This doesn't mean that one out of a hundred of us is running around killing and eating his victims, it simply means that one percent of the population, to a greater or lesser degree, lacks a conscience. There is actually a test (The PCL-R) developed by psychiatrist, Robert Hare, which rates the antisocial behavior of people on a one to forty scale. I read that about twenty percent of the prison population exhibits these traits, with an average score of about 23. Here's the scary part, I also read that a survey of CEO's produced about the same result.
There are about eight specific traits that indicate whether or not someone in the business world might be a psychopath. They are, briefly, a combination of several or all of the following traits.
- Glib/charming
- grandiose
- pathological liar
- manipulator
- lack of remorse or guilt
- cold and detached
- lack of empathy
- fails to accept responsibility
Does this sound like any employer you've ever had? Does this sound like anyone you've heard of who is the CEO of a large company, or someone who has ripped off his clients for his personal gain?
Here are two more characteristics of psychopaths. They tend to be highly intelligent and strongly motivated. Do you see what I'm saying here, the inmates are running the asylum.
I'm going to go one step further. I have no scientific basis for this belief, but I suspect that a type of Social Darwinism has been created which actually favors the behavior of a psychopath. If you look at not only the current corporate world, but also think about the examples of history where psychopaths came into power, you see that not only the leader himself, but also his underlings are also cut from the same cloth. Hitler and Saddam Hussein are prime examples. Had Hitler been assassinated early in the Second World War, would Germany, under Goebbels, Goering, or Himmler, have changed course?
You lost credibilty with your attack against the leaders of the corporate world when you used the examples of Hitler and Saddam Hussein. I believe both of these are politicians.You have got to drop all of this claas envy/hate .
ReplyDeleteBill Clinton is a textbook psychopath.
ReplyDeleteHermann Goering:
ReplyDeleteNaturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country. quote verified at snopes.com