Psychopathic Charm

The Dark Triad.

Narcissism. Machiavellianism. Psychopathy.

Adding this in, because Heartiste beat me to the punch with this: How To Spot A Psychopath. My own fault, I've been busy and very slow to get this post together and out.

So I'm reading up about Psychopathic Charm, somewhat. It was first brought to my attention through the book by Daniel Kahneman: "Thinking, Fast and Slow". In this, he speaks of what he calls cognitive illusions, illusions of thought. From the book:

As a graduate student, I attended some courses on the art and science of psychotherapy. During one of these lectures, our teacher imparted a morsel of clinical wisdom. This is what he told us: "You will from time to time meet a patient who shares a disturbing tale of multiple mistakes in his previous treatment. He has been seen by several clinicians, and all failed him. The patient can lucidly describe how his therapists misunderstood him, but he has quickly perceived that you are different. You share the same feeling, are convinced that you understand him, and will be able to help." At this point my teacher raised his voice as he said, "Do not even think of taking on this patient! Throw him out of the office! He is most likely a psychopath and you will not be able to help him." 

Many years later I learned that the teacher had warned us against psychopathic charm, and the leading authority in the study of psychopathy confirmed that the teacher's advice was sound. What we were being taught was not how to feel about that patient. Our teacher took it for granted that the sympathy we would feel for the patient would not be under our control; it would arise from System 1. Furthermore, we were not being taught to be generally suspicious of our feelings about patients. We were told that a strong attraction to a patient with a repeated history of failed treatment is a danger sign. It is an illusion - a cognitive illusion - and I (System 2) was taught how to recognize it and advised not to believe it or act on it.

Something like 99% of psychopaths cannot be helped. Basically because they don't actually want to be helped. They think they're fine as they are. (Shit, these days, maybe they are!)

Some parts of the Manosphere advocate taking on the characteristics of the psychopath - because women dig jerks.

I begin to wonder if this is actually more a case of women's "System 1" falling prey to psychopathic charm. Not a "chicks dig jerks" and more a succumbing to a charm that she's never been warned about - and has no experienced social-network to warn her against.

Of course, once she gets screwed over by a psychopath, she's damaged goods.

That's assuming that she's not damaged goods already. So many modern women have BPD/NPD characteristics that it's not funny. No surprise when she's catered to every second of the day from a young age.

Broken beyond repair, either way. "Men did this to me!" Divorce - women - family - friends - everyone in my entire life - did this to me.

The difference is that I own my broken parts. I understand how they were broken. I understand why they were broken. I understand the reasons behind why they were broken - and the reasons behind that - and even some of the reasons behind that. In the deeper layers that Society™ as a whole has no desire to even hint at, let alone explore in any meaningful manner.

I look at the society, at the world, that we are a part of. I understand that I pulled myself out from the gutter. I understand that in many ways, the gutter stayed with me. I even understand that it's a good thing, in many ways, for it has allowed me to open my eyes to see what's around me - to understand why it's around me - and to read it in some ways.

I understand and can accept these things as they are. Even when they hurt. I know that they are a defense-mechanism against what's out there in the world.

Semi-defensive God-Mode in The Matrix. I could reach out to punch the appropriate buttons...yet it doesn't seem all that fulfilling, if you grasp what I mean. Hollow and meaningless, playing a game where you're God.

If God as such exists: I sometimes wonder if that is why God allows Evil (which is generally dull and banal) to exist. The governors and controls are taken off. Everything predestined would be dull and boring and expected, an eternal blandness, so He states: "Do what you want. Surprise me." So humanity does, both with depths of banality and heights of creativity.

The highs and lows of the social level, from the depths of desperate degradation to the heights of beatific sainthood. Along with every graduation of blandness and shades of Crap Colored Glasses™-grey in between.

So. Psychopathic charm. Extreme self-absorption, extreme self-interest, extreme charm. The PUA attempts to develop it - just read the stuff about developing overwhelming confidence. It's a fake-it-till-you-make-it mentality in some ways.

Develop the charm that the broken find attractive. Attract all the broken women you desire. Never mind the jumping through hoops and shitting on your personal dignity that this entails.

Deliberately break yourself. In the way that functions sexually in this degenerate society.

Deliberately cater to her cognitive illusions.

Then wonder why your world is filled with broken (yet attractive) women. Is it because your cognitive illusions are fully in play?