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Cal33

(7,018 posts)
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 06:03 PM Feb 2016

Listed below are 10 professions with the highest and lowest percentage of psychopaths

among their members. Some of them will come as a surprise to you.

Professions with the most psychopaths in their ranks:
(It has a lot to do with having power over others)

1. CEO
2. Lawyer
3. Media (TV/Radio)
4. Salesperson
5. Surgeon
6. Journalist r
7. Police Officer
8. Clergyperson
9. Chef
10. Civil Servant

Professions with the fewest psychopaths in their ranks:
(It has to do with being connected and having feelings about
others)

1. Care Aide
2. Nurse
3. Therapist
4. Craftsperson
5. Beautician/Stylist
6. Charity Worker
7. Teacher
8. Creative Artist
9. Doctor
10. Accountant

http://theweek.com/articles/457731/which-professions-have-most-psychopaths

39 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Listed below are 10 professions with the highest and lowest percentage of psychopaths (Original Post) Cal33 Feb 2016 OP
This message was self-deleted by its author steve2470 Feb 2016 #1
Lawyer is not a shock. nt Logical Feb 2016 #2
I agree. Although there are people from many different professions among our politicians, I Cal33 Feb 2016 #5
neither is chef if you have ever worked in the restaurant biz! lunasun Feb 2016 #12
I've never worked in the restaurant business. I was kind of surprised. Cal33 Feb 2016 #14
They rule the kitchen sometimes absurdly and if some creation is sent back by a customer well lunasun Feb 2016 #15
Good info. cheapdate Feb 2016 #3
thanks for reformatting, I jumped the gun and made an inaccurate post steve2470 Feb 2016 #4
I tried to make two columns on the same level, and found out I didn"t know how Cal33 Feb 2016 #6
I think you can do it if you use the TAB key a lot to create spaces, lots of work nt steve2470 Feb 2016 #8
psychopath is different from sociopath, though many psychopaths are sociopaths. haele Feb 2016 #16
In my reading I've always read they are one and the same, but I won't argue the point, thanks nt steve2470 Feb 2016 #19
The words are often used interchangeably. Here's a short article describing the differences Cal33 Feb 2016 #28
The reference is to a book. We have no idea how this list was compiled. HuckleB Feb 2016 #7
Just Google "Professions with the most and the least psychopaths" and you will have 294,000 Cal33 Feb 2016 #9
You realize that doesn't mean a thing, right? HuckleB Feb 2016 #10
Go a bit further. Don't be so lazy. Cal33 Feb 2016 #11
It's your OP. HuckleB Feb 2016 #17
We're still waiting. HuckleB Feb 2016 #32
And try some of the pages further back. Common sense says it's not likely that there Cal33 Feb 2016 #13
Please do. HuckleB Feb 2016 #18
If you google anything -- incuding random words former9thward Feb 2016 #22
It's a pretty safe bet it isn't worth much Major Nikon Feb 2016 #30
I can't argue with that. HuckleB Feb 2016 #31
You are correct. I didn't find any other original authors. From what I've read, the Cal33 Feb 2016 #33
I can vouch for the Chef one. kentauros Feb 2016 #20
I am surprised LEOs aren't higher. hifiguy Feb 2016 #21
Lawyers are listed as number 2, right behind CEOs. It's quite possible that some lawyers Cal33 Feb 2016 #25
My wife is a nurse madokie Feb 2016 #23
Nope... not one bit. ScreamingMeemie Feb 2016 #34
agreed shanti Feb 2016 #36
the civil servants are *driven* crazy tk2kewl Feb 2016 #24
I only care about one, civil servant. HassleCat Feb 2016 #26
I think you are correct. Most people need frequent reminders. Here's an idea: Have every Cal33 Feb 2016 #27
Makes sense, home care aids are some of the kindest people I have ever met. Odin2005 Feb 2016 #29
Yes, you are correct. RebelOne Feb 2016 #38
The home therapists ohheckyeah Feb 2016 #35
CEO would have to be at the top. Knowingly making thousands of families homeless Rex Feb 2016 #37
I would have thought "GOP elected representatives" would be #1 for most. Initech Feb 2016 #39

Response to Cal33 (Original post)

 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
5. I agree. Although there are people from many different professions among our politicians, I
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 06:26 PM
Feb 2016

think the largest group among them are the lawyers.

