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Thread: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

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    Default Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    Whats your definition of a sociopath? I always hear about it and i looked it up but its still kinda unclear to me. Heres a definition i got from urban dictionary:


    "A person with antisocial personality disorder. Probably the most widely recognized personality disorder. A sociopath is often well liked because of their charm and high charisma, but they do not usually care about other people. They think mainly of themselves and often blame others for the things that they do. They have a complete disregard for rules and lie constantly. They seldom feel guilt or learn from punishments. Though some sociopaths have become murders, most reveal their sociopathy through less deadly and sensational means."

    -Urbandictionary.com

    *Whats your definition?

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    A guy who will steal your wallet, then help you look for.
    Quote Originally Posted by Helle View Post
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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    The main trait that I think of when I hear sociopath is the lack of empathy towards other people. Sociopaths think other human beings are there just for their amusement and that they can use them as they wish to meet their own selfish needs.
    They do not empathise or feel sympathy for other human beings feelings being hurt or physically being hurt or killed.

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    Featured Member Hatshepsut's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    What's the difference between a sociopath and a narcissist?

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    ^^^ hehee this sounds like a trick question with an answer that's gonna make me giggle... i'm gonna let you answer that...

    and I love the wallet hypothetical....

    a sociopath: the guy who slices his finger on purpose so you can take him to get stitches.
    the guy who'll help you change your locks, gain your trust, get your spare key, and break into your place.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    I think a narcissist cares too much what other people think about them whereas a sociopath is incapable of giving a fuck.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    Nope a narcissist loves themselves.

    Narcissism= self love.

    From Wikipedia listing the DSM criteria for diagnosing narcissistic personality disorder:

    Diagnostic criteria

    At least five of the following are necessary for a diagnosis (as with many DSM diagnoses, they must form a pervasive pattern; for example, a person who shows these criteria only in one or two relationships or situations would not properly be diagnosed with NPD):

    1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance
    2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
    3. believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by other special people
    4. requires excessive admiration
    5. strong sense of entitlement
    6. takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
    7. lacks empathy
    8. is often envious or believes others are envious of him or her
    9. arrogant affect.

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    Featured Member red red red's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    Not the symptoms, the basic motivations... narcissists are generally believed to be narcissists due to their low self esteem and extreme reliance on others to perpetuate their own overblown myths... whereas a sociopath doesn't even really believe that other people exist or matter whatsoever.

    Just my understanding of it.

    I also think narcissism is a lot easier to treat, due to its basically social motivations which are lacking in sociopath.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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    Featured Member needtodance's Avatar
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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    From my understanding, narcisism is self-love. You love yourself, are sure you are THE BEST, and can't understand others beacuse you are SOOOOOOOOOO much better than them.

    There's two types of sociopaths. There's teh violent type who don't empathize with others pain. We see and hear about these all the time on the news, they're the ones who go around manipulating others, murdering or hurting them, etc. Then there's the "milder" ones, who simply don't empathize with others, also manipulate others, and view them as pawns. These ones OFTEN do well at work, are managers. Both have the manipulative tendencies, lie easily, don't empathize with others pain, or recognize that others have feelings. Its just a question of WHERE the tendencies come out.

    Im sure there's a lot more in depth info on it, but its my bedtime!

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    Quote Originally Posted by red red red View Post
    Not the symptoms, the basic motivations... narcissists are generally believed to be narcissists due to their low self esteem and extreme reliance on others to perpetuate their own overblown myths... whereas a sociopath doesn't even really believe that other people exist or matter whatsoever.
    Yeh true I think that is the underlying cause of it but it's expressed as self love, you're right.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    An intraspecies predator.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    By that definition you use - autistic people.


    Look like a woman
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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    I can say I've met at least 2 sociopaths. One I dated... and I'm not going into that fucking story although I'll just give the example on him.

    He lied and said he was HIV positive, in order to get me to talk to him again. He wasn't HIV positive and had never even been tested. He has also claimed now 3 kids, none of which exist..just to find a reason to talk to me. Or so he thinks.

    A friend, who only did things that would benefit her.

    . They never make any real bonds with anyone. Since they feel no real emotions, love or care. Unless of course it will damage or benefit their lives.

    . Inability to feel guilt. <-- that's a HUGE one.

    most are liars,thieves and con artists

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    ^ OH MY GOD! My ex husband did the same kinda shit the first guy. He made up this whole smegging life that didn't exist, including fake friends and a fake band he was in and everything. finally I found a picture of a girl he kept in his wallet AND NOT ME and I saw in the corner she had a website address. I googled her and emailed her and she verified that Ex was a total fucking lying douche and she'd never even BEEN in the same state as my husband - ever. He wouldn't even take off a ring to put on our wedding ring because his NON EXISTENT friend gave it to him. Oh yeah, and the girl in his wallet was OMG his best friend, which is why I wasn't there... NONE OF THEM EXISTED.. they were all fake fricken photos he got offline of models and shit... and would tell me that 'You're not as hot as my friend Jill' (the one in his wallet) and make me take baths in bleach to make my skin whiter because he wanted me to be as pretty as his NON EXISTENT friend.... who turned out to be a fucking well-known gothic model.


