4 ms·

Sociopath is not a term used in psychology. The term closest to your intended meaning is probably antisocial personality disorder. Sociopath is a term used by t

Sociopath is not a term used in psychology. The term closest to your intended meaning is probably antisocial personality disorder. Sociopath is a term used by the public at large and is pretty much always used as a way to dismiss the possibility of empathizing with someone you don't understand or don't agree with.

techiferous 11y ago
Thank you. I think the sociopath meme is getting a bit tired.
- jhall1468 11y ago
  But it's not a meme... it's a word. The word is defined as "a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience." I think that's a very apt explanation of this guy.
Zikes 11y ago
"Sick" may not be in a medical dictionary, but that doesn't mean it's not a real word. A sociopath is someone without a conscience. That's the dictionary definition, and it's absolutely applicable in this case.
- such_a_casual 11y ago
  You are misrepresenting my thesis. Did you really read my post as, "sociopath is not a word"? If you did, I would encourage you to ask an adult to read the post for you and explain it to you. "The term sociopath is used by the public at large and is pretty much always used as a way to dismiss the possibility of empathizing with someone you don't understand or don't agree with." That's a rather large sentence to swallow. Here, I'll break it up for you: "The term sociopath is used by the public at large" Sociopath is a word, but not a diagnosis. "and is pretty much always used" "to dismiss the possibility of empathizing" "with someone you don't understand or don't agree with." In this example, you are saying he has no conscience whatsoever. This excuses you from trying to understand who he his, it excuses you from asking a question like, "What values and circumstances led him to make this decision?" You want to believe that no possible set of reasonable values, under any circumstances, could ever lead a man to make these decisions. He must have no values. He must be a "sociopath". A good, normal person like yourself could never make decisions like this. He must not be a good, normal person. He must be something else, he must be "a sociopath". He must be some special label that allows you to put him in a box where you don't have to empathize with him, where you don't have to try to understand who he really is or why he made these decisions.
  - Zikes 11y ago
    Your comment was no thesis, it was a halfhearted attempt to derail the conversation by trying to redefine the accepted usage of a word. His actions were without conscience, therefore he has exhibited sufficient traits for society to treat him as a sociopath. Such social cues are a major part of how humans interact, and your lack of awareness of them probably means your time would be better spent reading up on autism instead of psychopathy.
    - such_a_casual 11y ago
      I urge you to find an adult who can properly explain my posts to you in words you can understand. You are clearly reading what you wish to read. I never redefined the word sociopath. I pointed out that it is not a psychological diagnoses, and that it is used pretty much always to absolve the speaker from empathy. The latter part you have proven with your posts. If for whatever reason, there is not an adult in your life that can take the time to explain my posts to you, here are some resources that may be of help to you: http://www.dictionary.com http://www.dictionary.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis,_antithesis,_synthesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis,_antithesis,_synthesis
      - dang 11y ago
        Please don't post personally abrasive comments to HN, even when you think someone is wrong and annoying.
        such_a_casual 11y ago
        I apologize and I know it's something I need to work on.
        dang 11y ago
        Most of us do. And just knowing that is already a lot.
binxbolling 11y ago
Also covers Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder.
- dangrossman 11y ago
  Those disorders are not closely related. Especially BPD and sociopathy, the symptoms are polar opposites. BPD is characterized by an inability to regulate abnormally strong emotions, not a lack of emotions.
  - binxbolling 11y ago
    Sorry I wasn't clearer: I was referring to colloquial use of the word, not what's actually clinically accurate. My experience has been that in everyday use "sociopath" can refer to any of the three, even if (as you mentioned) these are very different diagnoses.
saosebastiao 11y ago
Well, let's see here...this is a man that spent $2M on a music album that he admits he didn't even listen to in entirety, but then has a man stalked and intimidated by thugs for 6 months over a $3M dispute. And lets not forget the callous interviews he gave that were nothing more than a slap in the face of the thousands of people whose lives might be shortened by his actions. I think the guy probably has a decent shot at a diagnosis for Antisocial Personality Disorder.
- such_a_casual 11y ago
  You may be right, and I think a discussion where we match up his behavior to the profile for antisocial personality disorder as listed in the DSM-V would be an entertaining and engaging intellectual exercise. What I take issue with is merely dismissing him with a popular label that excuses us from trying to empathize or understand the man. I think the use of the word sociopath limits and discourages discussion and understanding rather than promoting it.

techiferous 11y ago

Thank you. I think the sociopath meme is getting a bit tired.

jhall1468 11y ago
But it's not a meme... it's a word. The word is defined as "a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience." I think that's a very apt explanation of this guy.

