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spacehabitats
07-05-2008, 08:58 AM
(A slightly jazzed up repost inspired by the book and video about Political Ponerology (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v7PJmKKsfM).)

Have you ever noticed how there are some people who just seem to leave a trail of havoc behind them wherever they go?
They can walk into a party where everyone is having a good time and 30 minutes later there are three simultaneous arguments, a fist fight out back, and one pending divorce?

This is not an accident. This is not bad luck. This is not coincidence.
This is a personality disorder.

Years ago when the psychiatrists started to try to bring some semblance of order to their specialty, they compiled a book of diagnostic criteria for different psychiatric conditions and called it the DSM, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. The result was modern psychiatry.

One of the things they noticed was that there were groups of people who weren't really mentally ill, but that displayed recurring patterns or clusters of personality traits. They would often be involved in highly emotional or dysfunctional situations. Interestingly, THEY did not seek psychiatric care, but their friends and families DID.

One of my mentors in residency put it this way, "People with personality disorders aren't crazy, they just make everyone around them crazy."
They don't seek treatment because they are very happy with who they are. Their personal lives may be a shamble, but they don't want to change, they want everyone else to change.

So what does this have to do with Ron Paul? Well, I am happy to report that it does not have anything at all to do with the good doctor. He seems to be one of the sanest politicians I have ever observed.

I cannot say the same about everyone else in politics.
Lets take the Antisocial Personality Disorder, for example.
This is the person commonly referred to as the "sociopath" or "psychopath".

Diagnostic criteria:


1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest.

2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure

3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead

4. Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults

5. Reckless disregard for safety of self or others

6. Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations

7. <b>Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another.


Does this remind you of anyone?
Maybe a politician who had a history of an improper relationship with a female lobbyist?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/20/john-mccain-affair-links_n_87690.html

Someone who is breaking a campaign finance law that he co-sponsored?

http://www.campaignfreedom.org/blog/id.496/blog_detail.asp

Someone who is notorious for having an explosive temper and throwing out inflammatory epithets?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/19991031/aponline183823_000.htm

Someone who can be caught repeatedly in bold-faced lies during an interview on national TV, smile, and go on without missing a beat?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y395Tftgz0E

Someone who has been accused of collaborating with his captors at the expense of his fellow POW's, and yet has made a career out of being a "war hero"?

http://www.usvetdsp.com/mccainpic.htm

Can't think of anyone yet?
You're not trying.

Seriously, what we need to remember is that sociopaths are not like us. Polygraphers hate them. They can lie extemporaneously and convincingly without feeling even a twinge of guilt or remorse. They make wonderful used car salesmen, televangelists, counterintelligence agents, personal injury lawyers, and, yes, politicians.

The reason that your Aunt Mabel thinks that John McCain (or Bill Clinton or Bush or Obama) is such a wonderful guy is that she is not equipped emotionally to deal with a person like this. She is a sucker for the Big Lie. She looks for non-verbal cues that will usually be reliable indicators that someone is being deceitful, and all she sees is unblinking warmth and sincerity.

These are the 9th degree black belts of Deception.
She doesn't stand a chance.

And neither does our nation unless we can get people to look past the smiling face and warm handshake.

If you are interested in a far more thorough explanation you might want to check out:

http://www.ponerology.com/

TheEvilDetector
07-05-2008, 09:35 AM
5:56 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y395Tftgz0E

Journalist:
"At what point do you stop doing what you think is right and you start doing what the majority of the american people want?"

McCain:
"Well again, I disagree with what the majority of the american people want"

TheEvilDetector
07-05-2008, 10:13 AM
5:56 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y395Tftgz0E

Journalist:
"At what point do you stop doing what you think is right and you start doing what the majority of the american people want?"

McCain:
"Well again, I disagree with what the majority of the american people want"

Amazing, that video was pulled just in the last few minutes.