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4% of the population commits the far majority of atrocities. That 4% is made up of the psychopaths - people genetically endowed with no conscience. Psychologis

4% of the population commits the far majority of atrocities. That 4% is made up of the psychopaths - people genetically endowed with no conscience. Psychologists and sociologists studying sociopathy have estimated that there are huge numbers of sociopaths in decision making positions who make the calls in favor of greed and brutality. Conscience bound people find it very hard to cause the deaths of innocent children in Nigeria though oil corporation policy. Conscience bound people often will quit their job rather than make a decision for greed when that decision will harm people. This is precisely how sociopaths rise to power - they will do the job and take pleasure in it. Now American institutions and corporations are run by sociopaths and we are surprised that evil is so prevalent.

white_devil 15y ago
> 4% of the population commits the far majority of atrocities. That 4% is made up of the psychopaths - people genetically endowed with no conscience. I didn't mean people like Hitler and Stalin. Plenty of those in history, of course. But think about politicians all over the world. Surely you'd agree that a lot more than 4% of them are mostly just concerned with their personal gain, instead of the common good. That's a result of the selfishness and greed inherent in human nature. Even good people are selfish. I'm good but I'm also selfish. On the other hand, take Julian Assange for example. Now that guy is just about as selfless as humans come, but how many percent of the world's population do you think are like him? Maybe even fewer than the psychopaths you mentioned. > Conscience bound people often will quit their job rather than make a decision for greed when that decision will harm people. Sure, some would. But on the other hand, there are 21 thousand people working for Monsanto. Do you think only the very top executives know how evil the company is? What about, say, all of the so-called "financial services industry"?

white_devil 15y ago

> 4% of the population commits the far majority of atrocities. That 4% is made up of the psychopaths - people genetically endowed with no conscience. I didn't mean people like Hitler and Stalin. Plenty of those in history, of course. But think about politicians all over the world. Surely you'd agree that a lot more than 4% of them are mostly just concerned with their personal gain, instead of the common good. That's a result of the selfishness and greed inherent in human nature. Even good people are selfish. I'm good but I'm also selfish. On the other hand, take Julian Assange for example. Now that guy is just about as selfless as humans come, but how many percent of the world's population do you think are like him? Maybe even fewer than the psychopaths you mentioned. > Conscience bound people often will quit their job rather than make a decision for greed when that decision will harm people. Sure, some would. But on the other hand, there are 21 thousand people working for Monsanto. Do you think only the very top executives know how evil the company is? What about, say, all of the so-called "financial services industry"?