My good friend Amy Scobee tweeted about this article and I thought it worth sharing here. It is from Healthline. This is an excerpt.
What is so interesting is how many of these antisocial traits are actually TAUGHT by scientology to be positive things (or at least justified where it’s the “greatest good for the greatest number of dynamics” which always equates to what is good for scientology)…
Recognizing Antisocial Behavior in Adults and Children
What is a sociopath?
“Sociopath” is an informal term that’s often used to refer to someone who has antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). ASPD is a personality disorder that involves a lack of empathy in addition to manipulative behaviors and impulsiveness in some people.
The additional behaviors set it apart from other conditions, such as autism, which can also cause a lack of empathy. “Having empathy” refers to being able to recognize and identify with the feelings of another person.
When trying to identify someone as having ASPD, it’s important to remember that this is a complex diagnosis. It involves a mix of biological and environmental factors. The term “sociopath” also carries many negative associations, so it’s best to avoid accusing someone of being one.
If you think someone you’re close to might have ASPD, consider taking a step back from the relationship. People with ASPD often don’t recognize that they have a problem, and they’re typically reluctant to find treatment.
Signs of ASPD in adults
The signs of ASPD can vary widely from person to person. In addition, one person’s symptoms may change over time. When reading through these signs, keep in mind that all humans exhibit this kind of behavior from time to time, especially when they’re upset. They aren’t always signs of ASPD.
Unlike someone having a particularly bad day, people with ASPD never feel any remorse for what they’ve said or done, even if it caused someone a great deal of harm.
1. Lack of empathy
One of the most notable symptoms of ASPD is a lack of empathy. In response to another person’s feelings, they may come across as:
- cold
- unfeeling
- callous
- overly critical
- harsh
People with ASPD don’t always realize how harmful their actions are. In other cases, they may simply not care that their actions hurt someone.
2. Disregard for right and wrong
People with ASPD generally have no regard for boundaries, rules, or laws. Someone with ASPD may:
- lie
- cheat
- steal from others
- break laws
- be in constant legal trouble
- be in an out of jail for minor to major crimes
When disregarding right and wrong, people with ASPD usually don’t consider the short- or long-term consequences of their actions.
3. Wit and charm
In addition to their more negative behaviors, people with ASPD often come off as very charismatic and charming. They may use humor, flattery, intellect, or flirtation for personal gain. In other cases, they might use these techniques to get someone to do something that’s harmful to them.
4. Impulsiveness
People with ASPD tend to act without considering the consequences. They might regularly engage in life-threatening activities without considering their own safety or the safety of anyone else involved.
This impulsiveness and disregard of consequences puts people with ASPD at a high risk of developing an addiction to a substance or behavior, such as gambling.
5. Arrogance
People with ASPD may act as if they’re above those around them. In addition to acting extra confident, they may also be condescending or easily irritated by others, especially those who disagree with them.
6. Aggression
People with ASPD are often psychically or verbally abusive. They may physically harm people without any consideration of the resulting injuries to the other person.
Verbal abuse might include:
- insults
- deprecation
- negative statements
- public or private humiliation
The bottom line
Each case of ASPD is unique, though there are a few common characteristics. However, most people exhibit some of these traits at one point or another without having ASPD. If someone regularly acts out these behaviors despite fully understanding the consequences, they may have conduct disorder or ASPD.
Regardless of their actions, its best to leave the actual diagnosis to a doctor.
There once was an arrogant shit
Given to psychotic fits
He burned all his members
Until they were embers
And settled disputes with his fists
Seems like DM and Robert Durst have a lot in common, seriously…
Well these antisocial traits certainly are the ugly side of life. That’s why being on staff is so painful. All those antisocial traits were being flung around verbally, no empathy for the mental pain they incurred after “ripping his face off!” Sometimes it came with a cuff upside the head (or worse) if so needed and all that makes for a very heavy vibe that tends to stay with one after we leave. It is contagious too!
If it’s ok, I would like to recommend that everyone try to read Dr. Phil McGraw’s book LIFE CODE…. it’s a real eye opener.
I was raised to always give people the “benefit of a doubt”….a so called “pass” for their misbehavior…..even if that meant that person would repeat their misbehavior. This book will give you additional information on how to future RECOGNIZE these people, WHY the do the things they do, i.e be a Player OR GET PLAYED…..real LIFE lessons on how to smarten up and protect yourself & loved ones, especially the children & grand children.
