dictators. They are cult leaders, con men and reprobates.
I agree with the esteemed Martha Stout about this book. Here's what she had to say in The New Republic: .
Dutton seeks to normalize the horrors of the psychopathic personality, by selectively presenting the research of others, surrounded by souped-up prose. He should be ashamed of himself, but I suspect that's an impossibility.
I agree with the esteemed Martha Stout about this book. Here's what she had to say in The New Republic: .
Dutton seeks to normalize the horrors of the psychopathic personality, by selectively presenting the research of others, surrounded by souped-up prose. He should be ashamed of himself, but I suspect that's an impossibility.
September 16, 2012
Ironically, both psychopaths and Tibetan monks detect deep emotions that are invisible to others. Psychopaths are much better at recognizing 鈥渢hose telltale signs in the gait of traumatized assault victims鈥� notes The Wisdom of Psychopaths author, Kevin Dutton. Tibetan monks, steeped in meditative practice, are also especially adept at reading feelings that are hidden from the rest of us, Paul Ekman discovered. Ekman, is the preeminent expert on lying and on the six universally expressed emotions in the face 鈥� anger, sadness, happiness, fear, disgust and surprise. Scarily, psychopaths score especially high on the Hare Self-Report Scale of psychopathy in seeing those core expressions, especially the ones that make us most vulnerable, fear and sadness, according to Sabrina Demetrioff.
Another astounding finding was that, in lab tests, a Tibetan monk had no startle reflex reaction to 鈥渁 gun being fired just centimeters away from the ear: the maximal threshold of human acoustical tolerance,鈥� reports Dutton - yet others despite that finding. Ekman, and his co-researchers, Robert Levenson and Richard Davidson, concluded, according to Dutton, that 鈥減racticing a relaxed state of mind鈥� is conducive to 鈥渒eeping a cool head at one time or another.鈥� Yet it appears that psychopaths don鈥檛 need that meditative practice to stay calm under pressure and or to be inordinately observant, especially of weaknesses in others. Psychopaths feel little or none of the arousal reactions (heart beat, sweat, blood pressure, etc.) that others have when viewing 鈥渁 series of horrific, nauseating and erotic images,鈥� found Dutton. Like the monks, psychopaths have greater self-mastery of their emotions. Unlike the monks, however, they seem to be born with this capacity to not feel nor react.
That may not be the most surprising conclusion from Dutton鈥檚 book however.
Unlike our common impression of psychopaths as dangerous serial killers, and some are, others use their high-performing capacity to remain calm in stressful times to conduct surgery, lead soldiers or become sought-after CEOs. After all, as Dutton suggests, if you鈥檙e having brain surgery, wouldn鈥檛 you want someone who is not distracted by feelings and completely in control and concentrating on the operation? If your life were in danger on the battlefield, wouldn鈥檛 you want someone who could coolly survey the situation and deeply recognize others鈥� reactions, to determine the best way to rescue you? Psychopaths adept detection of vulnerability is one of their most potent skills. See more at
Another astounding finding was that, in lab tests, a Tibetan monk had no startle reflex reaction to 鈥渁 gun being fired just centimeters away from the ear: the maximal threshold of human acoustical tolerance,鈥� reports Dutton - yet others despite that finding. Ekman, and his co-researchers, Robert Levenson and Richard Davidson, concluded, according to Dutton, that 鈥減racticing a relaxed state of mind鈥� is conducive to 鈥渒eeping a cool head at one time or another.鈥� Yet it appears that psychopaths don鈥檛 need that meditative practice to stay calm under pressure and or to be inordinately observant, especially of weaknesses in others. Psychopaths feel little or none of the arousal reactions (heart beat, sweat, blood pressure, etc.) that others have when viewing 鈥渁 series of horrific, nauseating and erotic images,鈥� found Dutton. Like the monks, psychopaths have greater self-mastery of their emotions. Unlike the monks, however, they seem to be born with this capacity to not feel nor react.
That may not be the most surprising conclusion from Dutton鈥檚 book however.
Unlike our common impression of psychopaths as dangerous serial killers, and some are, others use their high-performing capacity to remain calm in stressful times to conduct surgery, lead soldiers or become sought-after CEOs. After all, as Dutton suggests, if you鈥檙e having brain surgery, wouldn鈥檛 you want someone who is not distracted by feelings and completely in control and concentrating on the operation? If your life were in danger on the battlefield, wouldn鈥檛 you want someone who could coolly survey the situation and deeply recognize others鈥� reactions, to determine the best way to rescue you? Psychopaths adept detection of vulnerability is one of their most potent skills. See more at
June 9, 2022
This book served to remind me how very arbitrary we are when it comes to categorizing things. Yes, classification assists us with our thinking and communication, but when we get lazy about it and start using those categories with ambivalence, as a fast-talking sort of shorthand, we sacrifice the thousand degrees of a thing to the very shallow aim of making our point. Psychopathology is such a classification, and encompasses a wide range of qualities and behavioral patterns. While you may hope never to meet a stone-cold killer with a mind possessed of such particular thrust, as Mr. Dutton rightly points out, you do in fact pray to encounter a surgeon, a policeman, a SEAL team member, and quite possibly a divorce lawyer equipped with a healthy share of such cognitive traits.
Your author, it should be stated up front, is a real geek on the subject - meaning there's a lot of quirky passion going on in this work. Mr. Dutton, it can be safely said, never met a study he didn't like and includes them by the dozens. This becomes a bit of a problem when he begins to refer back to them, and to refer back to the scientists who ran them, and you start to lose your bearings in that referential muddle. Additionally? Way too many metaphors used less to clarify than to ornament the text. Readability is challenged - and loses on occasion.
Still, there's some interesting stuff going on in the corners here. Who knew, for example, that psychopaths were extremely adept at mindfulness? That the only people on earth who surpass their expertise in the practice are Buddhist monks? (The rest of us, regardless of our time and effort, will hardly hit the chart.) And his trip to Broadmoor, the high security prison, to commune with the murderers inside? Beyond fascinating.
Your author, it should be stated up front, is a real geek on the subject - meaning there's a lot of quirky passion going on in this work. Mr. Dutton, it can be safely said, never met a study he didn't like and includes them by the dozens. This becomes a bit of a problem when he begins to refer back to them, and to refer back to the scientists who ran them, and you start to lose your bearings in that referential muddle. Additionally? Way too many metaphors used less to clarify than to ornament the text. Readability is challenged - and loses on occasion.
Still, there's some interesting stuff going on in the corners here. Who knew, for example, that psychopaths were extremely adept at mindfulness? That the only people on earth who surpass their expertise in the practice are Buddhist monks? (The rest of us, regardless of our time and effort, will hardly hit the chart.) And his trip to Broadmoor, the high security prison, to commune with the murderers inside? Beyond fascinating.
February 7, 2017
爻丕蹖讴賵倬鬲 賴丕 亘蹖賲丕乇丕賳 匕賴賳蹖 賴爻鬲賳 讴賴 乇賮鬲丕乇 囟丿 丕噩鬲賲丕毓 賵 禺卮賵賳鬲 丌賲蹖夭 丿丕乇賳 亘丿賵賳 丕蹖賳讴賴 丿趩丕乇 毓匕丕亘 賵噩丿丕賳 蹖丕 鬲乇爻 蹖丕 丕爻鬲乇爻 亘卮賳. 亘蹖卮鬲乇 卮丕賲賱 賲噩乇賲 賴丕蹖蹖 賲蹖 卮賴 讴賴 賲乇鬲讴亘 噩乇丕蹖賲 禺卮賵賳鬲 亘丕乇 賲孬賱 賯鬲賱貙 鬲噩丕賵夭 賵 卮讴賳噩賴 賵 ... 賲蹖 卮賳.
丿賵 賮氐賱 丕亘鬲丿丕蹖蹖 爻毓蹖 賲蹖 讴賳賴 鬲丕 鬲賮丕賵鬲 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖 爻丕蹖讴賵倬鬲 乇賵 亘丕 亘賯蹖賴 賲卮禺氐 讴賳賴. 丕蹖賳 丌丿賲 賴丕 蹖讴 爻乇蹖 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕蹖蹖 丿丕乇賳 讴賴 亘丕毓孬 賲蹖 卮賴 丕毓鬲賲丕丿 亘賴 賳賮爻 亘丕賱丕蹖蹖 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳貙 賳鬲乇爻貙 禺賵賳爻乇丿貙 賲鬲賯丕毓丿讴賳賳丿賴 賵 爻賳诏丿賱 亘丕卮賳 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 卮乇賲賳丿诏蹖 賵 毓匕丕亘 賵噩丿丕賳 乇賵 賴賲 鬲噩乇亘賴 賳賲蹖 讴賳賳. 亘賴 賴蹖趩 毓賳賵丕賳 賴賲 亘乇丕卮賵賳 丕賴賲蹖鬲蹖 賳丿丕乇賴 讴賴 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 趩賴 賳馗乇蹖 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 丕賵賳賴丕 乇賵 乇賮鬲丕乇卮賵賳 丿丕乇賳. 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 毓賱丕賵賴 亘乇 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲賴 丕夭 賲噩乇賲 賴丕 鬲賵蹖 蹖讴 爻乇蹖 丕夭 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖 丿蹖诏賴 賴賲 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇賴 讴賴 乇賮鬲丕乇 囟丿丕噩鬲賲丕毓 賵 禺卮賵賳鬲 亘丕乇 賳丿丕乇賳 賵 丿乇 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 丕夭 賲賵丕賯毓 鬲賵蹖 賲賵賯毓蹖鬲 賴丕蹖 乇賴亘乇蹖 賵 賲丿蹖乇蹖鬲 賴賲 賯乇丕乇 賲蹖 诏蹖乇賳. 賲孬賱丕 爻蹖丕爻蹖賵賳貙 賲丿蹖乇賴丕貙 倬賱蹖爻 賴丕貙 丿賱丕賱丕賳 亘賵乇爻貙 賵讴賱丕貙 賳馗丕賲蹖丕賳貙 噩乇丕丨 賴丕 賵 賲賵丕乇丿蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲. 鬲賮丕賵鬲 亘蹖賳 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲賴 丕夭 丌丿賲 賴丕 亘丕 賲噩乇賲丕賳 爻丕蹖讴賵倬鬲 賴賲 亘乇乇爻蹖 卮丿賴.
