What to do with a sociopath

[richard_daily]

You don't have to.

Considering all the issues we're having with Football players and professional wrestlers, maybe having better access to medical care in this country might catch some of these cases before they do something truly dangerous. Clearly some of these people (like the woman in the OP) want help but for whatever reason don't have access to it.

How often after the fact do we find out that everybody was creeped out by the shooter or in the case of Jared Laughner that he'd been to a psychologist and it was quite clear that he had some issues?

Besides, at the end of the day compassion is not required to guide behavior.

Public opinion on mental health has a long way to go before the majority of sociopaths will be willing to admit that they have a serious issue, if they're even aware that they have an issue in the first place.

If you demonize going to a psychologist, how many people who actually need help do you think will be going to one?

 

[Sean Renaud]

Public opinion on mental health has a long way to go before the majority of sociopaths will be willing to admit that they have a serious issue, if they're even aware that they have an issue in the first place.

If you demonize going to a psychologist, how many people who actually need help do you think will be going to one?

I didn't say we aren't a long way from a solution.

 

[richard_daily]

I didn't say we aren't a long way from a solution.

And until that point, sociopaths will leave a path of destruction in their wake. It's inevitable.

 

[Sean Renaud]

And until that point, sociopaths will leave a path of destruction in their wake. It's inevitable.

Doesn't mean we shouldn't start trying to move in that direction nor does it mean there aren't other solutions that might be help.

 

[richard_daily]

Doesn't mean we shouldn't start trying to move in that direction nor does it mean there aren't other solutions that might be help.

Feel free to name some.

 

[Sean Renaud]

Feel free to name some.

Just cus I don't know something doesn't mean something doesn't exist. That's kind of the problem here is that talking about the situation is pretty much forbidden.

 

[richard_daily]

Just cus I don't know something doesn't mean something doesn't exist. That's kind of the problem here is that talking about the situation is pretty much forbidden.

I agree wholeheartedly, and I'm not downing you. If you've got answers, I'm open to hearing them.

 

[Sean Renaud]

I agree wholeheartedly, and I'm not downing you. If you've got answers, I'm open to hearing them.

I wish I did have the answers and if I came across a bit snippish there I'm sorry. I didn't really mean to but I know how difficult it can be to read moods online.

That said as I stated earlier the vast majority of sociopaths are fairly harmless. We have sufficient laws in place that the fact that they have no empathy for others doesn't prevent them from not wanting to go to jail.

 

[richard_daily]

I wish I did have the answers and if I came across a bit snippish there I'm sorry. I didn't really mean to but I know how difficult it can be to read moods online.

That said as I stated earlier the vast majority of sociopaths are fairly harmless. We have sufficient laws in place that the fact that they have no empathy for others doesn't prevent them from not wanting to go to jail.

I have to disagree with the last part of your statement.

Just because they're not caught in a violent act, doesn't make them harmless.

All sociopaths are harmful to someone. That's their nature.

 

[Sean Renaud]

I have to disagree with the last part of your statement.

Just because they're not caught in a violent act, doesn't make them harmless.

All sociopaths are harmful to someone. That's their nature.

And again I gotta say that aside from perhaps preventing conversations that should have happened I'm having a hard time seeing how Romney is harming anybody and I'd bet money that if you sat him down with a trained psychologist that he'd come up damn close. Wanna bet the majority of sales men register too?

 

[richard_daily]

And again I gotta say that aside from perhaps preventing conversations that should have happened I'm having a hard time seeing how Romney is harming anybody and I'd bet money that if you sat him down with a trained psychologist that he'd come up damn close. Wanna bet the majority of sales men register too?

Ask the thousands of people who have lost their job due to Romney's actions and narcissism/sociopathy if he's "harmless".

Harm isn't only violence. There's a wide range of harmful acts a sociopath can engage in.

 

[Sean Renaud]

Ask the thousands of people who have lost their job due to Romney's actions and narcissism/sociopathy if he's "harmless".