Zikes 11y ago

"Sick" may not be in a medical dictionary, but that doesn't mean it's not a real word. A sociopath is someone without a conscience. That's the dictionary definition, and it's absolutely applicable in this case.

such_a_casual 11y ago
You are misrepresenting my thesis. Did you really read my post as, "sociopath is not a word"? If you did, I would encourage you to ask an adult to read the post for you and explain it to you. "The term sociopath is used by the public at large and is pretty much always used as a way to dismiss the possibility of empathizing with someone you don't understand or don't agree with." That's a rather large sentence to swallow. Here, I'll break it up for you: "The term sociopath is used by the public at large" Sociopath is a word, but not a diagnosis. "and is pretty much always used" "to dismiss the possibility of empathizing" "with someone you don't understand or don't agree with." In this example, you are saying he has no conscience whatsoever. This excuses you from trying to understand who he his, it excuses you from asking a question like, "What values and circumstances led him to make this decision?" You want to believe that no possible set of reasonable values, under any circumstances, could ever lead a man to make these decisions. He must have no values. He must be a "sociopath". A good, normal person like yourself could never make decisions like this. He must not be a good, normal person. He must be something else, he must be "a sociopath". He must be some special label that allows you to put him in a box where you don't have to empathize with him, where you don't have to try to understand who he really is or why he made these decisions.
- Zikes 11y ago
  Your comment was no thesis, it was a halfhearted attempt to derail the conversation by trying to redefine the accepted usage of a word. His actions were without conscience, therefore he has exhibited sufficient traits for society to treat him as a sociopath. Such social cues are a major part of how humans interact, and your lack of awareness of them probably means your time would be better spent reading up on autism instead of psychopathy.
  - such_a_casual 11y ago
    I urge you to find an adult who can properly explain my posts to you in words you can understand. You are clearly reading what you wish to read. I never redefined the word sociopath. I pointed out that it is not a psychological diagnoses, and that it is used pretty much always to absolve the speaker from empathy. The latter part you have proven with your posts. If for whatever reason, there is not an adult in your life that can take the time to explain my posts to you, here are some resources that may be of help to you: http://www.dictionary.com http://www.dictionary.com https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis,_antithesis,_synthesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis,_antithesis,_synthesis
    - dang 11y ago
      Please don't post personally abrasive comments to HN, even when you think someone is wrong and annoying.
      - such_a_casual 11y ago
        I apologize and I know it's something I need to work on.
        dang 11y ago
        Most of us do. And just knowing that is already a lot.

binxbolling 11y ago

Also covers Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder.

dangrossman 11y ago
Those disorders are not closely related. Especially BPD and sociopathy, the symptoms are polar opposites. BPD is characterized by an inability to regulate abnormally strong emotions, not a lack of emotions.
- binxbolling 11y ago
  Sorry I wasn't clearer: I was referring to colloquial use of the word, not what's actually clinically accurate. My experience has been that in everyday use "sociopath" can refer to any of the three, even if (as you mentioned) these are very different diagnoses.

saosebastiao 11y ago

Well, let's see here...this is a man that spent $2M on a music album that he admits he didn't even listen to in entirety, but then has a man stalked and intimidated by thugs for 6 months over a $3M dispute. And lets not forget the callous interviews he gave that were nothing more than a slap in the face of the thousands of people whose lives might be shortened by his actions. I think the guy probably has a decent shot at a diagnosis for Antisocial Personality Disorder.

such_a_casual 11y ago
You may be right, and I think a discussion where we match up his behavior to the profile for antisocial personality disorder as listed in the DSM-V would be an entertaining and engaging intellectual exercise. What I take issue with is merely dismissing him with a popular label that excuses us from trying to empathize or understand the man. I think the use of the word sociopath limits and discourages discussion and understanding rather than promoting it.