It’s is NOT the SAME WORLD I knew as a child…well, actually it IS the same world BUT now we need to be more careful about the kind of people we have around us. I’ve learned the hard way that there ARE people who are “users”….people who WILL take advantage of you at every opportunity & you will be blind to it because you are a kind hearted, warm, loving, forgiving person who tries to see the good in people.
This is one reason most people were duped into involving themselves into “the organization”…trying to help “clear the planet”, “save the planet”, become a super hero who like the old TV Series “I Dream Of Jeannie”…can blink one’s self in about of situation & make “bad things go away”.
Well, at least give it consideration…borrow the book from the Library or a friend, or get it downloaded on line….I have read it many times because I am one of those “nice people” who often times gets stepped on…it reminds me to be more careful.
You can write a book of Scientologist lack of empathy incidents.
I have a sad one:
Paula Quigley joined Scientology at 16 and spent her entire life in it, first in NY Org in the 70’s and last as an auditor at ASHO in the late 90’s and 2000’s. She got lung cancer at 60 and died. Her dying wish was to have her ashes spread out on the Pacific Ocean. She named Stacey Wells, a Scientologist as her Executor.
Scientologists cleaned out her apartment of her meager belongings and left her ashes sitting at the LA Coroners Office where eventually they were disposed along with other abandoned poor souls.
That is keeping Scientology Working
Oh, I knew Paula when she audited for AOLA. I thought she married Vic Ukerman. I left mid 1996. Sad. Of course she said cremation – how could she expect anything else. But to think her wishes don’t matter and a promise is not important. I wonder what happened to Vic.
David M. really takes it to another level. How unfeeling do you have to be to let your own father die in a parking lot when you think he is suffering a heart attack. Now THAT is one lonely, cold SOB – even for the COB.
Zola…what goes around. .comes around. As they say
Would serve him right to have that happen to him
Cat Lover – you nailed it and you are forgiven. We are all human beings who are frail with character defects. Scientology gives you character defects you do not want. The challenge is this – notice your Scientology Identity and change it. Be a compassionate human being that truly cares about others.
I was in the Sea Org and I am a Elite Snob who thinks I know it all.
I have to do a lot of deprograming to do to be a normal human being again. I am trying to bring my awareness up so I can notice my “Scientology Identity” coming out and I can make the decision to be who I want to be – a human being with compassion and understanding.
My biggest realization since I left the cult
“I am mocking up a Scientology Identity but I can stop it and control it”.
I am at cause over Matter, Energy, Space, Time and my Scientology Identity (I don’t want).
I can now be a human being who does not care about my spiritual freedom and I have joined the ranks of BILLIONS of people who DON’T KNOW and its okay.
Life is a journey and I am going to enjoy it.
A=A=A, great comment. So true. It took me years of self inquiry and introspection to uncover the Hubbard-induced-mind-trap.
A good therapist or good friend can help us by talking this shit out.
In early 1988 my two FSM’s reported to me that “OT’s” in Europe were tracking Miscavige’s physical attacks on Sea Org members. The warning was out and we briefly discussed organizing a “coup” to stop the carnage. My decision at the time was to fight punches with punches. If Miscavige threw a punch, he would not survive the action. The opportunity came in 1989 on the Freewinds just before leaving Scientology. Stats had crashed on the ship after original OT VIII was released. I went up to catch the buffet on the upper deck and there was Miscavige standing to the side all alone. The entire ship had the crew and about three public people. Not knowing if Miscavige was in an aggressive mood, I made my plan. He was only about two feet from the wall which separated him from the warm waters of the ocean below. Keeping with policy, I walked over to him with fully clenched and tight fists prepared to answer his punch and then to overboard him into the water below. To my surprise, he looked at me and said nothing. I knew that OT VIII was a total failure because of Hubbard’s Luciferian anti-Christ announcement. I sarcastically said “OT VIII was really great” knowing full well that he would retract it because of all of the trouble with people who tried to complete it. They had to establish a special section on the Freewinds to handle the hobbling students shaken to the core. I rejected Hubbard solely on his claim that original Scientology and Original Buddhism were logically consistent. Such an obvious contradiction by a stupid man. A few weeks later the registrar from the Freewinds called me in Miami. She had blown after the “bloodbath” on the Freewinds. She was seeking support. I offered to help but she never showed up to our meeting place.
