A friend of mine who is a Dr. of psychology posted this on his FB account in October leading up to the election:
Is Trump SOCIOPATHIC?
You can be the one to decide for yourself - if you haven’t already. It’s only ethical to share this before the election. (And Zuckerberg, as a new, fellow Tahoe City community member, please don’t funnel this post into some feel-good, polarizing filter bubble - is that even possible with Facebook now?)
Why is your personal determination about whether Trump is SOCIOPATHIC important? Over 20 years I’ve observed firsthand just how harmful SOCIOPATHY is to social systems, including families, communities, small/large scale institutions and even the nation and the world. I’ve been personally and professionally duped by SOCIOPATHS several times before and no one can claim that it will never happen to them. Many SOCIOPATHS are experts with many decades of training. Somehow our own personalities can figuratively merge with theirs and next thing you know, we are recruited to satisfy their needs and to protect them - all beyond our awareness and conscious control.
SOCIOPATHY is not a soft and fuzzy medical condition. It’s neurological and physically based. It’s one of the least treatable personality types and many experts contend its not treatable at all. Think of it this way: thickly layered SOCIOPATHS literally cannot view the world outside of their own needs. The psychology and resulting sociology is metaphorically like a snow globe in which everything and everyone revolves around the primary figurine that is surrounded by a fantastical manufactured reality. We all become mesmerized, whether we are in the camp of those who merge and enter the globe or are those who can’t stop viewing the scene from the outside.
The position of the presidency will not change a hardened SOCIOPATH, nor will a short bout with COVID. If you think a SOCIOPATH cares if you, your parents, your children or friends suffer or die of COVID 19, you have been duped. They literally cannot go there. If you think their strategy is based on some grand scheme that benefits those beyond themselves, you might think again. Their motivations are purely self driven.
My impression is informed by professional experience, which is impossible to omit - but my current assessment is personal. You also have the right and responsibility to read publicly available criteria and make a personal, non-professional determination before you make one of the most important decisions of your life - who to elect in 2020.
After READING THE CRITERIA BELOW, you can ponder the implications of potentially voting a SOCIOPATH to the most powerful position in the world. How would it impact your life, your kids’ lives, the quality of life for all Americans and people worldwide? How will it impact the earth for future generations and the survival of the human species? Personally, do you feel comfortable entering or remaining in the snow globe? Or do you chose stay outside and maintain your own perspective beyond the swirling needs of the primary figurine? Everyone has has a right to their own vote and their position. The dynamics that draw us in or repel us are so complex that no one should feel shame in their decision. But please, at least read on below.
Antisocial Personality Disorder
DSM V Criteria - Revised April 2012
The essential features of a personality disorder are impairments in personality (self and interpersonal) functioning and the presence of pathological personality traits. To diagnose antisocial personality disorder, the following criteria must be met:
Significant impairments in personality functioning manifest by:
1. Impairments in self functioning (a or b):
a. Identity: Ego-centrism; self-esteem derived from personal gain, power, or pleasure.
b. Self-direction: Goal-setting based on personal gratification; absence of prosocial internal standards associated with failure to conform to lawful or culturally normative ethical behavior.
AND
2. Impairments in interpersonal functioning (a or b):
a. Empathy: Lack of concern for feelings, needs, or suffering of others; lack of remorse after hurting or mistreating another.
b. Intimacy: Incapacity for mutually intimate relationships, as exploitation is a primary means of relating to others, including by deceit and coercion; use of dominance or intimidation to control others.
B. Pathological personality traits in the following domains:
1. Antagonism, characterized by:
a. Manipulativeness: Frequent use of subterfuge to influence or control others; use of seduction, charm, glibness, or ingratiation to achieve one„s ends.
b. Deceitfulness: Dishonesty and fraudulence; misrepresentation of self; embellishment or fabrication when relating events.
c. Callousness: Lack of concern for feelings or problems of others; lack of guilt or remorse about the negative or harmful effects of one's actions on others; aggression; sadism.
d. Hostility: Persistent or frequent angry feelings; anger or irritability in response to minor slights and insults; mean, nasty, or vengeful behavior.
2. Disinhibition, characterized by:
a. Irresponsibility: Disregard for – and failure to honor – financial and other obligations or commitments; lack of respect for – and lack of follow through on – agreements and promises.
b. Impulsivity: Acting on the spur of the moment in response to immediate stimuli; acting on a momentary basis without a plan or consideration of outcomes; difficulty establishing and following plans.
c. Risk taking: Engagement in dangerous, risky, and potentially self-damaging activities, unnecessarily and without regard for consequences; boredom proneness and thoughtless initiation of activities to counter boredom; lack of concern for one’s limitations and denial of the reality of personal danger
C. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual‟s personality trait expression are relatively stable across time and consistent across situations.
D. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual’s personality trait expression are not better understood as normative for the individual‟s developmental stage or socio- cultural environment.
E. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual‟s personality trait expression are not solely due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., severe head trauma).
F. The individual is at least age 18 years.