丌夭賲丕蹖卮 賴丕蹖 夭蹖丕丿蹖 乇賵蹖 賯丕鬲賱 賴丕 賵 賲鬲噩丕賵夭賴丕 賵 亘賯蹖賴 丕賳噩丕賲 卮丿賴 鬲丕 鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕賵賳賴丕 乇賵 亘丕 亘賯蹖賴 賲卮禺氐 讴賳賴 賵 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 鬲毓丿丕丿 夭蹖丕丿蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丌夭賲丕蹖卮 賴丕 乇賵 匕讴乇 賲蹖 讴賳賴 賵 鬲賵囟蹖丨 賲蹖 丿賴.
賴丿賮 讴鬲丕亘 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 賳卮賵賳 亘丿賴 丕賮乇丕丿 毓丕丿蹖 賴賲 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賳 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 賵 禺氐賵氐蹖丕鬲 乇賮鬲丕乇蹖 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 讴賳賳 賵 鬲賵蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲賵賮賯 鬲乇 亘卮賳. 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 鬲賵蹖 賴賮鬲 賲賵乇丿 禺賱丕氐賴 卮丿賳: 爻賳诏丿賱蹖貙 鬲賲乇讴夭貙 賲賯丕賵賲鬲 匕賴賳蹖貙 賳鬲乇爻 亘賵丿賳貙 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿乇 賱丨馗賴 賵 讴賳卮 诏乇丕 亘賵丿賳.
丕賱亘鬲賴 丿蹖诏賴 鬲賵囟蹖丨 賳賲蹖 丿賴 趩胤賵乇 賲蹖 卮賴 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 乇賵 丕蹖噩丕丿 讴乇丿 蹖丕 丕蹖賳 丿蹖賵賵賳賴 賴丕 趩胤賵乇 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 乇賵 亘賴 丿爻鬲 丌賵乇丿賳. 賮賯胤 賲蹖 诏賴 亘毓囟蹖 噩丕賴丕 丕蹖賳 禺氐賵氐蹖丕鬲 亘賴 讴丕乇 賲蹖丕丿 賵 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 亘賴 賮乇丿 讴賲讴 讴賳賴 鬲丕 賲賵賮賯 亘卮賴. 賲孬賱丕 蹖讴 噩乇丕丨 爻賳诏丿賱 禺蹖賱蹖 丕夭 蹖讴 噩乇丕丨 丿賱乇丨賲 賲賵賮賯 鬲乇賴.
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賲賵囟賵毓 噩丕賱亘蹖 亘賵丿. 亘毓囟蹖 丕夭 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲蹖 讴賴 鬲賵蹖 讴鬲丕亘 賴賲 丕賵賲丿賴 噩匕丕亘 亘賵丿. 賲賳鬲賴丕 賴丿賮 丕氐賱蹖 讴鬲丕亘 亘乇丌賵乇丿賴 賳賲蹖 卮賴. 丌禺乇卮 賳賲蹖 賮賴賲蹖賲 讴賴 趩讴丕乇 讴賳蹖賲 讴賴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 讴賳蹖賲 賵 趩胤賵乇 丕賵賳賴丕 乇賵 亘賴 丿爻鬲 亘蹖丕乇蹖賲. 蹖讴 爻乇蹖 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕蹖蹖 亘蹖丕賳 卮丿賴 讴賴 亘丿賵賳 賳蹖丕夭 亘賴 丌夭賲丕蹖卮 賴丕蹖 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 賲睾夭 賵 丕毓氐丕亘 賴賲 賯丕亘賱 丨丿爻 亘賵丿賳. 爻丕禺鬲丕乇 讴鬲丕亘 賴賲 賲亘賴賲 賵 賳丕乇爻丕 亘賵丿. 賲蹖 鬲賵賳爻鬲 禺蹖賱蹖 亘賴鬲乇 亘丕卮賴.
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丿乇 丨丕卮蹖賴: 丨噩賲 亘蹖卮鬲乇 丌夭賲丕蹖卮 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 丕賳噩丕賲 卮丿賴 亘賵丿貙 賲乇亘賵胤 亘賴 丕爻讴賳 賲睾夭貙 亘乇乇爻蹖 丕賲賵丕噩 賲睾夭 賵 亘乇乇爻蹖 禺賵賳 賵 賲賵丕乇丿 賲卮丕亘賴 賲蹖 卮賴. 蹖毓賳蹖 亘賴 胤賵乇 讴丕賲賱丕 賮蹖夭蹖讴蹖 賲蹖 禺賵丕賳 亘亘蹖賳賳 趩賴 趩蹖夭蹖 亘丕毓孬 丕蹖賳 鬲賮丕賵鬲 賲蹖 卮賴. 禺蹖賱蹖 賵賯鬲 賴丕 賯丕鬲賱 賴丕蹖 爻乇蹖丕賱蹖 讴賴 丕毓丿丕賲 賲蹖 卮賳 蹖丕 賲蹖 賲蹖乇賳貙 賲睾夭卮賵賳 乇賵 亘乇乇爻蹖 賲蹖 讴賳賳 賵 亘賴 丿賳亘丕賱 鬲賮丕賵鬲 賴丕 賲蹖 诏乇丿賳. 讴賴 禺賵亘 禺蹖賱蹖 賵賯鬲 賴丕 丕蹖賳 鬲賮丕賵鬲 賵噩賵丿 賳丿丕乇賴.
丕夭 胤乇賮 丿蹖诏賴 噩丕賲毓賴 毓賱賲蹖 丕賳 丕賱 倬蹖 乇賵 亘賴 乇爻賲蹖鬲 賳賲蹖 卮賳丕爻賳 賵 丕賵賳 乇賵 卮亘賴賴 毓賱賲 賲蹖 丿賵賳賳. 讴賴 禺賵亘 丕賱亘鬲賴 丿乇爻鬲賴. 趩賵賳 乇賵卮 賴丕 賵 鬲讴賳蹖讴 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 鬲賵蹖 丕賳 丕賱 倬蹖 亘賴 讴丕乇 賲蹖 乇賴 賯丕亘賱 賲丨丕爻亘賴 賵 丕賳丿丕夭賴 诏蹖乇蹖 賵 丌夭賲丕蹖卮 鬲丨鬲 卮乇丕蹖胤 讴賳鬲乇賱 卮丿賴 賳蹖爻鬲. 賴乇 賮乇丿 亘丕 賮乇丿 丿蹖诏賴 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲賴 賵 賲蹖夭丕賳 鬲丕孬蹖乇诏匕丕乇蹖 乇賵卮 賴丕 賴賲 亘賳丕 亘乇 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 賲蹖 讴賳賴.
賵賯鬲蹖 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵 賲蹖 禺賵賳丿賲 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 賮讴乇 賲蹖 讴乇丿賲 讴賴 賴乇 趩賳丿 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘賮賴賲蹖賲 趩賴 賯爻賲鬲蹖 丕夭 賲睾夭 賲賵賯毓 賮讴乇 讴乇丿賳 賮毓丕賱 賲蹖 卮賴 賵 丕丨鬲賲丕賱 亘乇賵夭 趩賴 賵丕讴賳卮 賴丕蹖蹖 亘蹖卮鬲乇賴 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 讴賲讴 讴賳賳丿賴 亘丕卮賴貙 丕賲丕 卮丕蹖丿 賳丕丿蹖丿賴 诏乇賮鬲賳 賲丨鬲賵丕蹖 賮讴乇 賵 賳丨賵賴 賳诏乇卮 賮乇丿 亘賴 賲爻卅賱賴 賴賲 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 讴丕乇 賳丕丿乇爻鬲蹖 亘丕卮賴. 鬲賵蹖 丕賳 丕賱 倬蹖 賲賵丿丕賱蹖鬲蹖 賴丕貙 爻丕亘 賲賵丿丕賱蹖鬲蹖 賴丕 賵 丕爻鬲乇丕鬲跇蹖 賴丕 丿賯蹖賯丕 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 鬲賲乇讴夭 賲蹖 讴賳賳. 毓賱賲蹖 賳蹖爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 鬲丕 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賲賳 丿賳亘丕賱 讴乇丿賲 丕诏賴 亘賴 丿賯鬲 丕賳噩丕賲 亘卮賴 讴丕乇丌賲丿賴. 丕蹖賳讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賳賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 賳卮賵賳 亘丿賴 趩胤賵乇 賲蹖 卮賴 乇賮鬲丕乇 賵 丿蹖丿诏丕賴 賲賳丕爻亘 乇賵 亘賴 丿爻鬲 丌賵乇丿 丿賯蹖賯丕 噩丕蹖蹖賴 讴賴 丕賳 丕賱 倬蹖 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 讴賲讴 讴賳賴. 亘賮賴賲蹖賲 丕賵賳 丿蹖賵賵賳賴 賴丕 趩胤賵乇 丕賵賳 讴丕乇 乇賵 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖 丿賳 賵 賲丕 賴賲 賴賲賵賳 丕爻鬲乇丕鬲跇蹖 乇賵 鬲賯賱蹖丿 讴賳蹖賲.
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蹖讴 卮毓乇 賯卮賳诏 丌禺乇 讴鬲丕亘 丕賵賲丿賴. 卮賲毓 賵 倬锟斤拷賵丕賳賴!
丿賵 賮氐賱 丕亘鬲丿丕蹖蹖 爻毓蹖 賲蹖 讴賳賴 鬲丕 鬲賮丕賵鬲 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖 爻丕蹖讴賵倬鬲 乇賵 亘丕 亘賯蹖賴 賲卮禺氐 讴賳賴. 丕蹖賳 丌丿賲 賴丕 蹖讴 爻乇蹖 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕蹖蹖 丿丕乇賳 讴賴 亘丕毓孬 賲蹖 卮賴 丕毓鬲賲丕丿 亘賴 賳賮爻 亘丕賱丕蹖蹖 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘丕卮賳貙 賳鬲乇爻貙 禺賵賳爻乇丿貙 賲鬲賯丕毓丿讴賳賳丿賴 賵 爻賳诏丿賱 亘丕卮賳 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 卮乇賲賳丿诏蹖 賵 毓匕丕亘 賵噩丿丕賳 乇賵 賴賲 鬲噩乇亘賴 賳賲蹖 讴賳賳. 亘賴 賴蹖趩 毓賳賵丕賳 賴賲 亘乇丕卮賵賳 丕賴賲蹖鬲蹖 賳丿丕乇賴 讴賴 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 趩賴 賳馗乇蹖 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 丕賵賳賴丕 乇賵 乇賮鬲丕乇卮賵賳 丿丕乇賳. 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 毓賱丕賵賴 亘乇 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲賴 丕夭 賲噩乇賲 賴丕 鬲賵蹖 蹖讴 爻乇蹖 丕夭 丌丿賲 賴丕蹖 丿蹖诏賴 賴賲 賵噩賵丿 丿丕乇賴 讴賴 乇賮鬲丕乇 囟丿丕噩鬲賲丕毓 賵 禺卮賵賳鬲 亘丕乇 賳丿丕乇賳 賵 丿乇 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 丕夭 賲賵丕賯毓 鬲賵蹖 賲賵賯毓蹖鬲 賴丕蹖 乇賴亘乇蹖 賵 賲丿蹖乇蹖鬲 賴賲 賯乇丕乇 賲蹖 诏蹖乇賳. 賲孬賱丕 爻蹖丕爻蹖賵賳貙 賲丿蹖乇賴丕貙 倬賱蹖爻 賴丕貙 丿賱丕賱丕賳 亘賵乇爻貙 賵讴賱丕貙 賳馗丕賲蹖丕賳貙 噩乇丕丨 賴丕 賵 賲賵丕乇丿蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲. 鬲賮丕賵鬲 亘蹖賳 丕蹖賳 丿爻鬲賴 丕夭 丌丿賲 賴丕 亘丕 賲噩乇賲丕賳 爻丕蹖讴賵倬鬲 賴賲 亘乇乇爻蹖 卮丿賴.
