Dr. Hare is introduced in Psycho Paths and Con Trails as the probable most expert witness regarding psychopathy. His studies and work are the primary source of reasoning for this subject’s presentation in the DSM, or approved bible on psychopathy.
SO, Relative to Mitt Romney, HERE IS Hare’s Checklist:
1. GLIB and SUPERFICIAL CHARM — the tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, slick, and verbally facile. Psychopathic charm is not in the least shy, self-conscious, or afraid to say anything. A psychopath never gets tongue-tied. They have freed themselves from the social conventions about taking turns in talking, for example.
“No, No, just answer the question, Mr. Obama!”
See item 15.
2. GRANDIOSE SELF-WORTH — a grossly inflated view of one’s abilities and self-worth, self-assured, opinionated, cocky, a braggart. Psychopaths are arrogant people who believe they are superior human beings.
From an article entitled The Meaning of Mitt in Vanity Fair,
“Mitt is always the star,” said one Massachusetts Republican. “And everybody else is a bit player.” [I think I would have been unable to avoid saying “[sic -Mitt player]]
“I know how to fix that.” repeated in almost every speech
Examples of fixes: none that are not self aggrandizing.
3. NEED FOR STIMULATION or PRONENESS TO BOREDOM — an excessive need for novel, thrilling, and exciting stimulation; taking chances and doing things that are risky. Psychopaths often have a low self-discipline in carrying tasks through to completion because they get bored easily. They fail to work at the same job for any length of time, for example, or to finish tasks that they consider dull or routine.
Romney’s comment on his wife’s being on a flight that had an electrical fire.
“I appreciate the fact that she is on the ground, safe and sound. And I don’t think she knows just how worried some of us were,” Romney told the LA Times. “When you have a fire in an aircraft, there’s no place to go, exactly, there’s no — and you can’t find any oxygen from outside the aircraft to get in the aircraft, because the windows don’t open. I don’t know why they don’t do that. It’s a real problem. So it’s very dangerous. And she was choking and rubbing her eyes. Fortunately, there was enough oxygen for the pilot and copilot to make a safe landing in Denver. But she’s safe and sound.”
Later reports from Romney people attributed the comment to Romney’s sense of humor. But searches for genuine Romney humor have turned up miniscule amounts of such substance …
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/341857/mitt-romney-why-cant-you-roll-down-airplane-windows/#m034YkCBzPTVKJuU.99
4. PATHOLOGICAL LYING — can be moderate or high; in moderate form, they will be shrewd, crafty, cunning, sly, and clever; in extreme form, they will be deceptive, deceitful, underhanded, unscrupulous, manipulative, and dishonest.
Rather than list the times Romney has told a lie, it would be easier to list the times he has told the truth. It would be harder to list the times he lied in which the truth was not easily determinable or distinguishable.
“Lying for the Lord” in Mormonism is OK if the lie is in defense of the church as in, “Oh, no, mormons do not allow polygamy.”
While the “Lying for the Lord” provision of the Mormon ‘faith’ could be suggested as a legitimate cause of habitual lying, that provision has been in use in Mormonism long enough to become genetic. Psychopath is in a different category of psychological malady than neurosis or psychosis. And in that category it stands alone given that the other members of that category are considered variants of antisocial behavior. Psychopathy is said to be a result of either genetics or nature-nurture breaks with the mother when the child is an infant.
5. CONNING AND MANIPULATIVENESS- the use of deceit and deception to cheat, con, or defraud others for personal gain; distinguished from Item #4 in the degree to which exploitation and callous ruthlessness is present, as reflected in a lack of concern for the feelings and suffering of one’s victims.
Career wise, corporate cannibalism, is the appropriate profession for psychopaths. That is what Psycho Path and Con Trails is all about. Consider all the stories of Romney’s buying control of viable productive corporations, then having them go bad and gutting them and throwing it all in the waste bin along with the ruined lives of employees many of whom had given their careers and lives to those corporations. Those stories are not fabrications.
6. LACK OF REMORSE OR GUILT — a lack of feelings or concern for the losses, pain, and suffering of victims; a tendency to be unconcerned, dispassionate, coldhearted, and unempathic. This item is usually demonstrated by a disdain for one’s victims.
Lack of remorse in the treatment of his dog. Lack of remorse and lying about it with regards to the bullying incident. Lack of any remorse towards the many people whom he fired.
7. SHALLOW AFFECT — emotional poverty or a limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness in spite of signs of open gregariousness.
He has little patience for idle chatter or small talk, little interest in mingling at cocktail parties, at social functions, or even in the crowded hallway. He is not fed by, and does not crave, casual social interaction, often displaying little desire to know who people are and what makes them tick. “He wasn’t overly interested in people’s personal details or their kids or spouses or team building or their career path,” said another former aide. “It was all very friendly but not very deep.” Or, as one fellow Republican put it, “He has that invisible wall between ‘me’ and ‘you.’”