Harm isn't only violence. There's a wide range of harmful acts a sociopath can engage in.

How many of those people would have lost their jobs regardless of Romney's actions?

 

[PoppingTom]

Dear American people

I don't know why you are talking about this topic, because, as usually, in the end, nothing will happen. You only know 2 ways to fix your criminal problems

1. Ignorance
2. Shooting on the "evil"

Every other way is against your "freedom". Your kids can kill a whole school like in Littlerton, and nothing will happen, except that "evil" Marilyn Manson sells more records because the media identify him as the real culprit. Any kind of control, whether it's about guns or too violent video games? No way, this is against freedom. Manhunting against sociopaths - Steve Jobs was one - is so much more fun.

You want violence. You got it. Don't cry.

 

[LadyVer]

Dear American people

I don't know why you are talking about this topic, because, as usually, in the end, nothing will happen. You only know 2 ways to fix your criminal problems

1. Ignorance
2. Shooting on the "evil"

Every other way is against your "freedom". Your kids can kill a whole school like in Littlerton, and nothing will happen, except that "evil" Marilyn Manson sells more records because the media identify him as the real culprit. Any kind of control, whether it's about guns or too violent video games? No way, this is against freedom. Manhunting against sociopaths - Steve Jobs was one - is so much more fun.

You want violence. You got it. Don't cry.

Interesting.

 

[LillyO]

Dear American people

I don't know why you are talking about this topic, because, as usually, in the end, nothing will happen. You only know 2 ways to fix your criminal problems

1. Ignorance
2. Shooting on the "evil"

Every other way is against your "freedom". Your kids can kill a whole school like in Littlerton, and nothing will happen, except that "evil" Marilyn Manson sells more records because the media identify him as the real culprit. Any kind of control, whether it's about guns or too violent video games? No way, this is against freedom. Manhunting against sociopaths - Steve Jobs was one - is so much more fun.

You want violence. You got it. Don't cry.

I believe the girl in question is Canadian.

I agree mostly with the rest of your post, cept the Steve Jobs claim, I have no idea whether he was a sociopath and nether do you.

 

[BotanyBoy]

Dear American people

I don't know why you are talking about this topic, because, as usually, in the end, nothing will happen. You only know 2 ways to fix your criminal problems

1. Ignorance
2. Shooting on the "evil"

Every other way is against your "freedom". Your kids can kill a whole school like in Littlerton, and nothing will happen, except that "evil" Marilyn Manson sells more records because the media identify him as the real culprit. Any kind of control, whether it's about guns or too violent video games? No way, this is against freedom. Manhunting against sociopaths - Steve Jobs was one - is so much more fun.

You want violence. You got it. Don't cry.

You complain well but you offer nothing....please tell me how should it be done? Since we dumb ass american's don't know and you apparently have a cure all violence vaccine tell me what violence free nation do you live in? What should we do to be more perfect like your flawless country?

I can only assume you would nerf the whole country and let the powers that be handle it? Maybe we can put everyone under house arrest via martial law, prescribe everyone Thorazine with breakfast and then there would be no violence!! Any books or media that MIGHT cause violent thoughts... banned, anything sex related? Banned....b/c it causes rape too!! 330 million subservient vegetables sounds like a plan to me....freedom is stupid amirite? Imsorite!!

 

[Wrong Element]

In the wake of the horrific shooting, I keep seeing a couple memes continually present themselves

one of them is the truly deplorably sick attempts to blame politicians for this


the other was something that raised a curious eyebrow

that being " we need to lock up dangerous people"

except, when do we definie them as being dangerous.. and are we to punish someone for crimes they haven't yet commited

This sounds exactly like my father. Whenever someone with no known criminal record (or record of violent crime at any rate) is charged with something, he'll invariably blame "the system" for not having punished them ahead of time, as if Tom Cruise and co. were supposed to bust down the doors before Tim McVeigh bought the fertilizer.

yes, she has requested supervision so that she never acts on these thoughts, but in the end... she is a serial killer waiting to happen

Well, she's probably not "a serial killer waiting to happen," since she's going to be a prime suspect in any unsolved murders in her area for the foreseeable future. This assumes she hasn't actually killed anyone that's two-legged yet, and that might be overly optimistic.