丌夭賲丕蹖卮 賴丕蹖 夭蹖丕丿蹖 乇賵蹖 賯丕鬲賱 賴丕 賵 賲鬲噩丕賵夭賴丕 賵 亘賯蹖賴 丕賳噩丕賲 卮丿賴 鬲丕 鬲賮丕賵鬲 丕賵賳賴丕 乇賵 亘丕 亘賯蹖賴 賲卮禺氐 讴賳賴 賵 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 鬲毓丿丕丿 夭蹖丕丿蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 丌夭賲丕蹖卮 賴丕 乇賵 匕讴乇 賲蹖 讴賳賴 賵 鬲賵囟蹖丨 賲蹖 丿賴.
賴丿賮 讴鬲丕亘 丕蹖賳賴 讴賴 賳卮賵賳 亘丿賴 丕賮乇丕丿 毓丕丿蹖 賴賲 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賳 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 賵 禺氐賵氐蹖丕鬲 乇賮鬲丕乇蹖 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 讴賳賳 賵 鬲賵蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲賵賮賯 鬲乇 亘卮賳. 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 鬲賵蹖 賴賮鬲 賲賵乇丿 禺賱丕氐賴 卮丿賳: 爻賳诏丿賱蹖貙 鬲賲乇讴夭貙 賲賯丕賵賲鬲 匕賴賳蹖貙 賳鬲乇爻 亘賵丿賳貙 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿乇 賱丨馗賴 賵 讴賳卮 诏乇丕 亘賵丿賳.
丕賱亘鬲賴 丿蹖诏賴 鬲賵囟蹖丨 賳賲蹖 丿賴 趩胤賵乇 賲蹖 卮賴 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 乇賵 丕蹖噩丕丿 讴乇丿 蹖丕 丕蹖賳 丿蹖賵賵賳賴 賴丕 趩胤賵乇 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 乇賵 亘賴 丿爻鬲 丌賵乇丿賳. 賮賯胤 賲蹖 诏賴 亘毓囟蹖 噩丕賴丕 丕蹖賳 禺氐賵氐蹖丕鬲 亘賴 讴丕乇 賲蹖丕丿 賵 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 亘賴 賮乇丿 讴賲讴 讴賳賴 鬲丕 賲賵賮賯 亘卮賴. 賲孬賱丕 蹖讴 噩乇丕丨 爻賳诏丿賱 禺蹖賱蹖 丕夭 蹖讴 噩乇丕丨 丿賱乇丨賲 賲賵賮賯 鬲乇賴.
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賲賵囟賵毓 噩丕賱亘蹖 亘賵丿. 亘毓囟蹖 丕夭 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲蹖 讴賴 鬲賵蹖 讴鬲丕亘 賴賲 丕賵賲丿賴 噩匕丕亘 亘賵丿. 賲賳鬲賴丕 賴丿賮 丕氐賱蹖 讴鬲丕亘 亘乇丌賵乇丿賴 賳賲蹖 卮賴. 丌禺乇卮 賳賲蹖 賮賴賲蹖賲 讴賴 趩讴丕乇 讴賳蹖賲 讴賴 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕 丕爻鬲賮丕丿賴 讴賳蹖賲 賵 趩胤賵乇 丕賵賳賴丕 乇賵 亘賴 丿爻鬲 亘蹖丕乇蹖賲. 蹖讴 爻乇蹖 賵蹖跇诏蹖 賴丕蹖蹖 亘蹖丕賳 卮丿賴 讴賴 亘丿賵賳 賳蹖丕夭 亘賴 丌夭賲丕蹖卮 賴丕蹖 倬蹖趩蹖丿賴 賲睾夭 賵 丕毓氐丕亘 賴賲 賯丕亘賱 丨丿爻 亘賵丿賳. 爻丕禺鬲丕乇 讴鬲丕亘 賴賲 賲亘賴賲 賵 賳丕乇爻丕 亘賵丿. 賲蹖 鬲賵賳爻鬲 禺蹖賱蹖 亘賴鬲乇 亘丕卮賴.
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丿乇 丨丕卮蹖賴: 丨噩賲 亘蹖卮鬲乇 丌夭賲丕蹖卮 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 丕賳噩丕賲 卮丿賴 亘賵丿貙 賲乇亘賵胤 亘賴 丕爻讴賳 賲睾夭貙 亘乇乇爻蹖 丕賲賵丕噩 賲睾夭 賵 亘乇乇爻蹖 禺賵賳 賵 賲賵丕乇丿 賲卮丕亘賴 賲蹖 卮賴. 蹖毓賳蹖 亘賴 胤賵乇 讴丕賲賱丕 賮蹖夭蹖讴蹖 賲蹖 禺賵丕賳 亘亘蹖賳賳 趩賴 趩蹖夭蹖 亘丕毓孬 丕蹖賳 鬲賮丕賵鬲 賲蹖 卮賴. 禺蹖賱蹖 賵賯鬲 賴丕 賯丕鬲賱 賴丕蹖 爻乇蹖丕賱蹖 讴賴 丕毓丿丕賲 賲蹖 卮賳 蹖丕 賲蹖 賲蹖乇賳貙 賲睾夭卮賵賳 乇賵 亘乇乇爻蹖 賲蹖 讴賳賳 賵 亘賴 丿賳亘丕賱 鬲賮丕賵鬲 賴丕 賲蹖 诏乇丿賳. 讴賴 禺賵亘 禺蹖賱蹖 賵賯鬲 賴丕 丕蹖賳 鬲賮丕賵鬲 賵噩賵丿 賳丿丕乇賴.
丕夭 胤乇賮 丿蹖诏賴 噩丕賲毓賴 毓賱賲蹖 丕賳 丕賱 倬蹖 乇賵 亘賴 乇爻賲蹖鬲 賳賲蹖 卮賳丕爻賳 賵 丕賵賳 乇賵 卮亘賴賴 毓賱賲 賲蹖 丿賵賳賳. 讴賴 禺賵亘 丕賱亘鬲賴 丿乇爻鬲賴. 趩賵賳 乇賵卮 賴丕 賵 鬲讴賳蹖讴 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 鬲賵蹖 丕賳 丕賱 倬蹖 亘賴 讴丕乇 賲蹖 乇賴 賯丕亘賱 賲丨丕爻亘賴 賵 丕賳丿丕夭賴 诏蹖乇蹖 賵 丌夭賲丕蹖卮 鬲丨鬲 卮乇丕蹖胤 讴賳鬲乇賱 卮丿賴 賳蹖爻鬲. 賴乇 賮乇丿 亘丕 賮乇丿 丿蹖诏賴 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲賴 賵 賲蹖夭丕賳 鬲丕孬蹖乇诏匕丕乇蹖 乇賵卮 賴丕 賴賲 亘賳丕 亘乇 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 鬲睾蹖蹖乇 賲蹖 讴賳賴.
賵賯鬲蹖 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵 賲蹖 禺賵賳丿賲 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 賮讴乇 賲蹖 讴乇丿賲 讴賴 賴乇 趩賳丿 丕蹖賳讴賴 亘賮賴賲蹖賲 趩賴 賯爻賲鬲蹖 丕夭 賲睾夭 賲賵賯毓 賮讴乇 讴乇丿賳 賮毓丕賱 賲蹖 卮賴 賵 丕丨鬲賲丕賱 亘乇賵夭 趩賴 賵丕讴賳卮 賴丕蹖蹖 亘蹖卮鬲乇賴 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 讴賲讴 讴賳賳丿賴 亘丕卮賴貙 丕賲丕 卮丕蹖丿 賳丕丿蹖丿賴 诏乇賮鬲賳 賲丨鬲賵丕蹖 賮讴乇 賵 賳丨賵賴 賳诏乇卮 賮乇丿 亘賴 賲爻卅賱賴 賴賲 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 讴丕乇 賳丕丿乇爻鬲蹖 亘丕卮賴. 鬲賵蹖 丕賳 丕賱 倬蹖 賲賵丿丕賱蹖鬲蹖 賴丕貙 爻丕亘 賲賵丿丕賱蹖鬲蹖 賴丕 賵 丕爻鬲乇丕鬲跇蹖 賴丕 丿賯蹖賯丕 亘賴 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 鬲賲乇讴夭 賲蹖 讴賳賳. 毓賱賲蹖 賳蹖爻鬲貙 丕賲丕 鬲丕 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賲賳 丿賳亘丕賱 讴乇丿賲 丕诏賴 亘賴 丿賯鬲 丕賳噩丕賲 亘卮賴 讴丕乇丌賲丿賴. 丕蹖賳讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賳賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 賳卮賵賳 亘丿賴 趩胤賵乇 賲蹖 卮賴 乇賮鬲丕乇 賵 丿蹖丿诏丕賴 賲賳丕爻亘 乇賵 亘賴 丿爻鬲 丌賵乇丿 丿賯蹖賯丕 噩丕蹖蹖賴 讴賴 丕賳 丕賱 倬蹖 賲蹖 鬲賵賳賴 讴賲讴 讴賳賴. 亘賮賴賲蹖賲 丕賵賳 丿蹖賵賵賳賴 賴丕 趩胤賵乇 丕賵賳 讴丕乇 乇賵 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖 丿賳 賵 賲丕 賴賲 賴賲賵賳 丕爻鬲乇丕鬲跇蹖 乇賵 鬲賯賱蹖丿 讴賳蹖賲.
赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌赌
蹖讴 卮毓乇 賯卮賳诏 丌禺乇 讴鬲丕亘 丕賵賲丿賴. 卮賲毓 賵 倬锟斤拷賵丕賳賴!