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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    My ex-wife.
    "The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."
    -Humphrey Bogart

    "Sir, if you were my husband, I would poison your drink."
    -Lady Astor to Winston Churchill
    "Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it."
    -His reply

    "If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs."
    -David Daye

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    Yah lil' this guy had fake gf's...babies..diseases.. lets see.. supposedly he lives out west now but I think he lives with his mom. he's had fake wrecks, a fake wife and now

    drum roll

    a coma! oh yes people..he had a coma.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    I've been thinking about this a bit too much lately.

    Anyhow, most of the definitions I've run across have placed sociopaths as people who do not have emotional connections with others, but manufacture them instead.

    I think that may be off, though. It's more like social interaction triggers different emotional connections for these people, which don't have the kind of consistency or relationship to the circumstances of the interaction to provide a structure of positive or negative feedback. They seem to have instances of emotional experience, even if it is self-generated.

    The thing is, I only have anecdotal references to go by, so pulling it all together is still premature.
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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    "Sociopath" has a couple of definitions. Jaizaine mentions the DSM, which is good for psychological definitions. In criminological circles, a sociopath is someone who exhibits criminal tendencies (that is, violent criminal tendencies) without empathy or remorse that are driven SOLELY by a desire to do harm and an enjoyment of that harm. Thus, a bank robber is not a sociopath, even if he hurts people, because he is driven by a desire for money.

    The three main types of sociopathic criminals are serial killers, serial rapists and child molesters. All people who get no gain out of their violence but the satisfaction of having done it, and who have no empathy for their victims.

    What's so bizarre about sociopaths is that criminologists pretty much agree that sociopathic crime did not exist before 1888. Crime statistics date back as far as 1000 years (Imperial China kept great crime stats, as did England starting in the Tudor period) and yet there is nothing that indicates ANY type of sociopathic violence in the history of the world until the Whitechapel killings in London in 1888. (that's Jack the Ripper). Why sociopaths came into being and remain in the world is still up for debate.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    Whats my definition of a sociopath?

    Religious fundmentalists and repugnicans.

    Just kidding... or am I?

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    What's so bizarre about sociopaths is that criminologists pretty much agree that sociopathic crime did not exist before 1888.
    Really? I think the UD definition reminds me of a lot of ruling heads. I suppose most people give Kings, Princes and royalty the royal treatment and excuse in this regard, but most of their behavior would (in this day and age) be considered sociopathic murderer, even sociopathic serial murderers, even. It's just that back in the day, it was considered their divine right and not a crime.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    HA! Good point. But by that token, every ruler in history and at present is a sociopath.

    Not to hijack the thread.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    Thanks for the feedback guys.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    Yes very true and interesting points Siber. Medical vs criminal.

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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    There's a good book about this: Without Conscience. I don't know the author. Very chilling read, tho.


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    Default Re: Whats your definition of a sociopath?

    I've only known a few sociopaths. They really aren't obsessed with approval from others the way a narcissist is. The narcissist needs approval and is concerned with feeling superior, and with what others think of them. The few sociopaths I have known did not do what they did for approval, and the notion of superiority isn't really relevant to them because they don't really see others as individuals.

    What is important to understand is that for the most part people tend to choose what is in their own best interest. Sometimes, often what is in their own best interest is to choose what is best for others around us because we are dependent on them, and because we have some genetic inclinations to care about them (particularly those who are closely related to us genetically). In many cases a person may choose the group or others over themselves because it builds bonds with others, but still, from another point of view it's still done because it's what's best for the individual.

    Once/if you can get your head around that, it's possible to understand the sociopath. The problem most people have understanding them is they have painted a rosy picture in their own mind that they are altruistic because they like to see themselves as "good", and really don't see that what they do is still done because they get some benefit out of it. Oh well, we don't need to be self aware of all of our motivations, or how we work to function (for the same reason we don't need to understand how electricity works to use a light switch).

    Sociopaths though don't see other people as individuals. They don't view others as individuals like them, or see themselves as benefitting from the group, or why they should choose in ways that benefit the group or others at the apparent expense of themselves. They are limiting to knowing what they want, and while they do practice and learn social interactions (more like a machine), they don't really grasp the concept that they are one of many, and that the others, deserve to be treated well too. They don't balance their own wants against others, or understand the concept of putting themselves into other people's shoes, because only they wear shoes (so to speak).

    In the past there use to be a distinction between anti-social personality disorder, and sociopath. The later term was reserved for those who were ASPD and broke laws. These days the terms seem to be used interchangeably. Of course sociopaths don't like to be punished, but sociopaths don't learn to be normal from punishment. All they learn is to change their behavior in ways to avoid punishment. Punishment works to a degree, but fundamentally they still don't get the notion that they are one of many, and that there is a balance between what is best for them, and what is best for others that "normal" people get.

    As with all personality disorders, we all have some of these traits. Personality disorders are about matters of degree.

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