Stout – The Sociopath Next Door - Comment

 

This text is a lucid study of those individuals who seem to be born without a moral conscience, and as Stout elegantly points out throughout this narrative, one in twenty-five Americans are considered sociopath, causing havoc, heartache, destroyed careers, and the death of many people either directly or indirectly. 

 The single argument in this highly accessible thesis, the one that is down-right astonishing, (though not so after reading the reasons why) is that most of us "instinctively" know when there is a sociopath in our midst, but more often refuse to intellectually or rationally call them for what they are...why? The reason is that we would prefer to believe that the human being is fundamentally good, and pure evil is something rare or something beyond our day-to-day reality. On the contrary, there are people who move through their lives without a hint of guilt for their acts of harm. 
 
The sociopath's motivation is ultimately selfish and life for them is one big game, a contest about winning at any cost. This is a frightening notion, but after reading this book, you will more than likely recognize someone in your past or currently in your life that has all the characteristics of a sociopath and come to understand how and why your life is not the way it should be going and the reason for your general unhappiness. 
 
Martha Stout's "composite" case histories are enlightening as she presents us with varied `types of sociopaths from the homicidal & verbally abusive to the dead beat and covert destroyer of many lives. 
 
One of the more interesting sociopath profiles is the case of "Dr." Doreen Littlefield, a psychologist working at a reputable hospital. Doreen isn't beautiful, has a good body and uses it to her advantage. She is the type of sociopath with a highly covetous nature, willing to annihilate any person that has something she doesn't have and desires. Manipulative, dishonest and cunning, Dr. Littlefield interferes with another doctor's handsome patient because the patient is good looking, and her colleague is one of the star psychologists on staff. She deliberately caves the patient in, sending him off to the padded cell to simply make her fellow psychologist look bad. Other deceptions, of course, are planted carefully to hide her tracks. However, in the end, it is truly shocking that a person would engage in such immoral behavior without feeling a shed of guilt. 
 
Plainly stated and argued gracefully, the sociopath does not possess an aspect which most people have that make us legitimately human, and that is an actualized conscience - a voice, a feeling that guides us to do the right action, and not hurt our fellow human beings... 
 
What is also extremely helpful is the chapter "Thirteen Rules for Dealing with Sociopaths in Everyday Life." 
 
The Sociopath Next Door is a text for just about anyone interested in how evil, real evil operates and how to deal with them.