March 19, 2017
This rating has a lot to do with my expectations, but also with the fact that I don't agree with the author's view. I'm a psychology student and like many people I'm interested in psychopaths and how their minds work. My roommate got this book from one of her friends and because she gave up on it, I ended up reading it to see how it is. So, I went almost blindly in this one, not knowing what to expect. From the title and the synopsis, I was expecting stories about popular psychopaths, like Ted Bunty and so on. This book is more general than that, it presents some theories, some studies about psychopaths, about how some of them are functional (actually have important functions in our world). They are businessmen, politicians, lawyers and judges and the author wonders if we should learn something from psychopaths, if we should learn to be focused on the present, to have a cold empathy (focused on perception) rather than a warm one (focused on feelings).
Then he started with all this debate about how we are all turning into psychopaths because of social media and so on. Let's agree to disagree. I'm tired of hearing all these stupid remarks about my generation being full of narcissists, I feel like we're rather the most insecure generation out there because of social media.
I think some of his theories were interesting, but he went a little too far. While it's important to make people aware that some psychopaths are among us and not all of them are criminals and so on, I'm not sure it will be beneficial for our society if all of us turned into 'functional psychopaths'.
Then he started with all this debate about how we are all turning into psychopaths because of social media and so on. Let's agree to disagree. I'm tired of hearing all these stupid remarks about my generation being full of narcissists, I feel like we're rather the most insecure generation out there because of social media.
I think some of his theories were interesting, but he went a little too far. While it's important to make people aware that some psychopaths are among us and not all of them are criminals and so on, I'm not sure it will be beneficial for our society if all of us turned into 'functional psychopaths'.
July 12, 2013
By Martin Langfield
If you鈥檝e ever thought your boss is a psychopath, you may be right, according to psychologist Kevin Dutton. And if you鈥檙e a top-flight markets trader, captain of industry, surgeon or soldier, you may well be one yourself. But that鈥檚 OK, says Dutton. It may even be optimal.
鈥淭he Wisdom of Psychopaths,鈥� an exploration of serial killers, monks, spies and CEOs through the prism of personality tests and neuroscience, is a good book lurking within a bad one. In this regard it perfectly reflects its theme, which is that among the dark traits which make a person psychopathic nestle behaviors and abilities that are not only necessary, but good, for individuals and society. In the seeds of evil, he proposes, wisdom may be found.
An Oxford University research psychologist, Dutton may discomfit many readers with an almost adolescent joy in mixed metaphors and grating puns, relishing the shock value of his premise as he liberally applies the term 鈥減sychopath鈥� to all kinds of people. It may sound like he is suggesting sadistic ax-murderers or serial rapists lurk within all men, but his point is rather more subtle. Perhaps this approach is a deliberate attempt to open the reader鈥檚 mind to new ideas. Or perhaps he needs a more restrained editor.
Still, a razor-sharp intellect with a serious academic purpose lurks behind the loose phrasing and wordiness. Dutton stacks up references to interlocking personality studies, brain scans and physiological examinations, comparing members of the general population with those behind bars and those who excel at certain sharp-end professions. His argument is that most 鈥減sychopaths鈥� aren鈥檛 violent, and indeed most aren鈥檛 locked away. Many excel in society precisely because they possess, in a more moderate or controlled way, the same traits that land their more antisocial brethren in a world of hurt.
The key traits include: ruthlessness; intense capacity to focus, excluding all distractions such as fear; powerful reward motivation; a disposition to action; acute ability to read emotions in other people, without being moved by them; charisma; mental resilience; and mindfulness, the ability to live in the present moment.
Many people have some of these traits, he says. Those who can manage to flick them on and off according to circumstance have a powerful toolkit for doing well in life, particularly in high-risk, high-reward professions. Those with only partial control of such traits, or who have them jammed full-on all the time, may severely hurt others, ruin their own business or even damage the world economy. Those who lack any such traits should try to embrace a few, Dutton suggests.
In examining CEOs, Dutton also cites a 2005 academic study that compared business managers, psychiatric patients and hospitalized criminals in a psychological profiling test. 鈥淎 number of psychopathic attributes were actually more common in business leaders than in so-called disturbed criminals,鈥� Dutton writes, listing attributes such as superficial charm, egocentricity, persuasiveness, lack of empathy, independence, and focus. The main difference lay in the 鈥渁ntisocial鈥� traits, with the criminals鈥� physical aggression, impulsivity and lawbreaking dials cranked up higher.
One of Dutton鈥檚 own surveys, in which visitors to his website take a personality test called the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale and give details of their professions, found that CEOs ranked highest on the scale, followed by lawyers, TV and radio workers, salespeople, surgeons and journalists.
Dutton interviews 鈥渇unctional psychopath鈥� special-forces soldiers, financial traders, lawyers and doctors, often in exotic locales, who speak of experiencing altered states of consciousness when entirely focused on their work, akin to the concept of 鈥渇low鈥� or 鈥渙ptimal experience鈥� of Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. One of the most intriguing of Dutton鈥檚 insights is the similarity he relates between certain psychopathic traits and those exhibited by experts in Buddhist meditation. Both are very good, for example, at reading emotions in people鈥檚 faces, embracing new experiences, remaining in the moment and practicing detachment.
To say psychological traits required in killing and in making a killing in the markets are not dissimilar may seem trite. Yet Dutton, despite his tendency to showboat, uses that observation as a starting point for a disconcerting and intelligent exploration of the outer reaches and useful inner depths of at least some human minds.
If you鈥檝e ever thought your boss is a psychopath, you may be right, according to psychologist Kevin Dutton. And if you鈥檙e a top-flight markets trader, captain of industry, surgeon or soldier, you may well be one yourself. But that鈥檚 OK, says Dutton. It may even be optimal.
鈥淭he Wisdom of Psychopaths,鈥� an exploration of serial killers, monks, spies and CEOs through the prism of personality tests and neuroscience, is a good book lurking within a bad one. In this regard it perfectly reflects its theme, which is that among the dark traits which make a person psychopathic nestle behaviors and abilities that are not only necessary, but good, for individuals and society. In the seeds of evil, he proposes, wisdom may be found.
An Oxford University research psychologist, Dutton may discomfit many readers with an almost adolescent joy in mixed metaphors and grating puns, relishing the shock value of his premise as he liberally applies the term 鈥減sychopath鈥� to all kinds of people. It may sound like he is suggesting sadistic ax-murderers or serial rapists lurk within all men, but his point is rather more subtle. Perhaps this approach is a deliberate attempt to open the reader鈥檚 mind to new ideas. Or perhaps he needs a more restrained editor.
Still, a razor-sharp intellect with a serious academic purpose lurks behind the loose phrasing and wordiness. Dutton stacks up references to interlocking personality studies, brain scans and physiological examinations, comparing members of the general population with those behind bars and those who excel at certain sharp-end professions. His argument is that most 鈥減sychopaths鈥� aren鈥檛 violent, and indeed most aren鈥檛 locked away. Many excel in society precisely because they possess, in a more moderate or controlled way, the same traits that land their more antisocial brethren in a world of hurt.
The key traits include: ruthlessness; intense capacity to focus, excluding all distractions such as fear; powerful reward motivation; a disposition to action; acute ability to read emotions in other people, without being moved by them; charisma; mental resilience; and mindfulness, the ability to live in the present moment.
Many people have some of these traits, he says. Those who can manage to flick them on and off according to circumstance have a powerful toolkit for doing well in life, particularly in high-risk, high-reward professions. Those with only partial control of such traits, or who have them jammed full-on all the time, may severely hurt others, ruin their own business or even damage the world economy. Those who lack any such traits should try to embrace a few, Dutton suggests.
In examining CEOs, Dutton also cites a 2005 academic study that compared business managers, psychiatric patients and hospitalized criminals in a psychological profiling test. 鈥淎 number of psychopathic attributes were actually more common in business leaders than in so-called disturbed criminals,鈥� Dutton writes, listing attributes such as superficial charm, egocentricity, persuasiveness, lack of empathy, independence, and focus. The main difference lay in the 鈥渁ntisocial鈥� traits, with the criminals鈥� physical aggression, impulsivity and lawbreaking dials cranked up higher.
One of Dutton鈥檚 own surveys, in which visitors to his website take a personality test called the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale and give details of their professions, found that CEOs ranked highest on the scale, followed by lawyers, TV and radio workers, salespeople, surgeons and journalists.
Dutton interviews 鈥渇unctional psychopath鈥� special-forces soldiers, financial traders, lawyers and doctors, often in exotic locales, who speak of experiencing altered states of consciousness when entirely focused on their work, akin to the concept of 鈥渇low鈥� or 鈥渙ptimal experience鈥� of Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. One of the most intriguing of Dutton鈥檚 insights is the similarity he relates between certain psychopathic traits and those exhibited by experts in Buddhist meditation. Both are very good, for example, at reading emotions in people鈥檚 faces, embracing new experiences, remaining in the moment and practicing detachment.
To say psychological traits required in killing and in making a killing in the markets are not dissimilar may seem trite. Yet Dutton, despite his tendency to showboat, uses that observation as a starting point for a disconcerting and intelligent exploration of the outer reaches and useful inner depths of at least some human minds.
February 28, 2025
賯乇丕亍丞 孬丕賳賷丞 賲賲鬲毓丞 鬲賲丕賲賸丕 賰賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 賯乇丕亍鬲賷 丕賱兀賵賱賶 賱賴 賲賳 兀乇亘毓 爻賳賷賳.
兀賰孬乇 賰鬲丕亘 毓賱賲 賳賮爻 賲賲鬲毓 賵賲賮賷丿 賵賲卮賵賯 賷鬲賳丕賵賱 丕囟胤乇丕亘 丕賱爻賷賰賵亘丕鬲賷丞 亘卮賰賱 毓賱賲賷 賵亘爻乇丿 賲亘爻胤 賲孬賷乇 賱賱丕賴鬲賲丕賲.
兀賰孬乇 賰鬲丕亘 毓賱賲 賳賮爻 賲賲鬲毓 賵賲賮賷丿 賵賲卮賵賯 賷鬲賳丕賵賱 丕囟胤乇丕亘 丕賱爻賷賰賵亘丕鬲賷丞 亘卮賰賱 毓賱賲賷 賵亘爻乇丿 賲亘爻胤 賲孬賷乇 賱賱丕賴鬲賲丕賲.
February 11, 2013
The author is "that guy". He has some vague attempts at being self deprecating but just can't hide how much he wants to make love to himself--not in the normal masturbatory way, but in a creepy doppelganger gangbang sort of way.
Also, the book reads like an excessively long blog post.
The article on this book from Scientific American Mind covers anything you might want to learn without the nausea and the bitter taste of haterade.