It's a curious case. The animal torture is inexcusable, and she's obviously quite sick. On the other hand, having essentially outed herself as crazy, she can't very well hide in the shadows now like your typical psychopath would want to do. Even her choice of academic study was likely an attempt to understand her own mind.

In this case, the best defense is probably her notoriety. Had Adam Lanza been known as the town maniac prior to today, he would have had just a little more trouble getting into that school.

 

[badbabysitter]

But not the truly deplorably sick attempts to blame proponents of gun rights.

You really are a class A prize.

so you think its okay to blame the President for this happening?


should I then blame Bush for the Columbine students?

hell no, because that would be an ugly lie and sick statement


that had nothing to do with gun rights... you're just trying to find some kind of justification for somebody saying something truly heinous, because you're on their end of the political spectrum

 

[PoppingTom]

I agree mostly with the rest of your post, cept the Steve Jobs claim, I have no idea whether he was a sociopath and nether do you.

I've read often that he was one. Most important citation was from Robert X. Cringely, who wrote "Accidental Empires" he said "Steve is a sociopath like written in a book". A few stories, like this one fit to that.

I think he was one, anyway, he did a lot good out of it.

 

[PoppingTom]

You complain well but you offer nothing....please tell me how should it be done? Since we dumb ass american's don't know and you apparently have a cure all violence vaccine tell me what violence free nation do you live in? What should we do to be more perfect like your flawless country?

I can only assume you would nerf the whole country and let the powers that be handle it? Maybe we can put everyone under house arrest via martial law, prescribe everyone Thorazine with breakfast and then there would be no violence!! Any books or media that MIGHT cause violent thoughts... banned, anything sex related? Banned....b/c it causes rape too!! 330 million subservient vegetables sounds like a plan to me....freedom is stupid amirite? Imsorite!!

As long as even talking about gun control can lead to a civil war in your country, it's waste of time to talk about the topic at all. I mean, gun control is not about taking every gun away, it's about banning the most dangerous of them, control WHO gets weapons.

I have the freedom to go everywhere in my country and never have to fear some street warlords or crack whackos with machine guns. You haven't. So what do YOU tell me about freedom?

 

[BotanyBoy]

As long as even talking about gun control can lead to a civil war in your country, it's waste of time to talk about the topic at all. I mean, gun control is not about taking every gun away, it's about banning the most dangerous of them, control WHO gets weapons.

How do you decide what guns are the most dangerous? Which ones to ban? Assault weapons? Really? Bayonet lugs, pistol grips and an adjustable stock makes a weapon more dangerous? Aesthetics/Ergonomics = more deadly? You really buy that bull shit?

Control WHO get's weapons ok...I could get down with a federal licencing system to licence people to purchase/own/carry weapons. But this get's back to my original question...how is any of this going to stop otherwise good citizens from coming unglued and killing a shit load of people? Because that is exactly what happened today in CT, earlier this year in CO etc etc.

I have the freedom to go everywhere in my country and never have to fear some street warlords or crack whackos with machine guns. You haven't. So what do YOU tell me about freedom?

I have never ever ever seen machine guns in the streets......not once in my 25 years in the US. I have seen them in rich peoples luxury item collections, but I don't see many gang banging thugs rocking 25,000 - 130,000 dollar machine guns. They stick with shitty cheap stolen 9mm pistols...chrome homie!!

In fact the overwhelming majority of all gun crimes are committed with stolen, small caliber hand guns on the black market. The use of full auto machine guns in crime is so fucking rare the DOJ doesn't even track how many happen.