lunasun

(21,646 posts)
15. They rule the kitchen sometimes absurdly and if some creation is sent back by a customer well
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 07:10 PM
Feb 2016

customer beware of an irate psycho chef you never see and staff cannot declare
and the server cant really defend the dish and what may be done to it even it it winds up under the chef's shoe heel before they give it back to go out to the table again that's all im gonna say
and not all chefs
but they do rule and just like any rulers some can be nice and others terrible tyranny for the staff and unaware clients
not surprised they made top ten

steve2470

(37,457 posts)
4. thanks for reformatting, I jumped the gun and made an inaccurate post
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 06:19 PM
Feb 2016

Last edited Sun Feb 21, 2016, 05:17 PM - Edit history (1)

Why the fuck would ANY genuine psychopath (also called sociopath, FWIW) want to be a poorly paid care aide, equally poorly paid nurse or therapist or teacher or charity worker ? Sociopaths want POWER and MONEY, or one of those. Hello, politics, crime, big business is calling!

 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
6. I tried to make two columns on the same level, and found out I didn"t know how
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 06:29 PM
Feb 2016

to do it. (Maybe it can't be done on a computer?)

Edit: It looked okay when I wrote it, but the problem began after I sent it.

haele

(12,581 posts)
16. psychopath is different from sociopath, though many psychopaths are sociopaths.
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 07:39 PM
Feb 2016

Psychopaths = born with no capability for empathy. Psychopathy is a type of mental disability, the inability to distinguish other people or feelings. What emotional capability they do have is at a primitive level. There is no guilt or pity, nor is there hate or love.
I've heard it described as living in a huge, complex, paint-by-numbers environment without a paintbrush, and the only colors available to use are dull grey or tan.
Psychopaths are born that way, but like many people with emotional/mental disabilities, a psychopath who makes a choice not to just do whatever best suits their immediate situation, who is good at taking cues as to how they are supposed to act in society, can pass as a normal person for the most part.
There are quite a few psychopaths (I've worked with one) who understand the concept of benefit from doing the greater good, and they're usually held up as heroes making sacrifices, because they're not emotionally invested in either pain or pleasure. Other psychopaths will seek out what little emotional stimuli that is available to them - typically very primitive adrenaline based emotions.

Sociopaths = strong internal emotional triggers that override any available feelings of empathy. Sociopathy can be either developed (environmental) or inherent (biological).
Because their emotional needs overwhelm any social awareness, a sociopath typically makes choices that benefits them without consideration of others.
A defining characteristic of a Sociopath is one who seeks out strong emotional stimuli to validate their presence around others and overcome any inadequacies or weaknesses they personally feel or think they have.

Haele

steve2470

(37,457 posts)
19. In my reading I've always read they are one and the same, but I won't argue the point, thanks nt
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 07:41 PM
Feb 2016
 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
28. The words are often used interchangeably. Here's a short article describing the differences
Sat Feb 20, 2016, 01:45 PM
Feb 2016

between the two:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/whats-difference-between-sociopath-and-psychopath-not-much-one-might-kill-you-270694

There are many other articles. I looked up DuckDuckGo.com "Differences between
psychopathy and sociopathy."

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)
7. The reference is to a book. We have no idea how this list was compiled.
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 06:29 PM
Feb 2016

I don't think it's worth the time of day.

 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
9. Just Google "Professions with the most and the least psychopaths" and you will have 294,000
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 06:45 PM
Feb 2016

results. Take your pick.

HuckleB

(35,773 posts)
10. You realize that doesn't mean a thing, right?
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 06:48 PM
Feb 2016

And all the first links appear to be to various versions of the press release for the book that led to the article in the OP. Something's fishy.

 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
13. And try some of the pages further back. Common sense says it's not likely that there
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 06:58 PM
Feb 2016

would be 294,000 articles -- all repetitions of the one same book.

former9thward

(31,805 posts)
22. If you google anything -- incuding random words
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 07:50 PM
Feb 2016

with will get thousands, if not tens of thousands of results. This list is garbage but people believe anything on the internet.

Major Nikon

(36,814 posts)
30. It's a pretty safe bet it isn't worth much
Sat Feb 20, 2016, 05:11 PM
Feb 2016

Tests for psychopathy are universally unreliable. Even the ones that are required to be administered by professionals have all sorts of inherent flaws.

 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
33. You are correct. I didn't find any other original authors. From what I've read, the
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 12:29 PM
Feb 2016

lists come from Oxford University's research psychologist Kevin Dutton's book: "The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies and Serial Killers can teach us about success."

If you're interested in what methods he used in obtaining his information, you'll probably have to read his book. By the way, if you're lucky, Amazon does sell used books at dirt cheap prices. Good luck!