Also, the book reads like an excessively long blog post.
The article on this book from Scientific American Mind covers anything you might want to learn without the nausea and the bitter taste of haterade.
June 19, 2019
This is a really unique take on a perhaps taboo subject matter. I though that his information was well presented, interesting, and definitely took a more broad view of the mind and psychosis. Its an enjoyable read and I really enjoyed how he took others views in account such as Steven Pinkers thoughts on violence in society. I would read this again.
January 9, 2013
I guess I expected too much from this one.
It is not so much that it left me unconvinced, but I still have trouble with discerning what Dutton's hypothesis was in the first place. The book appears to be a mumbo jumbo of anecdotes, scientific article and book excerpts, snaps from interviews, lectures, conversations. It is easy to read and has insightful points which remain just that - points of reference for further exploration - but I often failed to grasp the meaning the author was trying to underline by them.
I have encountered the term 'psychopath' while studying criminal and related laws, and it did help a lot as a background for this book, because the author left out some pretty important things like statistics (e.g. gender distribution), how do psychopaths function when they're not breaking moral/legal norms (relationships, friendships, offspring care,..), how to test yourself to see where you are on the scale, etc.. but for example got into explaining some relatively uninteresting and tedious interpretations of traits in psychology testing. Also, to jump from theme to theme without reaching any conclusion or drawing a line, just to be brought back to the same topic only with an additional example, is a repetitive and tiring practice of this author.
The biggest minus of this book (apart that it is popular science, with a big emphasis on 'popular') is that it painfully lacks structure and a clear way of presenting a thesis. Sometimes, while reading, I was under the impression that the interviewees should be the ones writing a book (which most of them, accidentally, did) and that this book is just some guy stealing crumbs off tables of experts, investigators, real life psychopaths, etc. and not doing a top notch job out of it either.
In short, psychopaths are not 'wise', they are simply differently hard-wired.
At least this book cleared out for me why I disliked politicians and lawyers. And James Bond.
It is not so much that it left me unconvinced, but I still have trouble with discerning what Dutton's hypothesis was in the first place. The book appears to be a mumbo jumbo of anecdotes, scientific article and book excerpts, snaps from interviews, lectures, conversations. It is easy to read and has insightful points which remain just that - points of reference for further exploration - but I often failed to grasp the meaning the author was trying to underline by them.
I have encountered the term 'psychopath' while studying criminal and related laws, and it did help a lot as a background for this book, because the author left out some pretty important things like statistics (e.g. gender distribution), how do psychopaths function when they're not breaking moral/legal norms (relationships, friendships, offspring care,..), how to test yourself to see where you are on the scale, etc.. but for example got into explaining some relatively uninteresting and tedious interpretations of traits in psychology testing. Also, to jump from theme to theme without reaching any conclusion or drawing a line, just to be brought back to the same topic only with an additional example, is a repetitive and tiring practice of this author.
The biggest minus of this book (apart that it is popular science, with a big emphasis on 'popular') is that it painfully lacks structure and a clear way of presenting a thesis. Sometimes, while reading, I was under the impression that the interviewees should be the ones writing a book (which most of them, accidentally, did) and that this book is just some guy stealing crumbs off tables of experts, investigators, real life psychopaths, etc. and not doing a top notch job out of it either.
In short, psychopaths are not 'wise', they are simply differently hard-wired.
At least this book cleared out for me why I disliked politicians and lawyers. And James Bond.
June 12, 2022
Something did not seem quite right about this book. I have read articles calling the book unscientific. It jumps around all over the place with some science, cultural references, and so on. And the author keeps repeating the words psychopath, psychopathic, and psychopathy until it became almost . . . well . . . um . . . you know . . . psychopathic.
November 13, 2016
Spicuiri din recenzia finala care se gaseste
July 28, 2013
The Wisdom of Psychopaths begins with a few strikes against it. First, one suspects the publisher commissioned it as a knockoff of Jon Ronson's , published a year earlier. Second, it's vaguely framed as a self-help book, although it never really commits to the concept.
Regardless of the publisher's intention, Kevin Dutton turns out to hold the better credentials锟斤拷锟絟e's a research psychologist at Oxford University鈥攁nd acquits himself well as a nonfiction author. (He can be forgiven for not being quite as fun as Ronson; few are). Already familiar with the real-life test of Ronson's title, although I have not read his take on the subject, I gave in to the "wisdom" hook and plowed ahead.
The Wisdom of Psychopaths moves as quickly and entertainingly as any survey of research and literature can, not just of psychopathy鈥攚hich to me is inherently fascinating鈥攂ut theories of personality in general, and the experiments behind them. I later read that Ronson had been criticized for taking some liberties with the research; in this way, if Dutton's book was at all intended a follow-on, it seems less a me-too entry and more like a corrective by someone from the field.
Dutton also makes a persuasive enough case that certain character traits associated with psychopathy鈥攃harm, focus, and fearlessness, among others鈥攃an be advantageous, if one can keep it in check. For anyone who wants to get ahead (unsurprisingly, in business especially) it can help to become something of a "method psychopath". Alas, Dutton doesn't spend much time with that, but if he writes that as a follow-up, I'll be there.
Regardless of the publisher's intention, Kevin Dutton turns out to hold the better credentials锟斤拷锟絟e's a research psychologist at Oxford University鈥攁nd acquits himself well as a nonfiction author. (He can be forgiven for not being quite as fun as Ronson; few are). Already familiar with the real-life test of Ronson's title, although I have not read his take on the subject, I gave in to the "wisdom" hook and plowed ahead.
The Wisdom of Psychopaths moves as quickly and entertainingly as any survey of research and literature can, not just of psychopathy鈥攚hich to me is inherently fascinating鈥攂ut theories of personality in general, and the experiments behind them. I later read that Ronson had been criticized for taking some liberties with the research; in this way, if Dutton's book was at all intended a follow-on, it seems less a me-too entry and more like a corrective by someone from the field.
Dutton also makes a persuasive enough case that certain character traits associated with psychopathy鈥攃harm, focus, and fearlessness, among others鈥攃an be advantageous, if one can keep it in check. For anyone who wants to get ahead (unsurprisingly, in business especially) it can help to become something of a "method psychopath". Alas, Dutton doesn't spend much time with that, but if he writes that as a follow-up, I'll be there.
August 30, 2015
Cuando hablamos de psic贸patas tendemos a pensar que son los cl谩sicos asesinos que salen en las pel铆culas. Este libro es un estudio a fondo de a gente que posee estas caracter铆sticas. Un psic贸pata no tiene por qu茅 ser un asesino, sino que act煤a en muchas ocasiones, de la forma lo m谩s racional posible casi obviando las emociones. Y tambi茅n pueden ser emp谩ticos.
Recomendado para todos los p煤blicos.
Recomendado para todos los p煤blicos.
January 31, 2013
Last autumn, I came across which includes an interview with author Kevin Dutton and an overview of his book The Wisdom of Psychopaths. I felt a dropping in my stomach as I read it, because at the end of the article were two lists: one denoting leadership traits, the other the corresponding psychopathic traits. The first list came fairly close to describing my father. The second list pretty much nailed him. I sat in a mild state of shock for a few minutes, then logged into my local library's web site and put a hold on the book.
Dr Kevin Dutton begins The Wisdom of Psychopaths with tales of his own father and his father's audacity. Neither Dutton's dad nor mine was a serial killer (so far as I know). This is the point. We use the term "psychopath" as a synonym for "serial killer". This isn't so, and Dutton is by no means the first person to make this point. Most of us probably personally know people living with autism, Parkinson's Disease or schizophrenia. (I certainly do.) Why wouldn't we also know functional psychopaths?
Dutton describes how the very qualities that help politicians, surgeons, military intelligence operatives, CEOs and sales people rise in their professions and succeed in what they need to do are similar to the traits shared by some of the most dangerous people in our society. He calls these "The Seven Deadly Wins": ruthlessness, charm, focus, mental toughness, fearlessness, mindfulness (as in living in the here and now), and action ("Psychopaths," Dutton declares, "never procrastinate.").
As I read, I thought of the possible psychopaths I'd encountered in my own life: a boy at school who could turn friendliness on and off when it suited him, a teaching partner whose relationships with the students we shared made me uneasy, at least two of the Resident Fan Boy's bosses, and yes,
I admit, though, I'm nothing but an armchair psychologist and this book, written in a glib, popular-science style, is nothing more than food for thought. An interesting read, but not something on which to base your life philosophy. Unless, like a psychopath, you have little in the way of a conscience.
Dr Kevin Dutton begins The Wisdom of Psychopaths with tales of his own father and his father's audacity. Neither Dutton's dad nor mine was a serial killer (so far as I know). This is the point. We use the term "psychopath" as a synonym for "serial killer". This isn't so, and Dutton is by no means the first person to make this point. Most of us probably personally know people living with autism, Parkinson's Disease or schizophrenia. (I certainly do.) Why wouldn't we also know functional psychopaths?
Dutton describes how the very qualities that help politicians, surgeons, military intelligence operatives, CEOs and sales people rise in their professions and succeed in what they need to do are similar to the traits shared by some of the most dangerous people in our society. He calls these "The Seven Deadly Wins": ruthlessness, charm, focus, mental toughness, fearlessness, mindfulness (as in living in the here and now), and action ("Psychopaths," Dutton declares, "never procrastinate.").
As I read, I thought of the possible psychopaths I'd encountered in my own life: a boy at school who could turn friendliness on and off when it suited him, a teaching partner whose relationships with the students we shared made me uneasy, at least two of the Resident Fan Boy's bosses, and yes,
I admit, though, I'm nothing but an armchair psychologist and this book, written in a glib, popular-science style, is nothing more than food for thought. An interesting read, but not something on which to base your life philosophy. Unless, like a psychopath, you have little in the way of a conscience.
December 1, 2019
Recomand cartea celor pasiona葲i de psihologie, de criminali 卯n serie 葯i celor ce recunosc c膬 suntem cu to葲ii un pic nebuni, acesta fiind totu葯i un atu ce lucreaz膬 卯n favoarea societ膬葲ii actuale.
Psihopa葲ii nu sunt neaparat cei din 卯nchisori, ci acei oameni calcula葲i, ce nu-i perturb膬 nimic 卯n ac葲iunile lor, populari, lipsi葲i de emo葲ii 葯i sensibilitate.
