Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Psychopath Test


The team at NPR's 'this American Life' conduct a show on the so-called Psychopath Test. They also take the test themselves with hilarious results. Do not miss the interview at the end, in the mansion of an everyday psychopath who runs an extremely successful business of firing people. Yes, that is a snap-shot of some truly hysterical decor.

And let's not confuse psychopath with psychotic, folks. Psychopath and sociopath mean the same thing (due to some PC mumbo-jumboing in the 50s by the American Psychiatric Association). And while many sociopaths are serial killers, even more are simply your everyday, run-of-the-mill controlling backstabbing office mates. Chances are you know a sociopath, since researchers estimate about 4 percent of the general population constitute unfeeling jackasses. Your mileage may vary if you live in New York.

This subject matter is also very telling and timely. Reflective, even of our modern society of casual, reality-TV driven narcissism, winning obsessed game-showism sprinkled with a Ferengi bartender-like self-deluded entitlement to wealth and fame. I can make up other words if need be, until then, enjoy.


http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/436/the-psychopath-test