“To my surprise, he looked at me and said nothing.”
The evidence seems to be that he’ll only physically abuse staff who won’t fight back (many testimonies to this effect). That, or he needs to have his bodyguards with him, in which case he’ll attack anyone (i’m thinking of Marc Headley’s account in “Blown for Good” here).
Psychopaths are good at reading people so when you approached him, he could tell you were ready to defend yourself. If he had his bodyguards with him, he might have started something. That’s what i figure.
Yes, I think the little guy sensed that he would be crushed instantly.
The important feature of a psychopath is their lack of a conscience. One has to repeat that often to make it sink in – psychopaths lack a conscience, it’s not there, it will never be there, they never had one, and, with a minor exception, no amount of so-called treatment or rehab or loving kindness or come-to-Jesus moments will ever install a conscience in their head.
The lone exception brings some hope: research indicates early intervention of a specific nature in the lives of teen males who lack empathy brings them closer to the human norm for empathy. It’s not much, but it’s something.
Many psychopaths are in prison, not because they are too dumb to stay out of prison, but because they simply don’t care – they don’t have the brain mechanism that says “prison bad; penthouse good.” That lack of something structural to normal brains is what makes them so dangerous to others. It’s impossible to be “in a relationship” with a psychopath because, to them, the world is occupied by them, and by not-them – disposable creatures put on this planet to use, to treat well, or to destroy, whatever pleases the psychopath at the moment paths cross.
If your daddy or mentor never told you there are some people you just don’t mess with, no matter what, well, he or she should have. A psychopath can go through life as a tough-guy with an attitude, or as Casper Milquetoast, then one day, no, one moment become the dangerous, remorseless killer with no conscience that lived within him all along. When the violence is over, the incident will be the other guy’s fault: “He never should have [got in my way, stepped on my toes, called me a name, got the job instead of me, refused me something… whatever] Doesn’t this begin to sound like the innocent person who got hurt “pulled it in”?
nless a person is board certified by the APA and the AMA, it is not correct to make a any kind of diagnosis of another person. Diagnosing others based on partial knowledge of the person and little to no knowledge of modern medicine can be harmful and even illegal. I hope you understand where I’m coming from. This is mentioned in the front matter of every copy of the DSM since the third edition and even carries over into legal matters that involve impaired or very ill persons who commit crimes or other things. It can be a real mess. Anyways, just be very careful.
LMAO at Tam. The DSM changes all the time which tells ANYONE with an IQ higher than room temp that IT IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENT. THUS, It is NOT a scientific field or subject. THUS one doesn’t need a degree or certification to make judgments in it.
Thank you for the response. Whether or not it fits your idea of “scientific,” it is the law in the United States. It is meant as a legal help and a protection for patients. To be exact, it means that a psychiatric diagnosis (by anyone) cannot be introduced as evidence for the prosecution or defense of an individual. Also, it is sometimes impossible to make a completely accurate Dx even with perfect knowledge of the book. The online DSM has not changed in regard to the law and this type of lay diagnosis. It is simply a boiler plate statement. There are three problems with your lazy diagnosis of the subject : 1). You have presumed that the subject is ill before collecting any information 2). You have created your own standard for the illness 3). You have done so without any medical and/or psychiatric knowledge whatsoever. I don’t personally know the guy and neither do any of you. Believe it or not you are unfairly passing judgement on another human being (doesn’t matter who it is). The APA style guide provides the standard for scientific documentation of psychiatric illnesses. The DSM is a diagnostic tool (just a tool). The case studies and the desk reference are also tools.
Its reliability as a diagnostic tool has been argued for decades. The DSM is compiled via consensus (which is obviously subject to change) and when that fails, a vote. Very sciencey.
As there is no conclusive scientific means of proving a patient actually has any of its listed mental “disorders”, the only thing the DSM can reliably show is how much two people agree on specific categories of symptoms (via Cohen’s Kappa). It is also a fact that kappa reliability standards for the DSM V are lower now than when they were first introduced for the DSM III, which suggests said agreement is no longer all that firm.
But even if it was, do these arbitrary “disorders” ultimately help us understand the root causes of psychological discomfort and the human condition? (What about your sun sign and your ascendant?) Many psychiatrists and most psychologists (particularly in Europe) would arguably say no.