----------------------------------------------

Here's a brief summary of Dutton's book: (Even this brief summary is stimulating and interesting)

In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a scale of "madness" along which we all sit. Incorporating the latest advances in brain scanning and neuroscience, Dutton demonstrates that the brilliant neurosurgeon who lacks empathy has more in common with a Ted Bundy who kills for pleasure than we may wish to admit, and that a mugger in a dimly lit parking lot may well, in fact, have the same nerveless poise as a titan of industry.

Dutton argues that there are indeed "functional psychopaths" among us—different from their murderous counterparts—who use their detached, unflinching, and charismatic personalities to succeed in mainstream society, and that shockingly, in some fields, the more "psychopathic" people are, the more likely they are to succeed. Dutton deconstructs this often misunderstood diagnosis through bold on-the-ground reporting and original scientific research as he mingles with the criminally insane in a high-security ward, shares a drink with one of the world's most successful con artists, and undergoes transcranial magnetic stimulation to discover firsthand exactly how it feels to see through the eyes of a psychopath.

As Dutton develops his theory that we all possess psychopathic tendencies, he puts forward the argument that society as a whole is more psychopathic than ever: after all, psychopaths tend to be fearless, confident, charming, ruthless, and focused—qualities that are tailor-made for success in the twenty-first century. Provocative at every turn, The Wisdom of Psychopaths is a riveting adventure that reveals that it's our much-maligned dark side that often conceals the trump cards of success.

-----------------------------------


From the Publisher

“The Wisdom of Psychopaths is captivating. Dr. Dutton's book invigorated my consideration not just of a certain television character, but of slow-pulsed overachievers everywhere.” —Michael C. Hall, actor, producer, Dexter

“A terrifically entertaining and chilling book.” —William Georgiades, Slate

 

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)
21. I am surprised LEOs aren't higher.
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 07:49 PM
Feb 2016

The lawyers I've met in the decades since I left law school are either raging psychos or pretty decent people, and the split has been slightly in favor of decent people. But psycho lawyers - I once worked for Assrocket - are genuinely terrifying and amoral monsters.

 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
25. Lawyers are listed as number 2, right behind CEOs. It's quite possible that some lawyers
Sat Feb 20, 2016, 12:58 PM
Feb 2016

are CEOs. CEOs are not necessarily all MBAs, and politicians are not necessarily all
lawyers. Correct?
So, coming from a single profession, lawyers may very well be in the No. 1 group.

madokie

(51,076 posts)
23. My wife is a nurse
Fri Feb 19, 2016, 08:02 PM
Feb 2016

and there isn't any psychopaths in their ranks that I know of. In fact nurses are the nicest most caring people on planet earth, Venus included

Can't tell I love my wife can you?

ScreamingMeemie

(68,918 posts)
34. Nope... not one bit.
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 01:07 PM
Feb 2016


I adore nurses. Typically in it for all the right reasons that so many healthcare professionals aren't anymore.

Props to your wife. My niece is about to graduate.
 

HassleCat

(6,409 posts)
26. I only care about one, civil servant.
Sat Feb 20, 2016, 01:02 PM
Feb 2016

We need to instill in people the idea that government exists to do things for them, things the corporate world is unable or unwilling to do. And we need to demand our elected officials and government workers make this their first concern, and remember their duties to the public interest.

 

Cal33

(7,018 posts)
27. I think you are correct. Most people need frequent reminders. Here's an idea: Have every
Sat Feb 20, 2016, 01:24 PM
Feb 2016

government official (including the highest ones) attend a short (like an hour or two) but
high-powered program every 6 months to remind them that they are in their jobs to
SERVE the people, not to simply make use of them for their own private ends. This could
help somewhat with those who are non-psychopaths.

The big problem is those who are psychopaths. They will go through any formality and
swear to anything, without meaning any of it at all. And they can't change. It would be
nice if there were some way of preventing psychopaths from getting into high positions
to begin with -- be it with the government or private industry.

They are the cause of most of the misery in the world, since the beginning of human
history. According to DSM-IV, psychopaths make up between 2% and 4% of the
general population. It's a small percentage of people who are, and always have been,
the cause of our world problems.

RebelOne

(30,947 posts)
38. Yes, you are correct.
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 08:07 PM
Feb 2016

My daughter-in-law is a home care aide and it just seems to come naturally to her. My daughter is a high school teacher and has the patience of a saint On the other hand, I was in the journalism field, and probably would be classified as a psychopath.

 

Rex

(65,616 posts)
37. CEO would have to be at the top. Knowingly making thousands of families homeless
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 05:36 PM
Feb 2016

for decades could only be done by someone that is methodical and sadistic.

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