[Mb-civic] Psychopathic Behavior

[Alexander Harper]

Thanks, Lyle - that is really interesting and seems spot on. He is not the only world leader, who is basically a frightened psycopath, who has never properly emerged from adolescence. Unfortunately though he leads the world's only hyper-power. Clearly many voters vote for what they recognise in themselves.
AlBaraka

From: "Lyle K'ang" <lyve at netzero.com>
To: mb-civic at islandlists.com
Subject: [Mb-civic] Psychopathic Behavior
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 03:52:50 GMT

> 
> Of Course He Is a Psychopath ...
> 
> A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
> by Elizabeth
> 
> ... or a sociopath -- the distinction here is insignificant.
> 
> I'm a mental health professional and psychopaths are a professional 
> interest of mine. There is little doubt that Bush's is a 
> psychopathic character structure.
> 
> Another, and I think very appropriate term to describe psychopathy 
> is emotional retardation -- an inability to experience higher 
> emotions expressive of the highest human values (such as empathy 
> and guilt, sympathy, compassion, devotion to common human ideals 
> such as peace, for example, etc.).
> 
> A psychopath is a person who uses his often considerable 
> intelligence in the service of his primitive drives (think sex, 
> aggression, power). Being fairly bright, he learns, imperfectly, to 
> mimic emotional expressions suggestive of some higher emotions 
> (compassion, for example), but his reactions hardly fool anyone 
> because they ring hollow as there is no truth and authenticity in 
> them. He can use lofty words when needed -- an easy thing for a 
> fairly intelligent psychopath -- but there is no emotional content 
> to them.
> 
> Just look at Bush's responses whenever he is asked, unscripted, 
> about anything that would require him to express either empathy, or 
> caring and compassion for others, including his own family members. 
> He stammers and stumbles, tries some platitudes or inappropriate 
> jokes, and eventually makes a fool of himself. It is always painful 
> to watch and it clearly demonstrates his emotional retardation.
> 
> Even most recently, when asked about Cindy Sheehan, he responded by 
> saying "And I think it's important for me to be thoughtful and 
> sensitive to those who have got something to say." He followed it 
> with "I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to 
> keep a balanced life."
> 
> This statement in itself is very revealing. First, it sounds like 
> something Bush has just learned to say on advice of his handlers 
> who reminded him to pretend to be human (he *thinks* it is 
> *important* for him to be thoughtful and sensitive ...). Not that 
> he knows what this means, or that any of it resonates emotionally 
> for him, as evidenced by how quickly he closed this statement with 
> a glib reference to, what else, his own need for a "balanced life," 
> a reference that sounds so incredibly insensitive in this context 
> that it completely invalidates the message intended in his previous 
> sentence.
> 
> I have no doubt that this emotionally flat and highly inappropriate 
> statement came from the desk of one of his advisors -- which only 
> shows that psychopathic leaders surround themselves with 
> psychopathic handlers who are equally clueless about what it means 
> to be a feeling human being. It's nothing new or surprising -- we 
> have seen it before in the history of the world. But it's 
> horrendously painful to witness.
> 
> Bush's fumblings with statements that are supposed to express 
> higher human emotions are not a proof that he is unintelligent in 
> the conventional sense (i.e. intellectually impaired). His 
> intelligence appears normal (= average at least) -- but it is the 
> emotional sphere that is so dangerously underdeveloped in him.
> 
> Notice that typically he does not encounter similar troubles when 
> he talks about what is really close to his proverbial heart (not 
> that he possesses a real one): power. All those swagger-filled 
> threats, gestures of intimidation, and displays of bravado -- often 
> in the most inappropriate contexts ("Shock and Awe," "Mission 
> Accomplished," etc.) -- are further proof that we are dealing with 
> intelligence in the service of primitive drives, combined with 
> emotional hollowness. A.k.a. psychopathy.
> 
> And while you're right that playing an armchair diagnostician is a 
> task of dubious value sometimes, in case of G.W. Bush the evidence 
> to support the diagnosis of psychopathy (or sociopathy) is just 
> overwhelming and in plain sight for anyone to see. So if the shoe 
> fits ...
> 
> E.L. Doctorow's essay sums up the core of Bush's psychopathic 
> character so well -- and so painfully for all of us who have 
> retained humanity in our souls.
> 
> The intelligence in the service of primitive instincts that Bush's 
> actions and words represent; the raw aggressive power, unmitigated 
> by thought or higher feeling; and the surge of compensatory 
> confidence it engenders, are what appeals to a great segment of 
> this -- or any other -- society, especially to its powerless and 
> emotionally underdeveloped members. They rally around their leader, 
> seeing in him both a reflection of themselves and a promise of a 
> "victory" that would release their fears and frustrations, and 
> avenge their sorry, hopeless fate. Of course what they do not 
> realize is that their leader couldn't care less about their fate. 
> To him, his minions are an echo chamber for his words and cannon 
> fodder for his missions.
> 
> Tragically, as a nation, we will remain in the dark ages as long as 
> we keep choosing psychopaths as our leaders and pretend this is a 
> good thing. And no matter how hard we will try to convince 
> ourselves that what we yearn for are freedom and democracy for all 
> (and whatever other ideals we choose to endorse by our words), our 
> actions -- the choices we make, including our choice of the leader 
> -- will keep telling the rest of the world otherwise. As shameful 
> as it is, the psychopathic Bush represents America to the world.
> 
> A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
> 
> 
> Lyle K'ang, MBA/IM
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Mb-civic mailing list
> Mb-civic at islandlists.com
> http://www.islandlists.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mb-civic


-- 
___________________________________________________________
Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com
http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm