Many things have led me to this place....

[wolven7]

Warren Zevon - [Worrier King (Live)]--- Acquired sociopathy. Usually this term is used when talking about pre-frontal injury patients, who experience personality changes. If you've taken a freshman-level psych class, you've heard the story of the rail-worker, who got the pipe through his head, and then became a complete asshole, to his friends. (Gorillaz - [Man Research (Clapper)]). My concern, however, is (as it often is) of intentional actions.

Can one choose to become sociopathic? Psychopathic? Can the events of a person's life teach her or him that the only rational course, when all options are weighed, properly, is to ignore the feelings of others, and operate solely in the interst of self? They would break off all deeper contact, and meet everyone on their levels, only so far as it met the actors' goals. They would be a user. Hm. The more conditions and scenarios I posit, or question, the more the answer seems obvious, to me.

Your thoughts? Experiences, in this area?

I'm for bed. Work in the morning, and all, then school.

Dream Well

Comments

[tribeofone.livejournal.com]

I have witnessed it develope in many ways usually due to extreme stress of the individual's enviroment, prison, combat situations, etc, It is also one interpretation of living the Art of War.... just my two cents

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is true. Sun Tzu did recommend a similar path...

[not-hothead-yet.livejournal.com]

seems like you meet people who have chosen to do just that; acquire sociopathy. Usually they are called "success stories" or maybe "ruthless" or "career focused" or my favorite label "corporate asshole"

Then there's my ex-asshole... I personally believe he decided to be a sociopath rather than him being born one, but who knows for sure? Maybe people who "choose" can only do so because they were born with the predisposition. I know I could not possibly be that way... not completely sociopathic. I'd rather be dead than kill my humane spirit like that. It wouldn't be worth living in my eyes. Perhaps sociopathic people think it is merely a choice like which shirt to put on each day?

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Is it possible that there people who do similar things, and have it be for the best, in their regard, and others? That there are some who Need to lose that bit of humanity?

[unknownbinaries.livejournal.com]

Everyone has a level of it, I think, or a level of the ability to turn things off and on. You have to have a level of cold to operate, sometimes, and certain things can expiate that, make it more necessary. A hard, or simply a demanding life may, in fact, breed a cold man. A lot of interpersonal crap has led me to a form of this. I meet people on their levels, the difference lying in that I prepare to go deeper as they show me they're worth it, that I'm not going to hurt or regret.

What's always made me wonder, and afraid of it as well, is the question of when would the ability to turn it back on be discarded as useless? At some point the level of psycho- or sociopathy would quite probably decide it useless to have emotional attachments to others, to care.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

I agree. I think that everyone does have something along the lines, to varying degrees. The question is, then, what is lost, and what is gained?

Where is our equivalent exchange?

[celestial-fluke.livejournal.com]

i have learnt over the last 4 years that the majority of people, NOT the minority are either sociopathic or psychopathic. unfortunatly i have always given people benefit of the doubt/ chances they don't deserve and as a result have been fucked over by them simply for being too nice, too generous and too trusting. so i have responded by simply withdrawing completely. but what else can i do?

Alan Moore& David J. - [This Vicious Cabaret]

[wolven.livejournal.com]

You could engage more deeply. But what is there to say that either is better? The keys are the articulartion of goals, and the discernment of the path that will lead you to them, at least in a fuzzy way.

Re: Alan Moore& David J. - [This Vicious Cabaret]

[celestial-fluke.livejournal.com]

trusting my initial instincts when i first meet people and choosing my friends more carefully will probably help too i guess. it's just so hard to even go out there and TRY anymore, y'know?

[wolven.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know. The problem is that there are still things left to collect, and work to be done. You know that, though. No need for me to get all cryptic, and shit.