More blathering Tam. It isn’t “my” idea of scientific. Please go earn a degree in a field of SCIENCE and you will learn about the SCIENTIFIC method. Since you are clueless about THAT, you cannot intelligently converse on the subject you are blathering on about.
My wife and I have taken our health into our hands by our own study and application of what we have studied.
My wife knows more about health, food and exercise than most MDs.
As a result of that we have come to a conclusion that we are at a time in our culture where the common man and women, by virtue of instantaneous availability of information for research are in a superior vantage point than past generations.
It is not rocket science to observe the behavior of violent people who have no remorse for the suffering they cause and label them a sociopath.
I have respect for doctors. But I have taken them off the pedestal of “ infallible sage”.
We do not have to wait for the approval of “experts” to know what we know.
A lot of us are totally done with that disempowering surrendering of what is known to “experts”.
Experts said eggs where bad
Then they said eggs where good
Experts said fat was bad
Experts then learned some fats were good
Experts said cholesterol was bad
Then they said some cholesterol was good
Science made margarine and we thought it was good
Then science said trans fat from margarine is deadly.
When it comes to labeling Hubbard and DM sociopaths, we do not need the approval of ivory tower experts to know what we know, through observation and experience – the process of scientific knowing, to conclude that these two creatures are dangerous sociopaths.
Brian – well said, I always love your comments. By the way I saw your interview with Ron Sr. and it was GREAT. Cant’ wait for part 2. I really admire your spiritual journey since leaving the cult and appreciate your eloquent explanations of your thought process here and on that podcast. Hugs.
Tam —
If you’re talking about David Miscavige or $cientologists, I assure you that a ton of people who read and post on this blog DO know him and them quite well. People here were in the cult. Passing unfair judgment? Give me a break.
David Miscavige is the epitome of an anti-social personality, as well as a narcissistic and abusive asshole of the highest order.
Most $cientologists are the same. That’s a fact.
The DSM, every version since the first, is so bogus that no one need worry about voicing or writing any “diagnosis” arising from whatever words are in it. Today it is just a shortcut list of favorite code numbers used by clinicians to make sure insurance companies come through with the payments.
Check out the 2013 book by long-time psychotherapist Gary Greenberg called The Book of Woe: The DSM and the Unmaking of Psychiatry. It contains all you ever wanted to know about the various versions of the DSM, and the long history behind them.
Greenberg is not a critic, but his honest recital of the facts surrounding the who, what, when, where and why of the various DSM versions shows the many weaknesses quite clearly.
If you can’t afford it, let me know and I’ll check to see if there is some way I can legally send parts of it under Fair Use.
Scientology – the Bridge to Sociopathic Tendencies
How Scientology creates the Characteristics of a Sociopath
• Lack of empathy – Inability to feel sympathy for others or to understand…
Scientology training implants ideas in the Scientologist that empathy or sympathy is low toned and undesirable.
• Cold, calculating nature – The ability and willingness to use others around them to personal gain.
Scientology training implants the idea to use ARC (Affinity, Reality and Communication) so as to manipulate each other into signing contracts to join staff and the Sea Org to work for nothing (they will lie)
and giving Scientology huge sums of money in exchange for a carrot on a stick via a propaganda induced implanted idea that Scientology is doing anything good for anyone or that it will help you.
• Shallow emotions – Lack of real emotion in response to events, limited capacity to feel love.
Scientology audits out human reactions and emotions and the tech and policies train Scientologists to stop thinking any thoughts that induce emotions below 2.0 on the Tone Scale.
Tech and policies such as
“no case on post,
take it up in auditing
and no entheta”
keeps Scientologists from feeling any emotions considered negative and entheta
• Narcissism – A personality disorder in itself in…
Scientology auditing and training creates people with narcissistic traits where they believe they are better than others even if they are out of Scientology. Especially the OT’s.
That narcissistic elitism runs very deep in a highly trained, audited up to OT 7 or OT8 Scientologist
or even the ex Scientologist – such as myself.
I am embarrassed to admit that Scientologists, especially the OT’s, can be some of the nastiest people on the planet if they don’t deprogram Scientology from their identity. I am happy I can feel embarrassment now. There were many years I did not feel anything.
I should know – I was one.
