The Sociopath Next Door
by Martha Stout
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Book Reviews of The Sociopath Next Door
Book Review: Child abuse is the cause of psychopathy
Summary: 3 Stars
The author has made a fundamental error in this book - child abuse is the cause of all psychopathy. We do not 'need' psychopaths to act as 'warriors' to protect us, and the number of psychopaths is much higher than 4% - just go to Detroit...
To one of the previous reviewers - if it took you FORTY EIGHT HOURS to work out that somebody you'd met was a psychopath, you're in big trouble. I can spot a psychopath the moment I look in their eyes. A person's eyes tell you everything you need to know about them - look at the top and bottom sets of eyes on the cover of the book - notice how the tops of the eyes are hidden by the skin above them - this is a classic response, learnt in childhood, when these individuals were hit by their parents. They learnt that whenever you look at somebody, there is a chance they will hit you for it - and their eyes show this reaction, which is now a permanent part of their face. They do this every night when they go to sleep - their faces contort to 'protect' themselves from imaginary threats, and remembered threats. Psychopaths are easy to spot - most people are incapable of love and empathy. Look at a cat's face, then look at a human's. 99.9% of cats' faces will be completely natural looking when they are not fighting another cat, whereas a majority of humans' faces will show aggression when they're NOT fighting another person, because they are still constantly reliving the suffering of their childhood.
Until child abuse is acknowledged as the cause of all the problems humans face, (which it never will be) those problems will continue: war, rape, crime, murder, eating meat, milk and eggs, vivisection, religious fundamentalism, etc.
Child abuse is the cause of all the problems in the world.
Book Review: Insightful and Frightening
Summary: 5 Stars
Martha Stout has written an invaluable book for professionals and laypersons alike. In it, she asserts that statistics show that about 1 in 25 people are sociopaths--people who are unable to feel empathy with others and who thus find it terrifyingly easy to act in completely selfish and immoral ways.
The classic image of a sociopath is a serial killer like Ted Bundy. These are fortunately a tiny percentage of the sociopaths out there--as Stout points out, the serial killer's desire happens to be to physically torture and kill other people. What he has in common with other sociopaths is that they are all utterly selfish in pursuing their own desires. The serial killer has one type of desire but far more common are the sociopaths who seek more mundane goals, of acquiring wealth and influence, or of simply bringing down everyone around them or even merely living off the efforts of others.
Stout does a good job with some composite portraits of sociopathic types and certainly aids one in identifying the sorts of people you might run into in your own life, even if you are unlikely to run into a serial killer type (fortunately). There isn't much on how to deal with them except to identify and avoid, but the tools for comprehension that she offers are invaluable.
The book is useful reading for just about anyone, but I especially recommend it for people in law enforcements or other professions where you deal with criminal behavior as it definitely helps in seeing patterns of behavior (and knowing approaches to take in investigations, interviews etc) that you might not pick up on otherwise. Excellent book and a quick read to boot.
Book Review: Lots of solid information
Summary: 3 Stars
I have to admit, I love book about abnormal psychology. I think it helps inform me as a mystery writer.
This book grabbed my attention the moment I first heard about it. Could it be possible that one in 25 people is a sociopath, someone with no conscience and no ability to feel compassion or empathy? I have had it on my to-read list for ages.
Dr. Stout does an admirable job of tracing not only the genesis of the diagnosis "sociopath," but of the human conscience as well. She discusses what sets normal people apart from sociopaths, how sociopaths differ from narcissists, and what our very term "conscience" means and how it differs from obligation.
I really enjoyed her descriptions of sociopaths she's treated or known, and particularly appreciated her tips on how to deal with sociopaths in your own life (stay far away!). What I found less useful were the sections on morality, ethics, and human conscience. They would be interesting to a philosopher, I think, but they weren't what I was expecting or looking for.
I was also left with many questions: What happens when two (or more) sociopaths encounter each other? Can sociopaths be rehabilitated? Can you tell someone is going to become a sociopath when they are a child? Are there degrees of sociopathology? Are there more sociopathic men than women? What about the Internet -- how has that helped sociopaths?
All in all, Dr. Stout has done her homework, and it shows. I skipped many of the "philosophical" sections, but I would eagerly read another book by Dr. Stout that addressed questions I listed above.
Book Review: Who really is the devil you know?
Summary: 4 Stars
Without a doubt, this is an excellent introduction into the sociopath's mind and motivation to do harm and wreck havoc in other people's lives.
I happened to pick up this book shortly after I broke up with my ex-girlfriend. An excellent read. Stout's style is engaging and her case studies illuminate her points clearly. The book does not read like a typical, college psychology textbook, and that is all the reason to read it. I only wish I had read it before I started dating my ex-girlfriend!
Should you consider dating anyone from the computer personals or choose to meet someone through an introduction from a close friend, read this book first. Experiencing some problems or issues with your mate? Read this book.
Early on, Stout indicates the 6-7 tell-tale signs of the typical sociopath--the irresponsibility, a lack of social-conscience, the inability to accept blame ("Because I didn't know what to do at the time..."), a delusional and overinflated opinion of oneself, ("After me, no one will want you...") attitude, the need to dominate, inability to compromise, the continuous need of affirmation from others, the habitual lying and covering up, and, of course, the complete and utter lack of remorse.
This book was a real eye-opener, and I am so glad I had the courage and the foresight to leave my ex (a disturbed and unstable dental hygenist with a vicious and vindictive streak), move forward, and find a lasting relationship with someone else. Do yourself a favor and buy this book--and you will finally recognize the devil you only thought you knew...
Book Review: An eye-opening read
Summary: 4 Stars
Apparently, about 4% of us are sociopaths. One in 25 people--and therefore, likely, someone we already know--has no conscience and can, without that internal bridle on their behavior, do anything at all to gain whatever their ends may be--world domination, advancement in a career, a good parking space. In her often fascinating little book The Sociopath Next Door, Martha Stout, a clinical psychologist, discusses sociopathy and conscience, including composite sketches of sociopaths she has come across in her career.
The book starts with an interesting look at a young lawyer's decision to miss an important meeting at work to go home and feed his dog. Stout unpacks his decision, considering the various factors that can have influenced it: conscience is just one possibility. The author also discusses the Stanley Milgram experiments at Yale, the factors that can temporarily diminish a normal person's conscience, and the causes of sociopathy. Less interesting to me, at least, were the author's discussions of the history and religious theories of conscience.
Stout's book was an eye-opening read for me. It started me wondering--as I'm sure it would most readers--whether I've come across any sociopaths in my life, and I think it will have a lasting impact on the way I evaluate people's behavior. Anyone who is involved in an abusive relationship or who has been charmed by a friend into doing something uncharacteristically dangerous would do well to read Stout's book to see if they recognize the behavior she describes.
-- Debra Hamel