8 ms·

I hate to say it, but quite a few US presidents have a psychological profile that closely, if not entirely, fits that of a socio/psychopath -- in fact, these tr

I hate to say it, but quite a few US presidents have a psychological profile that closely, if not entirely, fits that of a socio/psychopath -- in fact, these traits are invaluable when you are running for president (having this condition, as pop culture likes to hint, does not make you a murderer necessarily). A sociopath is risk-adverse, does not take responsibility or feel guilty, and often is outwardly charming. These days more than ever, a president is required to "look the other way" or remain "blissfully ignorant" when the biggest lobbyists secure major contracts, enact laws that benefit them, or sidestep laws that don't. As a side note, both of my parents are psychiatrists who have dealt with every variety (including the criminally insane) - this does not in the least make me an expert, but they did teach me a lot (for my own safety) about spotting these types of disorders.

tedivm 13y ago
I don't know if this qualifies as sociopathy at all. On the contrary, he seemed like someone desperate for an emotional connection.
- gavanwoolery 13y ago
  You could be quite right - there is no true way to tell without looking over a long, accurate history of their behavior. However, this would be my "best guess" if I were placing a bet. Something in your head has to be a little bit differently wired to have an affair when you hold the most esteemed political position and the entire world is watching your every move (or trying to).
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - toasterlovin 13y ago
    "Something in your head has to be a little bit differently wired to have an affair when you hold the most esteemed political position and the entire world is watching your every move (or trying to)." Or maybe the reason some males seek an "esteemed political position" is so that they can have access to more sexual partners...
the_watcher 13y ago
Think about the ego required to run for President, not to mention actually continue functioning as President. Actually believing that you are the best choice to be the most powerful person on the planet.
- dragonwriter 13y ago
  > Actually believing that you are the best choice to be the most powerful person on the planet. Even excluding the immoral or amoral considerations that could supporting run for or functioning as President, that's not required: you only need to think that you are a better choice than anyone likely to get the position if you don't.
  - the_watcher 13y ago
    That's a fair semantic point, but in terms of ego required, I don't think it makes a difference.
    - dragonwriter 13y ago
      I think it makes a pretty big difference; while it requires some ego, it doesn't require nearly as much as the "best choice" presentation makes it seem if you have a justifiably narrow view of the objective indicia of potential electability ; seeing yourself as the best qualified of maybe a few dozen people well-situated to compete for the Presidency given the realities of the way such campaigns run -- a condition which is mostly do to selection for traits which, while they may be related to running for President, are arguably only loosely correlated with effectively performing as President -- takes a lot less ego than seeing yourself as the best qualified person for the most powerful position on the planet from either the pool of legally qualified options or, even moreso, the pool of everyone on the planet ignoring legal qualifications.
oseibonsu 13y ago
Those characteristics apply to narcissists. All sociopath are narcissists but not all narcissists are sociopaths. Sociopaths cannot feel empathy or guilt. Those who suffer from narcissistic personality disorder feel guilt and are driven by a deep sense of insecurity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disord...
- gavanwoolery 13y ago
  Yep - that is entirely true. But wouldn't you feel guilty if you humiliated a girl like JFK did at the pool with Powers? It seemed that JFK had no remorse about any of his actions -- but again, this is just working off the material I am reading here (which matches some other accounts of his behavior).
  - vinceguidry 13y ago
    He did apologize to her. He didn't have to.
  - phaus 13y ago
    Actually, the article mentions that JFK apologized to both of them afterwards.
    - gavanwoolery 13y ago
      Apologizing is different from feeling guilt (or doing it in the first place) - that said this is still very much the realm of hypothesis for me so I would gladly be wrong. Sociopaths are able to blend in fairly well exactly because of things like this - they can even put on the mask of caring or feeling guilty without being either. I used to work with a sociopath (99 percent certain of this) - he would do completely reckless things with company money, then when I would call him out on it he would apologize. Later he would repeat the same offenses. Similarly, I don't think this was Kennedy's last questionable action.
      - 13y ago
sliverstorm 13y ago
I hate to say it... having this condition does not make you a murderer necessarily If it doesn't mean a person is a murdering nutso, why do you hate to say it? Why does it matter? Not that it doesn't, but you go to all this trouble to convince us they were sociopaths and then you completely neglect to tell us why it matters. Don't leave us hanging! A sociopath is risk-adverse P.S. it's risk-averse
- gavanwoolery 13y ago
  Thanks for the correction :) - just a figure of speech. A lot of people would take offense to being called a sociopath (even though its not always a harmful condition). I guess I would "hate to say it" because its potentially shameful that we elect people like this to lead our nation (or maybe we need people like this, I don't know)? Again, I cannot make any definitive judgments without a full, undeniably accurate account of their behavior. Even if not being murderers, it can be dangerous to have a sociopath in the President's seat because (among other things) a full-blown sociopath would not hesitate to enrich or empower themselves at the expense of others (i.e. the nation), by making poor decisions based off of lobbied cash.
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    it can be dangerous to have a sociopath in the President's seat On the other hand, it seems to me like certain sociopathic behaviors would be ideal for someone in the position of the President. Boldness, ruthlessness, and a lack of empathy would all be helpful getting things done, even if they are unseemly or unpleasant.
    - gavanwoolery 13y ago
      Yes - all good qualities to have, it is a two-sided coin (sometimes). Sociopaths are also said to make good businessmen.
aaron695 13y ago
>I hate to say it, but quite a few US presidents have a psychological profile that closely, if not entirely, fits that of a socio/psychopath The behaviour described in the article is fairly normal behaviour, so no idea where this fits in? Are we somehow surprised Presidents are just normal people and as such must be psychopaths? Loving his kids so much he names rubber ducks after them(While taking a bath with someone he cares about) Truly believing a better red than dead future for them at the height of the cold war? Calling his mistress the see how she is and admitting he's almost crying when she left? Their world is different but that doesn't mean they are.
- dougws 13y ago
  Did you read the whole article? If not, go ahead and read the part about pressuring the intern into giving his assistant oral sex while he (Kennedy) watched. That is absolutely not "normal behavior".
  - aaron695 13y ago
    This is standard stuff for people in power, don't you read the news? This includes sports players and it's not psychopathy that would helps sport players, it's about driven people if anything. Or are you confusing normal with 21st century, western moral?
    - nyrina 13y ago
      I'm honestly a bit scared if you view this as normal. I would really consider seeing a professional, if I were you, just to get those assumptions of yours checked. They might agree with you, in which case I'm wrong
      - toasterlovin 13y ago
        There's a big difference between thinking something is normal and thinking it is right. Normal != right.
auctiontheory 13y ago
A sociopath is risk-adverse The behavior described doesn't sound too risk-averse to me!

