Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Psychology
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 10-28-2015, 06:15 PM
 
Location: Paradise
3,663 posts, read 5,652,645 times
Reputation: 4865

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chowhound View Post
I was just going to make this exact same point and mention that book as well. There are varying levels of sociopath and I'm fully convince one of our SIL's is on the low end....

She seems friendly and chipper, but every interaction with her she is actually spreading negativity, a few clicks past simply gossiping, she gives you little digs, she likes to keep discussing bad things that happen, like I said she seems like she nice and friendly, but really every interaction with her I feel like I need a bath.

I'm fully convinced that she sits somewhere on the spectrum of being a lower level sociopath.
I used the inventory on my ex-husband. He scored at about an eighteen.

Like I said, I wish I had read the book sooner.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 10-28-2015, 06:42 PM
 
Location: Floribama
18,933 posts, read 43,298,885 times
Reputation: 18732
Quote:
Originally Posted by goodmockingbird View Post
Layman (former social worker, not a shrink) with some common sense observations:

Sociopaths are often "creepy". You get a strong feeling that something is wrong with them. They are usually not "successful" in life, and lurk around societys fringes. They are frequently on and out of jail for relatively minor theft and violence.

Psychopaths, on the other hand, are often highly successful so far as career, and the outward appearances of success. They usually end up in prison. But not near soon enough. And often for white color crimes.
They are also pathological liars. They will make up stories about how they have worked a certain job and made all sorts of money, or they own a very nice house somewhere, had a big inheritance, etc.. because they think this is what people want to hear. They will also make up lies and say they have cancer or some other rare disease, and they use this to get pity from people.

They use these lies to get as much as they can out of people, but when people start to notice things aren't adding up (it doesn't take long), that's when the sociopath can really turn ugly, often getting violent. They usually bounce from job to job because after a month or so their bosses and coworkers realize how full of crap they are. I've had dealings with two of these types before, and unfortunately my sister is in a "relationship" with one now. There is no true relationship or friendship with a sociopath, because everything on their end is fake and a lie.

The easiest way I can describe a sociopath is that they are a CON ARTIST, because that's exactly what they are!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-29-2015, 03:52 AM
 
Location: Poshawa, Ontario
2,982 posts, read 4,081,253 times
Reputation: 5622
Quote:
Originally Posted by goodmockingbird View Post
Layman (former social worker, not a shrink) with some common sense observations:

Sociopaths are often "creepy". You get a strong feeling that something is wrong with them. They are usually not "successful" in life, and lurk around societys fringes. They are frequently on and out of jail for relatively minor theft and violence.

Psychopaths, on the other hand, are often highly successful so far as career, and the outward appearances of success. They usually end up in prison. But not near soon enough. And often for white color crimes.
You have these two definitions reversed. Sociopaths are often very successful in business because their inability to feel empathy and lack of remorse allows them to manipulate people or situations to any end that leads them to the top. That is not to say all successful business leaders are sociopathic, but a great deal of them are.

Quote:
Originally Posted by southernnaturelover View Post
They are also pathological liars. They will make up stories about how they have worked a certain job and made all sorts of money, or they own a very nice house somewhere, had a big inheritance, etc.. because they think this is what people want to hear. They will also make up lies and say they have cancer or some other rare disease, and they use this to get pity from people.
I once dated a girl who fit this definition exactly. She made up fantastical lies about herself and eventually told me she suffered from inoperable brain cancer when she thought I was seeing someone else. I would classify her a sociopath as she fit all the classic signs, however she was living proof that sociopaths are not always excessively intelligent. I was told after i cut her loose that she once jacked her brothers car while he was sleeping, drove across town where she was involved in an accident with a parked vehicle. She then proceeded to drive back home, park her brother's wrecked car on the driveway and went back to bed like nothing happened.

What a whackjob. lol
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-29-2015, 04:29 AM
 
Location: Louisville KY
4,857 posts, read 5,779,890 times
Reputation: 4341
At least some people can see that there are levels, and not just some evil heath ledger joker monster lurking around.

Yes, I have sociopathic tendencies, it is very easy to just not care if I don't feel it worth my time. If I chose to, I'd be a real riot in G&M, but I like being a member here, and they seem to only have a singular narrow viewpoint.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-29-2015, 05:06 AM
 
Location: rural south west UK
5,369 posts, read 3,551,726 times
Reputation: 6512
its strange because I did an online test and only scored 7, the remarks about criminality don't apply, I have never been in prison, I just don't have any empathy with other people, I don't give a damn about the human race, everyone could just die tomorrow and I wouldn't care, maybe that's a lack of remorse I don't know, I wouldn't do anything to hurt someone else, but neither would I care if they hurt themselves, its just not my concern, I find the "general public", crazy, stupid, dumb and not worth my time having anything to do with them. I don't believe typing a few words on a screen as "having contact.
maybe sociopath is the wrong word, maybe i'm just plain anti social, pure and simple.
i'm happier on my own, in the countryside listening and watching the wild life, than being in an urban centre surrounded by people, I've always been a loner so being alone has never bothered me.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-29-2015, 05:44 AM
 
Location: Oklahoma USA
1,194 posts, read 1,094,228 times
Reputation: 4419
Psychopaths are usually "presentable", even attractive. They often succeed in business. Then they usually manage to go blow it all one way or another and end up in prison:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/077043...rds=psychoparh

This is an excellent read which explains how their brains really are different from those of most people.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-29-2015, 06:29 AM
 
Location: So Ca
26,611 posts, read 26,517,867 times
Reputation: 24596
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigpaul View Post
maybe sociopath is the wrong word, maybe i'm just plain anti social, pure and simple. i'm happier on my own, in the countryside listening and watching the wild life, than being in an urban centre surrounded by people, I've always been a loner so being alone has never bothered me.
It sounds as if you're simply an introvert. Why add the adjective "anti social"? Possibly you get more energy from being alone than you do from being around other people. Where would you get the idea that you were a sociopath? Hope you realize that those online pop psychology tests mean nothing.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-29-2015, 06:31 AM
 
Location: City Data Land
17,156 posts, read 12,876,051 times
Reputation: 33164
Quote:
Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge View Post
My instinct would be unresolved anger issues combined with a passive-aggressive personality.
Are you speaking of the OP or people in general? His responses are rather hostile, IMO.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-29-2015, 06:33 AM
 
Location: So Ca
26,611 posts, read 26,517,867 times
Reputation: 24596
Quote:
Originally Posted by Annuvin View Post
You have these two definitions reversed. Sociopaths are often very successful in business because their inability to feel empathy and lack of remorse allows them to manipulate people or situations to any end that leads them to the top.
Exactly. And sociopaths are rarely "creepy," as someone else posted; if anything, they can be charming beyond belief. That's one of the traits that allows them to get away with their behavior.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-29-2015, 06:42 AM
 
Location: rural south west UK
5,369 posts, read 3,551,726 times
Reputation: 6512
Quote:
Originally Posted by CA4Now View Post
It sounds as if you're simply an introvert. Why add the adjective "anti social"? Possibly you get more energy from being alone than you do from being around other people. Where would you get the idea that you were a sociopath? Hope you realize that those online pop psychology tests mean nothing.
I added anti social because to most people that's what I am, I don't "do" other people, I just want to be left alone.
I have just this moment received a piece of paper with my family doctors definition of me, it reads "schizoid personality disorder".

Last edited by bigpaul; 10-29-2015 at 06:58 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Psychology
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top