WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED? STUDY REVEALS ATTORNEYS AS PSYCHOPATHS!

A recent article by Kevin Dutton entitled "Wisdom From Psychopaths" in  the January/February 2013 Scientific American Mind suggests that psychopaths have personality traits that could be valuable to the rest of us. 

 

For example, mental toughness, fearlessness, the ability to focus intensely, the ability to live in the moment.  These are all characteristics of psychopathy which, apparently, we could all benefit from having.  

 

In other words, Mr. Dutton states, "The triumvirate of charm, focus and ruthlessness that psychopaths possess can predispose a person for long-term life success."  Further, "A psychopath's proclivity to live in the moment can arm against anxiety and bring joy." 

 

It is not surprising, therefore, that in real life, a good majority of psychopaths find themselves right on the top of the social scale. 

 

To learn more about this point, Kevin Dutton carried out a survey to investigate the existence of psychopathic traits within the British workforce.  In doing so, Mr. Dutton had approximately 5,400 people fill out the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale and then broke down the responses by 50 different professions.  At the end of his study, Dutton was able to rank professions based upon the ten top most psychopathic professions and the ten least psychopathic professions. 

 

It will surprise no one to find that attorneys ranked as the second most psychopathic profession.  CEOs were right at the top.  Priests were at number eight, and civil servants down at number ten.  I expected the latter to be much higher, so I guess I stand corrected.  Surgeons were up there at number four. 

 

When it comes to the least psychopathic professions, I was surprised to find therapists down there.  My experience is the therapists are the most deceptive, manipulative people I have ever met.  Perhaps the explanation for the score is that this is a self reported survey and therapists know better than to self report themselves as psychopathic!

 

Further among the least psychopathic, one big surprise for me was beauticians at number 5. 

 

For the better part professions fueled by greed and the will to power attract narcissistic, power hungry individuals, while low paid, service professions like caregiving do the opposite.  

 

So now we know why so many psychopathic Fathers are able to exploit the system and get away with murder; their attorneys recognize they are brothers under the skin.

For the complete article, please click on the following link:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=wisdom-from-psychopaths