> Another point might be that if we categorise Hitler as a sociopath > isn't that the same kind of pushing him away as the conspiracy > theorists do. Another way of saying we're safe because he aint like > us. >
I think the different way we are looking at this, and that includes Turq, is that you both seem to be taking a philosophical stand on the concept, but psychiatrists are taking a clinical approach. Telling a family that their son's interest in torturing kittens is just him expressing his dark side doesn't help. The model evolved by treating patients who display certain recognizable symptoms. If you are counseling a person who lacks a capacity for empathy and cannot relate to the question, "how does your action make another person feel?", there is a problem for that person to develop relationships of any kind. But all of modern psych is a POV. It is one I appreciate but it is not for everyone I guess. --- In [email protected], "hugheshugo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> > wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "hugheshugo" > > > > <richardhughes103@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > I have reached a conclusion on the Hitler conspiracies, I > > > > > think it's all caused by fear. Fear that if Hitler wasn't > > > > > possessed/in league with aliens/ the devil etc. then he > > > > > must have been closer to us than we like to admit. Just > > > > > a man. How close to his madness are we? That, I think, > > > > > is the fear that drives this. > > > > > > > > Bingo. > > > > > > > > The higher the "pedestal of evil" folks place Hitler > > > > up on, the less they have to deal with the possibility > > > > that he was Just Like Them. > > > > > > Although I agree with this point in general, in the specific > > > I think there are some people who are functioning outside the > > > social contract. Of course I am not going to need to invent > > > demons for this. But the book "The Sociopath Next Door" > > > opened my eyes to an interesting POV that there is a substantial > > > population of people who do cannot feel empathy, and have no > > > conscience as we know it Only a small percentage become criminal > > > and even smaller become murderous. But functioning in society > > > without the restraints of the social contract can unleash a > > > predatory behavior. Hitler was different from us in many > > > important ways. > > > > I have no problem with you believing this, but I > > don't. The sociopath is *no different* than any > > of us; he's just pursued certain aspects of his > > normal, everyday humanity in non-everyday ways. > > *Everyone* has the potential to be a sociopath. > > *Everyone* has the potential to be a Gandhi. What > > determines which path they choose is as much a > > mystery to me as it is to anyone else, but I > > firmly believe that Hitler was no more essentially > > "evil" or a "sociopath" than Gandhi was. > > > > Another point might be that if we categorise Hitler as a sociopath > isn't that the same kind of pushing him away as the conspiracy > theorists do. Another way of saying we're safe because he aint like > us. >
