Monday, April 7, 2014

Self-Diagnosis Report:
Rate Yourselves, Psychos!

The book is old news, but I haven't previously seen the test questions; not very psychopathic of me, but let's share:
At heart, Hare’s test is simple: a list of 20 criteria, each given a score of 0 (if it doesn’t apply to the person), 1 (if it partially applies) or 2 (if it fully applies). The list in full is: glibness and superficial charm, grandiose sense of self-worth, pathological lying, cunning/manipulative, lack of remorse, emotional shallowness, callousness and lack of empathy, unwillingness to accept responsibility for actions, a tendency to boredom, a parasitic lifestyle, a lack of realistic long-term goals, impulsivity, irresponsibility, lack of behavioural control, behavioural problems in early life, juvenile delinquency, criminal versatility, a history of “revocation of conditional release” (ie broken parole), multiple marriages, and promiscuous sexual behaviour*. A pure, prototypical psychopath would score 40. A score of 30 or more qualifies for a diagnosis of psychopathy. Hare says: “A friend of mine, a psychiatrist, once said: ‘Bob, when I meet someone who scores 35 or 36, I know these people really are different.’ The ones we consider to be alien are the ones at the upper end.”
If only I weren't so dedicated to the ugly hurtful truth I might've gotten somewhere, but that compulsion isn't helpful in your world of murderers & theives, of hatred and jealousy†. (Not to forget the liars & cheaters.)

Beautiful Mind Dep't.:
“Psychopaths do think they’re more rational than other people, that this isn’t a deficit,” says Hare. “I met one offender who was certainly a psychopath who said ‘My problem is that according to psychiatrists I think more with my head than my heart. What am I supposed to do about that? Am I supposed to get all teary-eyed?’ ” Another, asked if he had any regrets about stabbing a robbery victim, replied: “Get real! He spends a few months in hospital and I rot here. If I wanted to kill him I would have slit his throat. That’s the kind of guy I am; I gave him a break.”
Yeah. Sheesh, what is w/ people? Give him a break!
*I've been as promiscuous as possible for someone as unconcerned w/ his fellow humanoids as I am. And knew better than to marry even once. (See? Rational.)
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2 comments:

Weird Dave said...

I'm borderline.

M. Bouffant said...

The Dr. Is IN!:
Some of the questions I want to be more than I am.

I'm really much too sympathetic (REALLY, DAMNIT!!) if not empathetic. Just more -thetic about the general than the specific. (Can't have schadenfreude w/o feeling a bit of their pain first.)

Borderline narcissist, you mean?