tedivm 13y ago

I don't know if this qualifies as sociopathy at all. On the contrary, he seemed like someone desperate for an emotional connection.

gavanwoolery 13y ago
You could be quite right - there is no true way to tell without looking over a long, accurate history of their behavior. However, this would be my "best guess" if I were placing a bet. Something in your head has to be a little bit differently wired to have an affair when you hold the most esteemed political position and the entire world is watching your every move (or trying to).
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- toasterlovin 13y ago
  "Something in your head has to be a little bit differently wired to have an affair when you hold the most esteemed political position and the entire world is watching your every move (or trying to)." Or maybe the reason some males seek an "esteemed political position" is so that they can have access to more sexual partners...

the_watcher 13y ago

Think about the ego required to run for President, not to mention actually continue functioning as President. Actually believing that you are the best choice to be the most powerful person on the planet.

dragonwriter 13y ago
> Actually believing that you are the best choice to be the most powerful person on the planet. Even excluding the immoral or amoral considerations that could supporting run for or functioning as President, that's not required: you only need to think that you are a better choice than anyone likely to get the position if you don't.
- the_watcher 13y ago
  That's a fair semantic point, but in terms of ego required, I don't think it makes a difference.
  - dragonwriter 13y ago
    I think it makes a pretty big difference; while it requires some ego, it doesn't require nearly as much as the "best choice" presentation makes it seem if you have a justifiably narrow view of the objective indicia of potential electability ; seeing yourself as the best qualified of maybe a few dozen people well-situated to compete for the Presidency given the realities of the way such campaigns run -- a condition which is mostly do to selection for traits which, while they may be related to running for President, are arguably only loosely correlated with effectively performing as President -- takes a lot less ego than seeing yourself as the best qualified person for the most powerful position on the planet from either the pool of legally qualified options or, even moreso, the pool of everyone on the planet ignoring legal qualifications.

