Twilight of the Psychopaths

Twilight of the Psychopaths by Dr. Kevin Barrett

“Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.” – John Lennon, before his murder by CIA mind-control subject Mark David Chapman.
When Gandhi was asked his opinion of Western civilization he said it would be a good idea. But that oft-cited quote, is misleading, assuming as it does that civilization is an unmitigated blessing.

www.agoracosmopolitan.com...




This is an interesting article discussing the nature of hierarchical social structures like secret societies, the military, political parties and corporations which facilitate the empowerment of psychopaths and sociopaths.

[edit on 22-8-2008 by masonwatcher]

Originally posted by masonwatcher
This is an interesting article discussing the nature of hierarchical social structures like secret societies, the military, political parties and corporations which facilitate the empowerment of psychopaths and sociopaths.

The article you cite doesn't mention sociopaths at all. I still maintain my position that sociopaths could not work within someone else's rules long enough to gain power of their own.

Given that Bush is reported to have participated in parties where child prostitutes were sodomized and otherwise abused, among his many other crimes, his statement to McClendon should be taken seriously.

What???

Civilization, as we know it, is largely the creation of psychopaths. All civilizations, our own included, have been based on slavery and “warfare.” Incidentally, the latter term is a euphemism for mass murder.

What what???

All this time I thought society was created, and thrives, upon the leadership of people like Plato, Socrates, Jesus, Ghandi, Abraham, Moses... etc.

While certainly war is crazy, the authors assertion that 5% of those in the military are psychopathic killers responsible for the majority of the killing is repulsive.

Every person I have known in my life that served in a war that had to kill was, without exception, a kind and gentle soul who was repulsed and sickened at what they had to do.

Their souls were heavy and burdened by the horrors of war.

This author makes outrageous claims with no evidence to support them. I would think even the most hard-core conspiracy theorist would be ashamed and outraged that he is publishing this tripe in their name.

Socrates, Jesus, Gandhi, Abraham and Moses were iconoclasts of the highest order, and all but the last two died for their beliefs. Socrates and Jesus were murdered in total accordance with the laws of the states in which they lived.

Great men are not the builders of society; they are the ones with the courage to defy it.

Civilization, as we know it, is a system of institutionalized financial and social penalties designed to sustain a life of uneventful mediocrity for the unthinking, xenophobic masses; it provides a means and a haven for the power-hungry to pursue their lust in a regimented and precedent-based architecture. Society is designed, in other words, to reward the simple and the cruel, while penalizing the creative and the free.



[edit on 22-8-2008 by The Parallelogram]

reply to post by masonwatcher
I agree with JoshNorton the article confuses sociopath with psychopath. Further more psychopaths are not insane. They are just selfish. Their selfishnes is their undoing.

Sociopaths are much harder to bring down. They are not selfish. They frequently make great sacrifices for their group. Everything they do is for the advantage of their group. Putting individual members of the group in jail does nothing to stop the abuses of groups that are sociopathic. Any abuse or punishment a sociopathic group suffers will strengthen the bond between group members. Although they do great evil, they also are not insane.They are just wolfish.

The disadvantage sociopaths may have is in the fact they are so conformist ,and they are slow to change. Their addiction to group think sometimes steers them in directions they ought not follow. Even when it is apparent they are on a dangerous path, they can not go against the group.



[edit on 22-8-2008 by eradown]

Originally posted by JoshNorton

Originally posted by masonwatcher
This is an interesting article discussing the nature of hierarchical social structures like secret societies, the military, political parties and corporations which facilitate the empowerment of psychopaths and sociopaths.

The article you cite doesn't mention sociopaths at all. I still maintain my position that sociopaths could not work within someone else's rules long enough to gain power of their own.

Then would it be safe to extrapolate from your comment that you believe sociopaths are unconventional and loners? An extremely convenient position for a Freemason.

My position is that psychopaths are medical defects and sociopath moral defectives. How they perform within a group really depends on their intelligence.

Originally posted by masonwatcher
Then would it be safe to extrapolate from your comment that you believe sociopaths are unconventional and loners? An extremely convenient position for a Freemason.

Not just my opinion... the textbook definition. Sociopathic is a catchall term that refers to Dissocial Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Psychopathy, as I outlined in the post I linked to. Hard to picture "antisocial" or "dissocial" types being the life of any party.

So, explain the Freemason jab. Do you believe that a sociopath is likely to go to lodge meeting after lodge meeting, following Robert's Rules of Order, abiding by the edicts of their Grand Lodge and tradition that has lasted a few hundred years? Or is it more likely that a true sociopath who joined Freemasonry would tire quickly of the rigid structure and formalities that Freemasonry imposes and quit or stop attending because he is unable to change it?

My position is that psychopaths are medical defects and sociopath moral defectives. How they perform within a group really depends on their intelligence.

Your "position" isn't worth much, unless you happen to be a psychiatric professional who happens to be doing cutting edge research that's going to change the definitions and descriptions already on the books. Somehow the likelihood of you being such a visionary researcher seems slim, but I'm willing to accept it if you'll put up your credentials to back up your "position."

reply to post by JoshNorton


I merely posted an article about a personality types that rises to the top in our society and you descend into an ad hominem attack. I don't give a flying fnck what you think is the definition of 'sociopath'. The weirdness of it all in you masonic frenzy you state,

Sociopathic is a catchall term that refers to Dissocial Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Psychopathy...

The above summary incorporates my take on the article and use of the word sociopath. Psychopathy means showing manifestations of clinical psychopathic traits. Antisocial personality disorder, as found in sociopaths, can be induced through nurture and conditioning. Wiki states antisocial behaviour as "... (antisocial behavior) must not occur exclusively during an episode of schizophrenia or a manic episode.[4]". In effect, a perfectly healthy individual in their youth can be conditioned to be a sociopath. Individuals joining certain organisations and groups do get conditioned and indoctrinated to the extent that their behaviour can be considered abnormal and abhorrent in wider society. These sociopathic traits are regulated with ritual and discipline. A psychopath takes to these environments like a duck to water since they are not hindered by a conscience and will readily take advantage of defined structures of authority and rise through the ranks.

I think you are fixated on the sociopaths produced in fractured and dissonant communities of poor people in our inner cities when in fact the most lethal sociopaths are produced in institutions and various bodies of authority.

OK, that is a quick explanation of my position. I do not need to post my credentials on ATS to satisfy your obnoxious table thumping demands nor am I claiming to be an expert in psychology but I do note that you and your ilk habitually categorize detractors of Freemasonry as delusional. How about you display your credentials on this matter here to satisfy my mild interest unless of course you are a sanctimonious hypocrite.

[edit on 22-8-2008 by masonwatcher]