8. CALLOUSNESS and LACK OF EMPATHY — a lack of feelings toward people in general; cold, contemptuous, inconsiderate, and tactless.
The 47% tape.
In The Sociopath Next Door, Psychopathy expert Mary Stout states that psychopaths often show their hidden selves by how they treat their pets.
9. PARASITIC LIFESTYLE — an intentional, manipulative, selfish, and exploitative financial dependence on others as reflected in a lack of motivation, low self-discipline, and inability to begin or complete responsibilities.
Well, wouldn’t you prefer a life of leisure on the French cote d’zur to going to war in Viet Nam? Romney has never wanted for anything. He has never worked. Creating schemes of abuse, subjugation, and pillaging is not work for a psychopath. Work would be not doing it.
10. POOR BEHAVIORAL CONTROLS — expressions of irritability, annoyance, impatience, threats, aggression, and verbal abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper; acting hastily.
In every recorded interface Romney has exhibited this trait. When one exercises this behavior before the Commander in Chief as in the first debate, consider the tolerance and detachment of the president as a strength and that made him the real winner of the first debate.
11. PROMISCUOUS SEXUAL BEHAVIOR — a variety of brief, superficial relations, numerous affairs, and an indiscriminate selection of sexual partners; the maintenance of several relationships at the same time; a history of attempts to sexually coerce others into sexual activity or taking great pride at discussing sexual exploits or conquests.
Well, consider the “binders of women” incident as a token exhibit of Romney attitude toward women. And isn’t that attitude equivalent to promiscuity because isn’t promiscuity about detesting women and not about loving them?
12. EARLY BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS — a variety of behaviors prior to age 13, including lying, theft, cheating, vandalism, bullying, sexual activity, fire-setting, glue-sniffing, alcohol use, and running away from home.
Lack of input. But a backward extrapolation of the shearing and bullying would seem indicative of a long before established pattern.
13. LACK OF REALISTIC, LONG-TERM GOALS — an inability or persistent failure to develop and execute long-term plans and goals; a nomadic existence, aimless, lacking direction in life.
Lack of input. Life style, however, is important isn’t it. Ceteris peribus, the lives of the rich and famous are conducive to the existence of this item. You don’t have to have a direction in life when all directions are rewarded by more luxury. And aside from the subject being a psychological condition, is it not understood that being rich is unlikely to develop character.
14. IMPULSIVITY — the occurrence of behaviors that are unpremeditated and lack reflection or planning; inability to resist temptation, frustrations, and urges; a lack of deliberation without considering the consequences; foolhardy, rash, unpredictable, erratic, and reckless.
This item is easily seen in Romney’s general behavior as exhibited over this entire election year as well as prior ones where his life has been center stage.
15. IRRESPONSIBILITY — repeated failure to fulfill or honor obligations and commitments; such as not paying bills, defaulting on loans, performing sloppy work, being absent or late to work, failing to honor contractual agreements.
Bain bane. Bain bane. Bain bane.
Seamus enjoyed being up on the roof of the car in an “air tight” kennel.
16. FAILURE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OWN ACTIONS — a failure to accept responsibility for one’s actions reflected in low conscientiousness, an absence of dutifulness, antagonistic manipulation, denial of responsibility, and an effort to manipulate others through this denial.
Accepting responsibility for his own actions to other people or institutions is as rare for Romney as any glimmer of understanding a common responsibility to the care of the planet.
17. MANY SHORT-TERM MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS — a lack of commitment to a long-term relationship reflected in inconsistent, undependable, and unreliable commitments in life, including marital.
Lack of input. I would suggest that one long relationship with the wife he has indicates a total lack of interest in romantic relationships.
18. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY — behavior problems between the ages of 13-18; mostly behaviors that are crimes or clearly involve aspects of antagonism, exploitation, aggression, manipulation, or a callous, ruthless tough-mindedness.
Again I would submit that the known bullying incident has to be exhibited as indicative of all the unknowns.
19. REVOCATION OF CONDITION RELEASE — a revocation of probation or other conditional release due to technical violations, such as carelessness, low deliberation, or failing to appear.
No info.
20. CRIMINAL VERSATILITY — a diversity of types of criminal offenses, regardless if the person has been arrested or convicted for them; taking great pride at getting away with crimes.
Corporate cannibalism is a crime Romney has pursued in a number of ways. The situation a dozen years or so ago where Romney controlled a software package that created reiteratively companies that should losses and avenues for tax deductions and his use of the mormon church represent what is said to be the biggest tax fraud case in IRS history.
Conclusion
I know what you are thinking. You are wondering if the average corporation has more psychopaths than the street. So, you have to ask yourself a question. Do you really prefer the psychopath in front of you to be a CEO instead of a serial killer? Well, do you, punk?
One of the outstanding films on the subject of psychopathy, although I don’t think that is said anywhere, certainly not in the film, is “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” which starred Michael Douglas as a crooked DA, come governor.It is discussed in my book. But be warned, that film’s story leaves one almost as ready to retch as Mitt’s life as presented on the TV’s of the world this year.