But if I do run into them, one of the already illegal guns sold illegally to a violent criminal you claim your nation is free of, I have the freedom to SHOOT BACK!! you have to suck for blow until the cops show up after it's all too late.

 

[PoppingTom]

How do you decide what guns are the most dangerous?

I think you know this better than me, because for me, every weapon is too dangerous to be sold public.

I would allow sports weapons. Not too heavy impacting single shooters. Everything above this -destroy!

Control WHO get's weapons ok...I could get down with a federal licencing system to licence people to purchase/own/carry weapons. But this get's back to my original question...how is any of this going to stop otherwise good citizens from coming unglued and killing a shit load of people? Because that is exactly what happened today in CT, earlier this year in CO etc etc.

You can't keep silent whackos from being whackos, that's right. But you will have less of them doing the final thing if you compound their way of getting their weapons.

Less rampages - is this nothing? It's not that we haven't any in our country. Last one was 2009 in Emsdetten.

I have never ever ever seen machine guns in the streets......not once in my 25 years in the US. I have seen them in rich peoples luxury item collections, but I don't see many gang banging thugs rocking 25,000 - 130,000 dollar machine guns. They stick with shitty cheap stolen 9mm pistols...chrome homie!!

Anyway, you saw people with guns on the street. I never did.

But if I do run into them, one of the already illegal guns sold illegally to a violent criminal you claim your nation is free of, I have the freedom to SHOOT BACK!! you have to suck for blow until the cops show up after it's all too late.

Oh yes...it were only 12 people killed in Littleton, but it could have been 200 if the teachers or schoolboys not had the ability to shoot back.....

Shooting back is soooooo much more fun. Who needs police? It only takes tax payers money (that could be better invested in guns)....

 

[BotanyBoy]

*shrug* no point in arguing with a zealot. Don't care...

 

[Lokishoney]

Ask the thousands of people who have lost their job due to Romney's actions and narcissism/sociopathy if he's "harmless".

Harm isn't only violence. There's a wide range of harmful acts a sociopath can engage in.

I must say, I have yet to find a point or opinion you have expressed on this topic that I disagree with. You seem well versed on the subject. Hats off to you.

That being said ~

There is no feasible solution to this problem. At least not any that could not be used to infringe on other human rights father down the road. Combine that with the fact that the Mental Health Care sector is one of the first to feel the sting of abandonment in the form of budget cuts and a lack of support from both politicians and the majority of the populace (much like education and the elderly) and you have an impasse.

And farther more - I must agree with the opinion that it is fool-hearty and naive to measure all human damage in blood and bruises. Psychopaths and sociopaths inflict unprecedented amounts of emotional and mental damage on the populace. These scars often dictate the action (or inaction), ethics and daily lives of those who bear them. These actions enter the river of our society, dulling the ability to experience commonality and community. This dullness bleeds into an inability to trust, a fear of acting on the prompt of compassion and a fanatical need for self-preservation which makes the unity of the human family impossible.

IMHO -

~ Wonderful discussion here, btw. Thanks to the thread creator. Nice to see something relevant and intellectually engaging in this zoo.

 

[PoppingTom]

LOL I respect your beliefs/desires but that will never happen...the guns are out there we can prohibit (never worked for anything in the history of ever) or we can regulate.

Regulation is kind of gun control.

100% BUU shit...there is zero evidence at all to support this.

Count of school shottings in the US since 2009 : 37
Same time in Canada: 1
Same time in Europe: 5
Same time in Asia: 2

B/c your country is fucking pissant bro...you are obviously going to have a lower crime rate, and your over all crime rate is 1/2 of the US's and violent crimes

You forgot one thing.

"Violent crime" is even if I punch you in the face. And no, drunken Germans mostly aren't peaceful.

Better look at "violent crime involving shooting".

We can find examples of it working and not working...like I said our violence is a cultural problem, not an inanimate object problem.

So kids at your school died of a cultural problem, and you won't do anything about it?