oseibonsu 13y ago

Those characteristics apply to narcissists. All sociopath are narcissists but not all narcissists are sociopaths. Sociopaths cannot feel empathy or guilt. Those who suffer from narcissistic personality disorder feel guilt and are driven by a deep sense of insecurity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disord...

gavanwoolery 13y ago
Yep - that is entirely true. But wouldn't you feel guilty if you humiliated a girl like JFK did at the pool with Powers? It seemed that JFK had no remorse about any of his actions -- but again, this is just working off the material I am reading here (which matches some other accounts of his behavior).
- vinceguidry 13y ago
  He did apologize to her. He didn't have to.
- phaus 13y ago
  Actually, the article mentions that JFK apologized to both of them afterwards.
  - gavanwoolery 13y ago
    Apologizing is different from feeling guilt (or doing it in the first place) - that said this is still very much the realm of hypothesis for me so I would gladly be wrong. Sociopaths are able to blend in fairly well exactly because of things like this - they can even put on the mask of caring or feeling guilty without being either. I used to work with a sociopath (99 percent certain of this) - he would do completely reckless things with company money, then when I would call him out on it he would apologize. Later he would repeat the same offenses. Similarly, I don't think this was Kennedy's last questionable action.
    - 13y ago

sliverstorm 13y ago

I hate to say it... having this condition does not make you a murderer necessarily If it doesn't mean a person is a murdering nutso, why do you hate to say it? Why does it matter? Not that it doesn't, but you go to all this trouble to convince us they were sociopaths and then you completely neglect to tell us why it matters. Don't leave us hanging! A sociopath is risk-adverse P.S. it's risk-averse

gavanwoolery 13y ago
Thanks for the correction :) - just a figure of speech. A lot of people would take offense to being called a sociopath (even though its not always a harmful condition). I guess I would "hate to say it" because its potentially shameful that we elect people like this to lead our nation (or maybe we need people like this, I don't know)? Again, I cannot make any definitive judgments without a full, undeniably accurate account of their behavior. Even if not being murderers, it can be dangerous to have a sociopath in the President's seat because (among other things) a full-blown sociopath would not hesitate to enrich or empower themselves at the expense of others (i.e. the nation), by making poor decisions based off of lobbied cash.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  it can be dangerous to have a sociopath in the President's seat On the other hand, it seems to me like certain sociopathic behaviors would be ideal for someone in the position of the President. Boldness, ruthlessness, and a lack of empathy would all be helpful getting things done, even if they are unseemly or unpleasant.
  - gavanwoolery 13y ago
    Yes - all good qualities to have, it is a two-sided coin (sometimes). Sociopaths are also said to make good businessmen.

aaron695 13y ago

>I hate to say it, but quite a few US presidents have a psychological profile that closely, if not entirely, fits that of a socio/psychopath The behaviour described in the article is fairly normal behaviour, so no idea where this fits in? Are we somehow surprised Presidents are just normal people and as such must be psychopaths? Loving his kids so much he names rubber ducks after them(While taking a bath with someone he cares about) Truly believing a better red than dead future for them at the height of the cold war? Calling his mistress the see how she is and admitting he's almost crying when she left? Their world is different but that doesn't mean they are.

dougws 13y ago
Did you read the whole article? If not, go ahead and read the part about pressuring the intern into giving his assistant oral sex while he (Kennedy) watched. That is absolutely not "normal behavior".
- aaron695 13y ago
  This is standard stuff for people in power, don't you read the news? This includes sports players and it's not psychopathy that would helps sport players, it's about driven people if anything. Or are you confusing normal with 21st century, western moral?
  - nyrina 13y ago
    I'm honestly a bit scared if you view this as normal. I would really consider seeing a professional, if I were you, just to get those assumptions of yours checked. They might agree with you, in which case I'm wrong
    - toasterlovin 13y ago
      There's a big difference between thinking something is normal and thinking it is right. Normal != right.

auctiontheory 13y ago

A sociopath is risk-adverse The behavior described doesn't sound too risk-averse to me!