Au oare oamenii de succes pus膬 卯n mod corect eticheta de psihopa葲i? Poate fi un chirurg prestigios, ori un om de afaceri potent, un sf芒nt, ori un lider politic lipsit complet de emo葲ii? V-a葲i g芒ndit vreodat膬 c膬 de aici pornesc performan葲ele lor ca maxim膬 concentrare pe rezultate, pe logica egocentric膬 impecabil膬 葯i pe abordarea totalmente nemiloas膬 a execu葲iei oric膬rui scop, 卯n luarea de decizii urgente, 卯n situa葲ii cruciale, f膬r膬 remu葯c膬ri 葯i ezit膬ri? 脦ns膬 cei ce nu-葯i exerseaz膬 nemaipomenitele abilita葲i 卯n mediile potrivite? Ce se 卯nt芒mpl膬 cu ace葯tia? Abia 膬葯tia devin problematici, c膬ci lipsa empatiei 卯mpreun膬 cu un narcisism feroce, plus s芒nge rece na葯te mon葯tri.
葮i totu葯i, starea de psihopatie e de fapt o anomalie sau chiar urm膬torul pas al evolu葲ii psihicului uman?
"Via葲a nu ar trebui s膬 fie o c膬l膬torie spre morm芒nt f膬cut膬 cu inten葲ia de a ajunge acolo 卯n siguran葲膬, 卯ntr-un corp ar膬tos 葯i bine conservat, ci, mai degrab膬, ar trebui s膬 porne葯ti la drum demar芒nd 卯n tromb膬 葯i s膬 ajungi epuizat, perimat 葯i strig芒nd c芒t po葲i de tare: Mam膬, ce curs膬!" (Hunter S. Thompson).
Psihopa葲ii nu sunt neaparat cei din 卯nchisori, ci acei oameni calcula葲i, ce nu-i perturb膬 nimic 卯n ac葲iunile lor, populari, lipsi葲i de emo葲ii 葯i sensibilitate.
Au oare oamenii de succes pus膬 卯n mod corect eticheta de psihopa葲i? Poate fi un chirurg prestigios, ori un om de afaceri potent, un sf芒nt, ori un lider politic lipsit complet de emo葲ii? V-a葲i g芒ndit vreodat膬 c膬 de aici pornesc performan葲ele lor ca maxim膬 concentrare pe rezultate, pe logica egocentric膬 impecabil膬 葯i pe abordarea totalmente nemiloas膬 a execu葲iei oric膬rui scop, 卯n luarea de decizii urgente, 卯n situa葲ii cruciale, f膬r膬 remu葯c膬ri 葯i ezit膬ri? 脦ns膬 cei ce nu-葯i exerseaz膬 nemaipomenitele abilita葲i 卯n mediile potrivite? Ce se 卯nt芒mpl膬 cu ace葯tia? Abia 膬葯tia devin problematici, c膬ci lipsa empatiei 卯mpreun膬 cu un narcisism feroce, plus s芒nge rece na葯te mon葯tri.
葮i totu葯i, starea de psihopatie e de fapt o anomalie sau chiar urm膬torul pas al evolu葲ii psihicului uman?
"Via葲a nu ar trebui s膬 fie o c膬l膬torie spre morm芒nt f膬cut膬 cu inten葲ia de a ajunge acolo 卯n siguran葲膬, 卯ntr-un corp ar膬tos 葯i bine conservat, ci, mai degrab膬, ar trebui s膬 porne葯ti la drum demar芒nd 卯n tromb膬 葯i s膬 ajungi epuizat, perimat 葯i strig芒nd c芒t po葲i de tare: Mam膬, ce curs膬!" (Hunter S. Thompson).
January 16, 2019
If you choose to read this book, I would advise regarding it completely as entertainment. Don鈥檛 expect it to reveal too much about the issue of psychopathy鈥攊t tells the reader much more about the author than about this mental condition.
This is a book to be enjoyed for its anecdotes, not for its scholarship. The author seems to believe that quite a number of psychopaths populate his life鈥攆rom his father to one of his childhood friends. Plus he tells an entertaining story of his visit to Broadmoor Hospital, where psychopaths are securely housed.
Despite the author鈥檚 enthusiasm, I鈥檓 not sure that we regular folk have anything of any great import to learn from psychopaths. Much more significant in my opinion is the ability of regular folk to recognize these damaged people and deal with or avoid them, something that the author doesn鈥檛 even broach. This seems to be more the author as a fan, rather than a realist. Despite this, an entertaining read.
This is a book to be enjoyed for its anecdotes, not for its scholarship. The author seems to believe that quite a number of psychopaths populate his life鈥攆rom his father to one of his childhood friends. Plus he tells an entertaining story of his visit to Broadmoor Hospital, where psychopaths are securely housed.
Despite the author鈥檚 enthusiasm, I鈥檓 not sure that we regular folk have anything of any great import to learn from psychopaths. Much more significant in my opinion is the ability of regular folk to recognize these damaged people and deal with or avoid them, something that the author doesn鈥檛 even broach. This seems to be more the author as a fan, rather than a realist. Despite this, an entertaining read.
February 23, 2021
Pocz膮tek by艂 bardzo obiecuj膮cy. Do po艂owy ksi膮偶ka ca艂kiem interesuj膮ca, du偶o naukowych fakt贸w/ciekawostek. Niestety,im dalej w las, tym gorzej, a ko艅c贸wka to ju偶 r贸wnia pochy艂a. Rozdzia艂em o "艣wi臋tych" i psychopatach jestem za偶enowana (to czyste fantazjowanie autora...) , i wola艂abym o tym zapomnie膰.
December 2, 2022
3.5 zvaigznes. Kaitin膩ja haotiskais pasnieg拧anas veids. Galven膩 atzi艈a - maz膩k emociju, vair膩k apr膿姆ina! Nek膩d膩 gad墨jum膩 neglorific膿sim psihop膩tus, bet ir lietas, ko no vi艈iem der膿tu pam膩c墨ties. K膩 reiz teica Wednesday Addams: "Emotions equal weakness".
December 15, 2020
"脦ntelepciunea psihopa葲ilor"
Kevin Dutton
Well, well, dragi psihopa葲i 葯i/sau mai pu葲in, eu 卯s Stella 葯i am tr膬s膬turile unui psihopat!
- Bun膬 ziua, Stella! 馃榿
Fericirea este 卯n necunoa葯tere, ca 葯i pierzania de altfel! Cine a inventat moneda a fost un geniu, a 卯nfruptat mintea 葯i a convins-o s膬 descopere ambiguitatea sau dualitatea lucrurilor care ne 卯nconjoar膬!
Acela葯i lucru 卯l 卯nt芒lnim 葯i 卯n c膬r葲ile scrise de Kevin Dutton, copilul unui psihopat (tat膬l lui), care a decis s膬 ne lumineze lumea nestingherit膬 al acestuia.
Nu to葲i oamenii sunt psihopa葲i, dar aproape to葲i avem unele tr膬s膬turi comune cu purt膬torii acestui "stigmat" psihologic. De exemplu, un chirurg, poli葲ist, avocat, pompier, lider, conduc膬tor, manager, atlet etc au 卯n arsenal un caracter 葯i cump膬t diferit de cel al unui artist, v芒nz膬tor, scriitor.
Lipsa periodic膬 de empatie, curajul nes膬buit, rezisten葲a fizica c芒t 葯i cea psihologic膬 la presiune 葯i violen葲膬, semnele distinctive ale unor oameni care pot exercita o meserie mai periculoas膬 sau emo葲ional instabil膬! Asta este partea pozitiv膬, mai mult sau mai pu葲in, al acestei istorii.
脦n imagine apar alte "calit膬葲i" care creaz膬 mon葯tri, la propriu!
Mitomania, lipsa total膬 de empatie, impulsivitate, violarea drepturilor, grandonamia, lipsa de siguran葲膬, fric膬, regret sau vin膬, charism膬 superficial膬, alcatuiesc hora unui profil de psihopat "perfect"!
Ave葲i 卯n fa葲a dumneavoastr膬 un ghid 卯n lumea celor "diferi葲i", pentru a cunoa葯te mai bine un termen care 卯n societatea noastr膬 este, 卯nc膬, unul pu葲in cunoscut sau plin de prejudec膬葲i.
Cartea vine cu exemple de reprezentan葲i, r膬spunsuri la 卯ntreb膬ri, cauzele 葯i dezvoltarea, emotiile, avantajele 葯i frustr膬rile acestei laturi at芒t de discutate 卯n ultimul timp de psihologi, psihopatia.
Pe l芒ng膬 p膬reri comune 葯i divergen葲e, un lucru este clar pentru to葲i, avem psihopa葲i peste tot, unii sunt necesari ca aerul, al葲ii 葲inu葲i dup膬 10 lac膬te, iar pentru a identifica, mai u葯or a葯 spune eu, un psihopat, v膬 invit s膬 deschide葲i paginile acestui studiu, cultura general膬 va avea doar de c芒葯tigat 卯n urma acestei achizi葲ii!
Nu este o lectur膬 complicat膬, g膬si葲i un limbaj accesibil, chiar 葯i cei care nu au idee de psihologie vor reu葯i s膬 priceap膬 tot mesajul acestei c膬r葲i.
Editura Globo mersi mult pentru carte!
#foxbooks #citimpentruschimbare #kevindutton #脦ntelepciuneapsihopa葲ilor
Kevin Dutton
Well, well, dragi psihopa葲i 葯i/sau mai pu葲in, eu 卯s Stella 葯i am tr膬s膬turile unui psihopat!
- Bun膬 ziua, Stella! 馃榿
Fericirea este 卯n necunoa葯tere, ca 葯i pierzania de altfel! Cine a inventat moneda a fost un geniu, a 卯nfruptat mintea 葯i a convins-o s膬 descopere ambiguitatea sau dualitatea lucrurilor care ne 卯nconjoar膬!
Acela葯i lucru 卯l 卯nt芒lnim 葯i 卯n c膬r葲ile scrise de Kevin Dutton, copilul unui psihopat (tat膬l lui), care a decis s膬 ne lumineze lumea nestingherit膬 al acestuia.
Nu to葲i oamenii sunt psihopa葲i, dar aproape to葲i avem unele tr膬s膬turi comune cu purt膬torii acestui "stigmat" psihologic. De exemplu, un chirurg, poli葲ist, avocat, pompier, lider, conduc膬tor, manager, atlet etc au 卯n arsenal un caracter 葯i cump膬t diferit de cel al unui artist, v芒nz膬tor, scriitor.
Lipsa periodic膬 de empatie, curajul nes膬buit, rezisten葲a fizica c芒t 葯i cea psihologic膬 la presiune 葯i violen葲膬, semnele distinctive ale unor oameni care pot exercita o meserie mai periculoas膬 sau emo葲ional instabil膬! Asta este partea pozitiv膬, mai mult sau mai pu葲in, al acestei istorii.
脦n imagine apar alte "calit膬葲i" care creaz膬 mon葯tri, la propriu!
