The Sociopath Next Door

[Griffin NoName]

If you've ever seen the film "The Young Poisoner's Handbook" (based on the St. Albans Poisoner), there's a lovely bit where the psychiatrist sees on TV news just how well he cured the patient.

Not seen. Another one for my list? 

The DVD is £59 plus and only available in US format - there are videos 2nd hand  at £7 - is it worth it?

(it seems it turns up occasionally on channel 4 but is otherwise virtually unknown).

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

If the person can be proved beyond a doubt to be a sociopath or a psychopath?

Permanent lockup does no one any good-- unless it's solitary, they are potential contaminating influences wherever they end up.

And, there's no such thing as real solitary-- there's the guards to consider.

Nope.  You  don't 'reform' a cockroach-- you kill it.  Without mercy, but without needless cruelty, either.  No fuss, you do it, because it is the correct thing to do from the perspective of your society.

If there were such a thing as true Coventry-- that would be better.  True expulsion.  But, the globe is shrinking, and can we in good conscience foist our 'cockroaches' into someone else's backyard?  No.

A responsible person will put down a rabid animal as quickly and painlessly as possible.   Both as an honor to himself, and as a duty and honor to what the animal was (or in the case of 'paths, an honor to their being born, at least, into the human clan).

Fuzzy feelings are fine-- but if there is no cure, no fix?  A clean death is better for all.

Lockup is just needless cruelty.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

If the person can be proved beyond a doubt to be a sociopath or a psychopath?

That's the crux of the issue: beyond any doubt. Even locking them up, have you heard those tales of people being declared 'mentally insane' who weren't? Most interestingly the cases when the removal of the individual in question brought benefits to some 'friend' of the psychiatrist making the diagnosis? While I heard anecdotal evidence I believe it was quite prevalent in the 1800s and the 1st half of the 1900s.

As much as I would understand the reasoning behind psychopath executions I would fear the witch hunt that would follow.

[pieces o nine]

Rumble.

How to write such laws with enough safeguards to prevent them being used to get rid of the merely inconvenient or nonconformist, without so many codicils and loopholes to prevent them being implemented properly with those who truly fit the psychopathic profile?

[beagle]

The DVD is £59 plus and only available in US format - there are videos 2nd hand  at £7 - is it worth it?
(it seems it turns up occasionally on channel 4 but is otherwise virtually unknown).

It's a quite amusing and very black "comedy". Wouldn't pay serious money for it but well worth catching when C4 show it next.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I've been thinking a bit on this subject (socio/psychopaths) and my inner conspiracy theorist has been suggesting that the genetic component of psychopathy would explain the concept of 'nobility'/blue/royal blood:

The beginners of dynasties were usually ruthless conquerors and/or Machiavellian generals/politicians who took the opportunity to claim power for themselves. Later, their descendants would be willing to murder parents, siblings and relatives. What better way to keep the 'royal' blood than marrying the son or daughter of another psychopath? Only those who have proven the intelligence and ruthlessness would be 'nobles' hence preserving the genetic factors that define psychopathy. The same would apply to those famous dynasties of politicians that show up over and over as rulers of a 'democratic' country.

(why do I have the feeling that beagle and goat are going to bite into this argument?  )