I am working very hard to deprogram myself so I can be a feeling, emotional, caring and empathetic human being that does not know if I lived before nor do I care.
I apologize (something a Scientologist will never do) to everyone I was an arrogant asshole to. I am so sorry and I hope you all forgive me.
I hope this makes sense to some of you.
El Con Hubtard & the Demented Midget to a T.
Another thing I have noticed about Miscavige is he’s seems like a very angry person.in the world of psychology anger is not a healthy state to be in all the time,it’s quite destructive. In Scientology they seem to promote anger. I don’t see Miscavige as anti social I see him as narcissistic personality. He doesn’t seem to give a shit about anyone but himself and his own wants and needs. That’s my take on it.
In the last few decades there has been a lot of solid research into psychopathology, the general term which covers sociopathology, antisocial behavior, etc. Research points to measurable abnormality in brain structure that goes all the way back to infancy. So far the cause(s) of the damage are undetermined, but one thing seems certain – unless they caused the damage to the child’s prefrontal cortex, parents were not the cause of their child’s later psychopathic behavior. Mom and dad, you’re off the hook, mostly.
Dr. Robert D, Hare, author of the widely accepted PCL-R Checklist used to identify psychopathic personalities, writes “…public interest in psychopathy has become almost insatiable, with the production of a great many documentaries, popular books, magazine articles, television programs, and movies, many ill informed and poorly done.”
Dr. Hare also writes “current conceptualizations of psychopathy [are] informed by the extensive empirical research on the integration of structural, genetic, developmental, personality, and neurobiological research…”
whew, you said a mouthful there. bubba.
He means psychopathy is a complex subject, and it is difficult even for scientist researchers to grasp all the inter-related factors. It is no less complex for all of its great popularity, and perhaps the subject suffers from too much lay interest, and too many lay mis-understandings.
So, while it’s easy to spot bad actors thrashing people with bad behaviors in this Internet age, not all of them are psychopaths, but certainly some are.
————
Books for further reading.
Kent Kiehl’s book is a page-turner and is highly recommended.
Kent A Kiehl – The Psychopath Whisperer- The Science of Those Without Conscience 2014
Martha Stout, Ph.D. The Sociopath Next Door 2006 [popular]
Paul Babiak, Robert D Hare – Snakes in Suits- When Psychopaths Go to Work, 2006 [popular, if difficult]
Davy, Davy tell me your withholds do
I’m half crazy, trying to process you
It won’t be a stylish jail time
To pay for all those high crimes
But you’ll look sweet, chains on your feet
In a tiny cell built for two
Wow. Exact description of L.R.H. and David Miscavige AND the doctrines of Scientology. They’re actually training people to exhibit ASPD!
Miss Dutch, you beat me to the same comment. The only point Tubby missed was the “Wit and charm”, which I didn’t see evidence of, though he must have had some to get the early folks to the “dedicated glare” stage of KSW. In person, in the brief time I saw him in Daytona (Sept ’75, IIRC) he wasn’t impressive. In fact, I didn’t recognise him from the ubiquitous photos around the orgs and innocently asked the Bimbette holding his ashtray if I could use it, too. I didn’t quite understand the strange look she gave me at the time. Gad, he was sloppy, and seemed a little shy.
…and when one is harmed by the psychopathology Hubbard built into Scientology, it’s not his fault, it’s because you “pulled it in.”
Okay. So david miscavige is either a sociopath or he’s having a really bad day.
My vote is for Narcissistic Sociopath with Napoleon Complex…
Mary said:”Okay. So david miscavige is either a sociopath or he’s having a really bad day.”
BOTH can be true, and likely are these days.
Yea. Every day is a bad day I’m sure. I wonder if that expensive scotch he to self medicate works?
For Lil Davey, call it Spoiled Brat Syndrome.
(Apologies to father Ron Miscavige; some people are spoiled brats by internal desire, not because of actual parental spoiling.)
Mary, Miscavige is having a really bad 35 years! lol
Good article, Mike! I would add to the wit and charm section, “In other cases, they might use these techniques to get someone to do something that’s harmful to them: this: they might use these techniques to gt someone to do something that is harmful to another. Cases in point are women who charm their boyfriends on the side to kill their husband, or men who charm a women to kill his wife. They are so good at manipulating others to do their sociopathic dirty work for them. I also recommend the book by Martha Stout, “The Sociopath Next Door.”