Mitomania, lipsa total膬 de empatie, impulsivitate, violarea drepturilor, grandonamia, lipsa de siguran葲膬, fric膬, regret sau vin膬, charism膬 superficial膬, alcatuiesc hora unui profil de psihopat "perfect"!
Ave葲i 卯n fa葲a dumneavoastr膬 un ghid 卯n lumea celor "diferi葲i", pentru a cunoa葯te mai bine un termen care 卯n societatea noastr膬 este, 卯nc膬, unul pu葲in cunoscut sau plin de prejudec膬葲i.
Cartea vine cu exemple de reprezentan葲i, r膬spunsuri la 卯ntreb膬ri, cauzele 葯i dezvoltarea, emotiile, avantajele 葯i frustr膬rile acestei laturi at芒t de discutate 卯n ultimul timp de psihologi, psihopatia.
Pe l芒ng膬 p膬reri comune 葯i divergen葲e, un lucru este clar pentru to葲i, avem psihopa葲i peste tot, unii sunt necesari ca aerul, al葲ii 葲inu葲i dup膬 10 lac膬te, iar pentru a identifica, mai u葯or a葯 spune eu, un psihopat, v膬 invit s膬 deschide葲i paginile acestui studiu, cultura general膬 va avea doar de c芒葯tigat 卯n urma acestei achizi葲ii!
Nu este o lectur膬 complicat膬, g膬si葲i un limbaj accesibil, chiar 葯i cei care nu au idee de psihologie vor reu葯i s膬 priceap膬 tot mesajul acestei c膬r葲i.
Editura Globo mersi mult pentru carte!
#foxbooks #citimpentruschimbare #kevindutton #脦ntelepciuneapsihopa葲ilor
January 5, 2016
Actually this is even better than I anticipated, in that the author directly argues his point with some decent supporting evidence. Other books that are trying to make an interesting point (e.g. ) often don't really go anywhere other than trying to blow your mind with neat and quirky things that studies have found. And what is the author's point? That psychopaths are useful in some areas of society, and that people can do better at some things if they have psychopathic tendencies. He talks a lot more about the Serial Killers and Spies, but he does tie in Saints towards the end.
There's a lot of good stuff to learn in here about the current state of psychopath research, including that there are (interview) tests that are pretty good at differentiating psychopaths from regular people, although the DSM IV doesn't differentiate psychopathy from ASD (the author makes a good argument for doing so). Dutton keeps returning to the issue of whether psychopaths feel empathy, where it seems they can under conditions that don't bring out their psychopathic behavior, and in fact they are apparently much better at reading emotional states than regular people.
There were a couple of things I wish were elucidated a bit more in book, where they are just kind of dropped like curiosity bombs: that psychopaths don't have the normal "alert" brain wave that EEGs read from people (beta waves), and instead have theta waves which normal people have when drowsy or in deep meditation. Also, there's a statement that psychopaths don't procrastinate, which if it's true would be a very good self-indicator. However, there's not much to back up that claim.
There's a lot of good stuff to learn in here about the current state of psychopath research, including that there are (interview) tests that are pretty good at differentiating psychopaths from regular people, although the DSM IV doesn't differentiate psychopathy from ASD (the author makes a good argument for doing so). Dutton keeps returning to the issue of whether psychopaths feel empathy, where it seems they can under conditions that don't bring out their psychopathic behavior, and in fact they are apparently much better at reading emotional states than regular people.
There were a couple of things I wish were elucidated a bit more in book, where they are just kind of dropped like curiosity bombs: that psychopaths don't have the normal "alert" brain wave that EEGs read from people (beta waves), and instead have theta waves which normal people have when drowsy or in deep meditation. Also, there's a statement that psychopaths don't procrastinate, which if it's true would be a very good self-indicator. However, there's not much to back up that claim.
October 28, 2012
Written at a very accessible level for a casual reader of psychology, packed with moments of humor and active thinking, and ultimately an enjoyable read. It makes one wonder where on the sliding scale we'd be, or at least I did.
The contrast between saints and sinners gets a little blurry as Dutton tries to make the case that in moderate doses, some psychopathic traits are very beneficial to society. I wonder then, if it's at all possible to prevent the negatives while capitalizing on the positives. Of course, this is a bit greedy, to want the cake and eat it too. But the alternative is to not have these traits floating about at all, and that doesn't seem beneficial either (nor is it possible, given reality).
An undercurrent topic also surfaces occasionally, the interaction between what is a natural talent and what can be acquired. The author does not seem to address it directly though. The reader is left to judge and go from there, not that it's a bad thing to think on the evidence by one's self.
The contrast between saints and sinners gets a little blurry as Dutton tries to make the case that in moderate doses, some psychopathic traits are very beneficial to society. I wonder then, if it's at all possible to prevent the negatives while capitalizing on the positives. Of course, this is a bit greedy, to want the cake and eat it too. But the alternative is to not have these traits floating about at all, and that doesn't seem beneficial either (nor is it possible, given reality).
An undercurrent topic also surfaces occasionally, the interaction between what is a natural talent and what can be acquired. The author does not seem to address it directly though. The reader is left to judge and go from there, not that it's a bad thing to think on the evidence by one's self.
March 30, 2021
,,Mintea 卯葯i ajunge sie葯i c膬ci ea
Cerul 卯l face iad, 葯i iadul in cer 卯l poate transforma"
Cerul 卯l face iad, 葯i iadul in cer 卯l poate transforma"
November 20, 2019
Kitab谋 莽ox sevdim. Haqq谋nda he莽 e艧itm蓹mi艧dim hardasa, ama sat谋艧da g枚rd眉m v蓹 dedim m枚vzusu tam m蓹nlik.
Kitabda 蓹slind蓹 varl谋臒谋n谋 bildiyimiz, amma f蓹rqind蓹 olmad谋臒谋m谋z, qar艧谋la艧saq bel蓹 kim olduqlar谋n谋 tam anlaya bilm蓹diyimiz psixopatlardan b蓹hs edilir. Kitab谋 oxuduqca ciddi anlamda h蓹m 眉rp蓹rirdim, h蓹m d蓹 heyranl谋q duyurdum onlara. Kitab谋 oxuyana q蓹d蓹r 蓹sla bel蓹 bir d眉艧眉nc蓹d蓹 olmazd谋m. Amma s枚z眉n 蓹sl m蓹nas谋nda, m蓹tan蓹tli, irad蓹li bir psikopat, 枚z x眉susiyy蓹tl蓹rini cinay蓹t t枚r蓹tm蓹k莽眉n v蓹 ya kim蓹s蓹 z蓹r蓹r vurmaq 眉莽眉n s蓹rf etm蓹y蓹nl蓹ri, onlar bizd蓹n qat-qat 枚nd蓹 gedirl蓹r. 陌st蓹r i艧 h蓹yat谋nda olsun, ist蓹r c蓹miyy蓹td蓹 olsun. Onlar 枚z xarizmalar谋 il蓹 insanlar谋 c蓹lb edirl蓹r, qorxu duy臒usundan uzaq olduqlar谋 眉莽眉n bizim c蓹sar蓹t ed蓹 bilm蓹y蓹c蓹yimiz 艧eyl蓹ri ed蓹 bilirl蓹r, emosionall谋qdan uzaq olduqlar谋 眉莽眉n 艧蓹xsi m眉nasib蓹tl蓹rd蓹, ya da h蓹r hans谋sa bir m枚vzuda q蓹rar ver蓹rk蓹n t蓹r蓹dd眉d etmirl蓹r v蓹 s.
Kitab谋n m眉蓹llifi biz蓹 t蓹kc蓹 onlar谋n 艧蓹xsiyy蓹tini, xarakteristikas谋n谋 g枚st蓹rm蓹kl蓹 qalm谋r, onlar谋 m眉xt蓹lif v蓹 蓹sas谋n谋 tapm谋艧 elmi t蓹cr眉b蓹l蓹r g枚st蓹r蓹r蓹k a莽谋qlay谋r. El蓹c蓹 d蓹, 蓹g蓹r biz do臒ru dozda psixopatlar谋n 枚z蓹llikl蓹rind蓹n ala bils蓹ydik h蓹yat谋m谋zda 莽ox daha b枚y眉k i艧l蓹r bacara bil蓹c蓹yimizi g枚st蓹rir.
Bu kitab谋 oxuduqdan sonra sad蓹c蓹 o insanlar谋 deyil, 枚z眉m眉z眉 d蓹 k蓹艧f edirik. 陌莽imizd蓹ki o qaranl谋q t蓹r蓹fl蓹rimizi.
Amma bu kitab谋n t蓹k 枚z蓹llikl蓹ri bunlarla bitmir. M蓹n indiy蓹d蓹k x蓹b蓹rim olmayan bir 莽ox informasiya il蓹 d蓹 qar艧谋la艧d谋m. H蓹m m蓹ni heyr蓹t蓹 d眉艧眉r蓹n, h蓹m d蓹 qorxudan. 茝n maraql谋s谋 mikroifad蓹l蓹r oldu. Biz 眉z眉m眉z蓹 h蓹r hans谋 bir ifad蓹ni verm蓹y蓹 莽al谋艧ark蓹n sad蓹c蓹 bir ne莽蓹 milisaniy蓹lik 眉z眉m眉zd蓹 yerl蓹艧蓹n ifad蓹l蓹r蓹 deyilir. Hans谋 ki, h蓹min ifad蓹l蓹r bizim m蓹hz 蓹sl duy臒umuzu ifad蓹 edir, amma bu ifad蓹l蓹rin adi n蓹z蓹rl蓹 f蓹rq edilm蓹si dem蓹k olar ki 莽ox 莽蓹tindir.
Yazar谋n 眉slubu da 莽ox xo艧uma g蓹ldi. Kitab谋 oxuyark蓹n 蓹sla s谋x谋lmad谋m. Sanki bir roman oxuyurmu艧cas谋na maraqla 莽evirdim s蓹hif蓹l蓹ri. Biziml蓹 s枚hb蓹t ed蓹rmi艧c蓹sin蓹 v蓹 araya inc蓹 zarafatlar, el蓹c蓹 d蓹 枚z ifad蓹l蓹rin蓹 canl谋l谋q qatmaq 眉莽眉n m眉xt蓹lif 蓹s蓹rl蓹rd蓹n, filml蓹rd蓹n sitatlar g蓹tirm蓹si, h蓹r f蓹slin ba艧lan臒谋c谋na yerl蓹艧dirdiyi v蓹 h蓹min f蓹sill蓹 蓹laq蓹li ba艧l谋q-sitatlar 莽ox xo艧uma g蓹ldi.
