Is the concentration of sociopaths in society increasing ? Are they becoming more prevalent? Is sociopathy a defect that is heredity or is our societal trend creating more?
What identifies a sociopath? Research will reveal the following social / emotional traits. They:
- Lack empathy and are emotionally shallow
- Lack remorse or guilt
- Are deceitful and manipulative
- Lack social behavioral controls
- Need constant excitement and lack responsibility
- Are egocentric and grandiose, yet often charming
- Are glib and superficial
Most of us ‘normal’ humanoids are
restrained from certain anti social or potentially hurtful behaviors by a
conscience. Sociopaths are not restrained by this inner social filter. The
conscience gene is dampened or missing. As humans we are different from animals
because we have this sophisticated inner mechanism, as apposed to animals who
are guided by instinct and are more pre programmed.
Interestingly some of these sociopathic
traits are shared by a generation that we often label gen-y. Here is how one
commentator generalises this generation:
Selfish, arrogant,
totally lacking in compassion. Self righteous attitudes, the opinion that they
are better than their parents and that the world owes them everything. Some
delusional belief that they should be able to walk into a job with no
experience, not do anything they don't like and get paid top dollar. Maybe it's
the fault of the stupid laws that stopped us beating them senseless when they
were young. They seem to think they can do what they want, when they want and
to hell with how much it hurts anyone else. It's a scary thought that they will
eventually be responsible for the planet. God help the future.
Obviously the gen yers fight back and say
that it is past generations that have caused these traits and that gen xers and
baby boomers are just winging about the next generation, as generations tend to
do. The banter back and forth is all over blogs and column commentaries.
Individuals take is personally, but it is an overall personality change in
‘young’ people that is being noticed. Narcissists have always existed, but are
they becoming more prevalent ?
I don’t think these impersonal, inhuman,
animalistic traits are limited to the latest generation. I think society as a
whole is taking on these ‘me first’ characteristics. If success is identified
by wealth, looks and conquests then the sociopathic traits would surely be
‘attributes’. The CEO would be hampered by empathy, the big time lawyer would
be stumbled by a well-tuned conscience and the media mogul, and his empire,
would be held back by a magnanimous mindset.
Is there any data to suggest that these
traits are on the increase? In her article ‘Is
there an Epidemic of Narcissism today?’ Jean Twenge Ph.D. notes that a
particular study she conducted shows that narcissistic traits are increasing
ever faster. She states:
From 2002 to 2007, college students' scores
on the Narcissistic
Personality Inventory (NPI) rose twice as
fast as we'd found in an earlier study that covered changes between 1982 and 2006. The increase in narcissism was
stronger for women than for men in both datasets. Men are still more
narcissistic than women on average, but women are catching up fast. This makes
some sense, as a lot of the cultural push toward narcissism has a bigger effect
on girls and women.
Obviously this study just looks at one
trait of a sociopath, but there are other studies to be found on other traits.
I would be keen to hear of any notable ones within the comments of this blog
article.
If you, like me, think that a better way to
be is a ‘you first’ mindset, then you may find yourself feeling a bit like a
fish out of water in modern society. Humanist traits of care, empathy and
conscience seeking will not serve you well if you want to keep up and get
ahead. In reality these qualities are being bred out of us and whittled away.
The stats speak for themselves, regardless of what the blog wars say. Gen yers are
like the latest brood from the mother world. But we can all get infected. Our
consciences can be blunted !!
If you are honest you can see something is
wrong with society. It’s a more sociopathic environment and it doesn’t look
like changing any time soon.
Recommended
Reading:
- Without Conscience – The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths around us by Robert D. Hare
- Sociopath World Blog by M.E. Thomas – the book looks good too!
- The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout
- The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson
- Snakes in Suits by Paul Babiak
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 in the Bible by God
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