This is fascinating. I’ve always wondered if there was a place to find research specific to presidents and presidential candidates in relation to psychopathic characteristics.
Ironically, Hitler and Ida Amin were two of the people on the list of individuals my psychopathic second husband included in an email he sent to my parents and me (of people he compared himself to) about a week before he killed his friends.
Thank you for your words, Joy. I must admit the last sentence rather hit me for six. What a story that is: and what terrible experiences you must have had. I shall be interested to read your Substack.
Interesting article, Jason. Another common trait of psychopathy is sexually promiscuous behaviour, a trait most certainly shared my the likes of Clinton and JFK. In terms of psychopathic benefits, when I was undertaking my own research, there was a theory that some psychopathic traits were in many ways necessary as man evolved, and became less dominant as we began to better co-exist in communities. I found that a fascinating prospect.
Interesting! I assume most modern politicians are somewhere on the psychopathy spectrum... I can't imagine any psychologically healthy person to want to get involved with such a shit show!
Right? I can't remember who it was who said leadership should be done by lottery - every adult's name is in the mix and a person gets picked at random to be in charge for a year… I can think of worse systems!
"Once researchers allowed for gender differences, they found that this race, too, was very nearly a draw." What were the gender differences, and how/why did researchers factor gender into their analysis?
Good questions both! The score needed to be classified as a psychopath on that scale differs by gender since females generally have a lower score than males. Hence to get into the top, say, 5% of females requires a lower score than to get into the top 5% of males.
Thanks! A lot to take in here. And lots of implications.
“He asked the biographers of a number of historical figures to complete one of those psychopathy checklists on their subjects’ behalf.[ix] He wondered which ones would qualify as psychopaths.”
This is similar to what i have been doing on substack with narcissism looking at the biographies of the iconically famous (using the map of narcissism). And Im interested in the intersection of narcissism and psychopathy. Narcissism, of course is also interested in power, charm and admiration.
It seems there was a link between the least psychopathic and most psychopathic presidents, and how well known their names are today. Maybe this is just about level of success. Or maybe something about them just made them capture the public imagination more? Is this part of psychopathy or part of narcissism, or like me do you see a continuum?
fascinating column linking psychopathy to the presidency and highlighting that some aspect of this conditions can actually help presidents do good jobs.
This is fascinating. I’ve always wondered if there was a place to find research specific to presidents and presidential candidates in relation to psychopathic characteristics.
Ironically, Hitler and Ida Amin were two of the people on the list of individuals my psychopathic second husband included in an email he sent to my parents and me (of people he compared himself to) about a week before he killed his friends.
Thank you for your words, Joy. I must admit the last sentence rather hit me for six. What a story that is: and what terrible experiences you must have had. I shall be interested to read your Substack.
Interesting article, Jason. Another common trait of psychopathy is sexually promiscuous behaviour, a trait most certainly shared my the likes of Clinton and JFK. In terms of psychopathic benefits, when I was undertaking my own research, there was a theory that some psychopathic traits were in many ways necessary as man evolved, and became less dominant as we began to better co-exist in communities. I found that a fascinating prospect.
Love how you contextualize psychopathy with presidents. Thats not been done before. Excellent writeup!
Interesting! I assume most modern politicians are somewhere on the psychopathy spectrum... I can't imagine any psychologically healthy person to want to get involved with such a shit show!
Exactly! Politicians are people who look around the world & think, ‘You know who’d be really good at fixing all this? Me!’
Right? I can't remember who it was who said leadership should be done by lottery - every adult's name is in the mix and a person gets picked at random to be in charge for a year… I can think of worse systems!
There could certainly be worse ones. The people you least want to be in power are precisely those who are most likely to seek it.
Eye-opening.
"Once researchers allowed for gender differences, they found that this race, too, was very nearly a draw." What were the gender differences, and how/why did researchers factor gender into their analysis?
Good questions both! The score needed to be classified as a psychopath on that scale differs by gender since females generally have a lower score than males. Hence to get into the top, say, 5% of females requires a lower score than to get into the top 5% of males.
Makes sense. Thanks.
Friend went to a lecture book tour last night given by a prominent UK cardiac surgeon, entitled: Surgeon's Saints or Psychopath?
This is really, really good.
That’s kind of you to say. Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely fascinating!
Thank you!
Thanks! A lot to take in here. And lots of implications.
“He asked the biographers of a number of historical figures to complete one of those psychopathy checklists on their subjects’ behalf.[ix] He wondered which ones would qualify as psychopaths.”
This is similar to what i have been doing on substack with narcissism looking at the biographies of the iconically famous (using the map of narcissism). And Im interested in the intersection of narcissism and psychopathy. Narcissism, of course is also interested in power, charm and admiration.
It seems there was a link between the least psychopathic and most psychopathic presidents, and how well known their names are today. Maybe this is just about level of success. Or maybe something about them just made them capture the public imagination more? Is this part of psychopathy or part of narcissism, or like me do you see a continuum?
fascinating column linking psychopathy to the presidency and highlighting that some aspect of this conditions can actually help presidents do good jobs.