Popularly at least, the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath, is that the sociopath has better impulse control, is a more long term thinker and is better at concealing their disorder in the long term. I'm sure those who are saying this is not clinically correct are right.
That's just people making shit up. There's been a long series of clinical terms for this going back to phrases like "morally retarded" in the 19th century. Clinically "psychopath" was superseded by the term "sociopath" (which has itself been superseded) and referred to same lack of empathy and Iago-like tendency to see all human interaction as a game that needed to be played for dominance and exploitation.
Clinically "psychopath" was superseded by the term "sociopath" (which has itself been superseded) and referred to same lack of empathy and Iago-like tendency to see all human interaction as a game that needed to be played for dominance and exploitation.
Well, to continue in the vein of making shit up, in my mind the distinction has more to do with the sociopath not giving a good goddamn what they have to do to get what they want, whereas for the psychopath the violence/harm is all part of the charm.
I thought the sociopath knew the difference between right and wrong and didn't give a shit, and the psychopath was strictly controlled by their own impulses.
At least that's the way I defined in my head for a long time. I can't remember where I got that from, though.
Pardon me for bringing up something that has nothing to do with sociopaths.
I just got an email with a long, lovely, heartfelt tribute to my sister. I wish I could say that it made me feel warm and sad and happy, since that was clearly the intention. But the truth is it made me feel a little bitter that my sister was so wonderful and giving to people who were not her family, and so parsimonious with her love towards us. Intellectually I get it. We each get to choose who we want as family, and she was certainly free to choose to embrace her friends over us. But in the end, with the exception of a few good friends who refused to let her push them away, it was family who nursed her through her illness, and it is family who will need to take care of the messes she left behind.
And I'm trying not to cry because I'm at work, and I need to go teach in 15 minutes.
Aw, Burrell. That's so hard.
That's really hard, Burrell.
Oh, Burrell, that's so hard. I don't know if you need the affirmation or not, but in case you do: you get to feel however you want to feel. You don't have to feel warm and sad and happy. Maybe you will some day. Maybe you never will. That's okay either way.
(And if you don't need the affirmation, then I'll just reiterate that it's hard, and I'm sorry you're dealing with it.)
Aw, Burrell, I'm sorry you're having to deal with this too.