Q谋sacas谋 bu kitab谋 m眉tl蓹q ama m眉tl蓹q oxuyun. Siz蓹 莽ox 艧ey qataca臒谋na qarantiya ver蓹 bil蓹r蓹m. H蓹m informasiya bazan谋z谋 geni艧l蓹d蓹c蓹ksiz, h蓹m d蓹 kiml蓹rl蓹 眉zb蓹眉z oldu臒unuzu daha yax艧谋 anlayacaqs谋z, 蓹n 蓹sas谋 枚z h蓹yat谋n谋zda da t蓹tbiq etm蓹li oldu臒unuz 艧eyl蓹rin f蓹rqin蓹 varacaqs谋z(narahat olmay谋n m蓹n psixopatl谋q yax艧谋 bir 艧eydi, psixopat olmaq laz谋md谋r demir蓹m, sad蓹c蓹 onlarda olan b蓹zi 枚z蓹llikl蓹r, laz谋mi dozda istifad蓹 edils蓹 h蓹yat谋m谋zda 莽ox 艧eyin d蓹yi艧蓹c蓹yini dem蓹k ist蓹yir蓹m, yazar谋n da dediyi kimi). 馃憤鉂ゐ煋�
Son zamanlar roman oxumaqdan 莽ox elmi-ara艧d谋rma, psixoloji kitablar谋 daha 莽ox mara臒谋m谋 莽蓹kir n蓹d蓹ns蓹. Bu anlamda u臒urlu kitablar se莽diyim蓹 sevinir蓹m v蓹 davam ed蓹c蓹m馃槉
Kitabda 蓹slind蓹 varl谋臒谋n谋 bildiyimiz, amma f蓹rqind蓹 olmad谋臒谋m谋z, qar艧谋la艧saq bel蓹 kim olduqlar谋n谋 tam anlaya bilm蓹diyimiz psixopatlardan b蓹hs edilir. Kitab谋 oxuduqca ciddi anlamda h蓹m 眉rp蓹rirdim, h蓹m d蓹 heyranl谋q duyurdum onlara. Kitab谋 oxuyana q蓹d蓹r 蓹sla bel蓹 bir d眉艧眉nc蓹d蓹 olmazd谋m. Amma s枚z眉n 蓹sl m蓹nas谋nda, m蓹tan蓹tli, irad蓹li bir psikopat, 枚z x眉susiyy蓹tl蓹rini cinay蓹t t枚r蓹tm蓹k莽眉n v蓹 ya kim蓹s蓹 z蓹r蓹r vurmaq 眉莽眉n s蓹rf etm蓹y蓹nl蓹ri, onlar bizd蓹n qat-qat 枚nd蓹 gedirl蓹r. 陌st蓹r i艧 h蓹yat谋nda olsun, ist蓹r c蓹miyy蓹td蓹 olsun. Onlar 枚z xarizmalar谋 il蓹 insanlar谋 c蓹lb edirl蓹r, qorxu duy臒usundan uzaq olduqlar谋 眉莽眉n bizim c蓹sar蓹t ed蓹 bilm蓹y蓹c蓹yimiz 艧eyl蓹ri ed蓹 bilirl蓹r, emosionall谋qdan uzaq olduqlar谋 眉莽眉n 艧蓹xsi m眉nasib蓹tl蓹rd蓹, ya da h蓹r hans谋sa bir m枚vzuda q蓹rar ver蓹rk蓹n t蓹r蓹dd眉d etmirl蓹r v蓹 s.
Kitab谋n m眉蓹llifi biz蓹 t蓹kc蓹 onlar谋n 艧蓹xsiyy蓹tini, xarakteristikas谋n谋 g枚st蓹rm蓹kl蓹 qalm谋r, onlar谋 m眉xt蓹lif v蓹 蓹sas谋n谋 tapm谋艧 elmi t蓹cr眉b蓹l蓹r g枚st蓹r蓹r蓹k a莽谋qlay谋r. El蓹c蓹 d蓹, 蓹g蓹r biz do臒ru dozda psixopatlar谋n 枚z蓹llikl蓹rind蓹n ala bils蓹ydik h蓹yat谋m谋zda 莽ox daha b枚y眉k i艧l蓹r bacara bil蓹c蓹yimizi g枚st蓹rir.
Bu kitab谋 oxuduqdan sonra sad蓹c蓹 o insanlar谋 deyil, 枚z眉m眉z眉 d蓹 k蓹艧f edirik. 陌莽imizd蓹ki o qaranl谋q t蓹r蓹fl蓹rimizi.
Amma bu kitab谋n t蓹k 枚z蓹llikl蓹ri bunlarla bitmir. M蓹n indiy蓹d蓹k x蓹b蓹rim olmayan bir 莽ox informasiya il蓹 d蓹 qar艧谋la艧d谋m. H蓹m m蓹ni heyr蓹t蓹 d眉艧眉r蓹n, h蓹m d蓹 qorxudan. 茝n maraql谋s谋 mikroifad蓹l蓹r oldu. Biz 眉z眉m眉z蓹 h蓹r hans谋 bir ifad蓹ni verm蓹y蓹 莽al谋艧ark蓹n sad蓹c蓹 bir ne莽蓹 milisaniy蓹lik 眉z眉m眉zd蓹 yerl蓹艧蓹n ifad蓹l蓹r蓹 deyilir. Hans谋 ki, h蓹min ifad蓹l蓹r bizim m蓹hz 蓹sl duy臒umuzu ifad蓹 edir, amma bu ifad蓹l蓹rin adi n蓹z蓹rl蓹 f蓹rq edilm蓹si dem蓹k olar ki 莽ox 莽蓹tindir.
Yazar谋n 眉slubu da 莽ox xo艧uma g蓹ldi. Kitab谋 oxuyark蓹n 蓹sla s谋x谋lmad谋m. Sanki bir roman oxuyurmu艧cas谋na maraqla 莽evirdim s蓹hif蓹l蓹ri. Biziml蓹 s枚hb蓹t ed蓹rmi艧c蓹sin蓹 v蓹 araya inc蓹 zarafatlar, el蓹c蓹 d蓹 枚z ifad蓹l蓹rin蓹 canl谋l谋q qatmaq 眉莽眉n m眉xt蓹lif 蓹s蓹rl蓹rd蓹n, filml蓹rd蓹n sitatlar g蓹tirm蓹si, h蓹r f蓹slin ba艧lan臒谋c谋na yerl蓹艧dirdiyi v蓹 h蓹min f蓹sill蓹 蓹laq蓹li ba艧l谋q-sitatlar 莽ox xo艧uma g蓹ldi.
Q谋sacas谋 bu kitab谋 m眉tl蓹q ama m眉tl蓹q oxuyun. Siz蓹 莽ox 艧ey qataca臒谋na qarantiya ver蓹 bil蓹r蓹m. H蓹m informasiya bazan谋z谋 geni艧l蓹d蓹c蓹ksiz, h蓹m d蓹 kiml蓹rl蓹 眉zb蓹眉z oldu臒unuzu daha yax艧谋 anlayacaqs谋z, 蓹n 蓹sas谋 枚z h蓹yat谋n谋zda da t蓹tbiq etm蓹li oldu臒unuz 艧eyl蓹rin f蓹rqin蓹 varacaqs谋z(narahat olmay谋n m蓹n psixopatl谋q yax艧谋 bir 艧eydi, psixopat olmaq laz谋md谋r demir蓹m, sad蓹c蓹 onlarda olan b蓹zi 枚z蓹llikl蓹r, laz谋mi dozda istifad蓹 edils蓹 h蓹yat谋m谋zda 莽ox 艧eyin d蓹yi艧蓹c蓹yini dem蓹k ist蓹yir蓹m, yazar谋n da dediyi kimi). 馃憤鉂ゐ煋�
Son zamanlar roman oxumaqdan 莽ox elmi-ara艧d谋rma, psixoloji kitablar谋 daha 莽ox mara臒谋m谋 莽蓹kir n蓹d蓹ns蓹. Bu anlamda u臒urlu kitablar se莽diyim蓹 sevinir蓹m v蓹 davam ed蓹c蓹m馃槉
June 21, 2015
The author begins his book by explaining that his own father was a psychopath. On what evidence? It seems that while he was driven to succeed, he was undeterred by failure, and his spirits never sank. If this seems like unsupported reasoning to you, you may find the rest of the book irritating as well. The author consistently uses the two techniques illustrated by his introduction: label anyone who strongly exhibits any trait among the many associated with sociopathic personality disorder as a "psychopath"; and burden every page with sensationalism until it groans. So the early sections of the book explain to us that many surgeons, who are masters of cold precision at the operating table, are psychopaths. Special Forces members, who love danger and seem fearless, are psychopaths. Anyone who succeeds at the difficult and often merciless decisions associated with growing a business is probably a psychopath.
How much more interesting this book would have been if the author had identified himself as a psychopath. I don't know whether he is, although I suspect he could be fit into his own loose definition. Unfortunately, he chooses to present himself as one of the inferior majority, doomed to approaching life with all the usual fears and hesitations. The section where he visits Broadmoor Prison, where universally acknowledged psychopaths are housed, should have been one of the strongest parts of the book, providing a little insight into the mindsets of the most remorseless killers. Instead, the visit is milked for every drop of amateur dramatics, as he describes himself quaking with fear as he gazes into the predator's steely eyes, and so on ad nauseum. It's as clumsy and shallow as a high-schooler's field trip report.
If you can wade through all the crap (the ability to do so being a psychopathic trait), there is value to be had here, particularly in the research studies cited, which you are of course free to Google and learn more about, if your curiosity hasn't been dampened by the predictable and repetitive claims that "what they found was astounding." The raw material that remains visible suggests what a good book about this subject might have been like.
How much more interesting this book would have been if the author had identified himself as a psychopath. I don't know whether he is, although I suspect he could be fit into his own loose definition. Unfortunately, he chooses to present himself as one of the inferior majority, doomed to approaching life with all the usual fears and hesitations. The section where he visits Broadmoor Prison, where universally acknowledged psychopaths are housed, should have been one of the strongest parts of the book, providing a little insight into the mindsets of the most remorseless killers. Instead, the visit is milked for every drop of amateur dramatics, as he describes himself quaking with fear as he gazes into the predator's steely eyes, and so on ad nauseum. It's as clumsy and shallow as a high-schooler's field trip report.
If you can wade through all the crap (the ability to do so being a psychopathic trait), there is value to be had here, particularly in the research studies cited, which you are of course free to Google and learn more about, if your curiosity hasn't been dampened by the predictable and repetitive claims that "what they found was astounding." The raw material that remains visible suggests what a good book about this subject might have been like.
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