Read this.

[Noor]

How would anyone know? This place s just a microcosm of anyone's life.... put all the words from any poster on here together, and it would make up only a couple of conversations if compared to real life conversing.
Even with a few hints here and there, I don't think it is possible to make an accurate assessment of just about anyone who posts here. We can form judgements, based on what we read, but unless we know someone outside of this forum I can't see how it can be anything but flawed.

I said if you knew their real life history. You only really learn in hindsight because they are very good and your mind wants to think the best.

 

[pointless]

there have been a couple of people here over the years that i strongly suspect are sociopaths. one of them was/is quite beloved. it happens. people are suckers, sadly.

 

[jollyball]

sociopaths are that way from birth, they can be trained to appear normal and learn what is acceptable for success in life.

Robert Anton Wilson talks a whole bunch about imprinting from birth and how it's perceived as negative/hostile or loving/kind.
From there different levels of other charecteristics develop.

This imprinting that happens at birth often re-kind-of happens in university/college for many people because certain drugs/combinations open oneself up. Some people improve, some don't change. However there are also people who need extra attention and care.
There was a big study done in the 80's (from memory) where they reimprinted convicts and a huge percentage physically/mentally changed and did not end up back in prison, years later the same number that changed were still out living more normal lives.

So I do believe that while they may be born that way, there can be a great amount of work/study/etc that could be further done into reimprinting people or families dna if it was known they have mental health problems.

The further we learn as a humanity and the more we unlock about dna, the closer we are to helping people.

 

[warrior queen]

I said if you knew their real life history. You only really learn in hindsight because they are very good and your mind wants to think the best.

I should have clarified.... although I quoted your post, my comments weren't specifically directed at you
There have been a couple of other posts along similar lines.

Have to wonder though.... with online interactions becoming so normal, just how many people REALLY KNOW who they are conversing with?
I have no people on fb that I don't think I know well enough.... but do I? Really?
My guess is no.
*shrugs*

 

[Noor]

re: narcissistic

In my 10+ years on Lit, I only knowingly have run into one. Many other people here have interacted with them over the years and probably have no idea.

 

[Peregrinator]

there have been a couple of people here over the years that i strongly suspect are sociopaths. one of them was/is quite beloved. it happens. people are suckers, sadly.

I'm damn near certain of one myself. Very popular, and very, very lacking in any sort of empathy or remorse.

 

[cjh]

i'd be startled to learn that lance is not a sociopath.

he'd probably proudly fess up to it.

 

[Peregrinator]

i'd be startled to learn that lance is not a sociopath.

he'd probably proudly fess up to it.

I had forgotten about that one. That's two, then.

 

[warrior queen]

I'm damn near certain of one myself. Very popular, and very, very lacking in any sort of empathy or remorse.

Are you basing your assessment purely on their lit persona?
How have you come to this conclusion?
*curious*

 

[warrior queen]

i'd be startled to learn that lance is not a sociopath.

he'd probably proudly fess up to it.

I had forgotten about that one. That's two, then.

And again..... On what do you base this? Do you know him outside of lit?
My curious mind is working overtime.

 

[butters]

I had forgotten about that one. That's two, then.

there are those sociopaths who are perfectly adept at feigning 'care' or 'remorse' without feeling it, and not just for the purpose of appearing to fit in with society or a group. it makes them dangerous people to be involved with if you care about your own mental well-being.

i'd rather deal with the honest socio who's genuinely uninterested/unresponsive to the human condition than the one who chooses to act undercover to exploit others because of their own nature.

 

[pointless]

what butters said.

 

[Ishmael]

That's what I was wondering. Some of the people who post here show signs occasionally. I often think that when I read a comment like "I don't care about people on the internet," as if the people who type posts aren't real people or something.

As they say, "Ahhh, there's the rub."

Start looking into the symptoms of any mental pathology and you find a whole laundry list of 'indicators.' And if you bother to think hard about it you'll find that you, and I, exhibit one or more of those indicators from time to time. So not only is it not surprising that we see indications from time to time in what others post here, it would be highly unusual if we didn't. But an indicator here or there does not a full blown pathology make.

One of my psych professor's once opined, "We are all a potpourri of every mental illness known to man and they tend to cancel each other out in every day life. It's when one aspect becomes dominant that the serious problems start." Up to this point in time I haven't found his observation all that far off the mark.

Ishmael

 

[neci]

i've met a few in person. no one on lit jumps directly to mind.

 

[stickwork]

I'm damn near certain of one myself. Very popular, and very, very lacking in any sort of empathy or remorse.

The therapy has obviously helped you. Although my guess is that this is simply a recitation of what you've read, and not really an admission.