See earlier posts in this series: Sociopathy: What is a Sociopath? Sociopathy Part 2: The Traits of a Sociopath Sociopathy Part 3: The Creation of "Its" Sociopathy Part 4: The Importance of Authority and Obedience There is a particular strain of sociopath that is especially odious… The covetous sociopath. Dr. Stout defines covetous this way: an inordinate desire for the possessions of others. She explains that not all sociopaths are covetous. Sociopaths do not always have a covetous. nature-some are very differently motivated - but when lack of conscience and co … [Read more...]
Sociopathy Part 4: The Importance of Authority and Obedience
This is the fourth in the series about Sociopathy based on the book by Dr. Martha Stout, The Sociopath Next Door. The previous posts are here: Sociopathy: What is a Sociopath? Sociopathy Part 2: The Traits of a Sociopath Sociopathy Part 3: The Creation of "Its" "Very simply, we are programmed to obey authority even against our own conscience." Dr. Stout describes the famous experiment done by Yale professor Stanley Milgram and correlates it to the world of sociopathy. If you are not familiar with his experiment, Milgram had “authorities” telling people to administer ele … [Read more...]
Sociopathy Part 3: The Creation of “Its”
This is the third in the series about Sociopathy based on the book by Dr. Martha Stout, The Sociopath Next Door. The previous posts are here: Sociopathy: What is a Sociopath? Sociopathy Part 2: The Traits of a Sociopath One of the things a sociopath does, especially when in a leadership position, is create an us v. them mentality, reducing the "them" to things that are not worthy of empathy, fairness or even continued existence. Hubbard generated this mentality from the earliest days of scientology -- beginning with positioning Dianetics as a fight of good v. evil and salvation v. … [Read more...]
Sociopathy Part 2: The Traits of a Sociopath
This is the second in the series about Sociopathy based on the book by Dr. Martha Stout, The Sociopath Next Door. The previous post is here: Sociopathy: What is a Sociopath? The elements that are used to diagnose sociopathy/psychopathy/antisocial personality disorder are as follows: Many mental health professionals refer to the condition of little or no conscience as "antisocial personality disorder," a noncorrectable disfigurement of character that is now thought to be present in about 4 percent of the population - that is to say, one in twenty-five people. This condition of missing … [Read more...]
Sociopathy: What is a Sociopath?
I have been re-reading the wonderful book by Harvard professor Dr. Marth Stout, The Sociopath Next Door It has even more applicability to the world of scientology today than when I first read it. I had always thought that David Miscavige was a unicorn — unique, cruel and deranged. That it had been my misfortune to have encountered him, but I would never run into anyone like him again. Then I read Dr. Stout's book and realized that there are recognized and identifiable personality traits that sociopaths share. And by her estimation they constitute about 4% of the population. She d … [Read more...]
On David Miscavige’s Behavior
Another in what will be an ongoing, if sporadic, series of reposting earlier important posts. I originally wrote this for Marty's blog way back in January 2010 and then republished on my blog on April 6, 2013. My perspective on things has changed a lot since then, and I would add that today, I consider David Miscavige to be even more accurately described in Martha Stout's book The Sociopath Next Door. However, this was originally written against the criteria described by L. Ron Hubbard in 1953. I still find the analysis useful, and for those who like to use the words of L. Ron Hubbard to g … [Read more...]