Monday, August 24, 2015

Psychopathic Cunning Studied

The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What
Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can
Teach Us About Success
By Kevin Dutton

In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a scale of "madness" along which we all sit. Incorporating the latest advances in brain scanning and neuroscience, Dutton demonstrates that the brilliant neurosurgeon who lacks empathy has more in common with a Ted Bundy who kills for pleasure than we may wish to admit, and that a mugger in a dimly lit parking lot may well, in fact, have the same nerveless poise as a titan of industry.

Dutton argues that there are indeed "functional psychopaths" among us--different from their murderous counterparts--who use their detached, unflinching, and charismatic personalities to succeed in mainstream society, and that shockingly, in some fields, the more "psychopathic" people are, the more likely they are to succeed. Dutton deconstructs this often misunderstood diagnosis through bold on-the-ground reporting and original scientific research as he mingles with the criminally insane in a high-security ward, shares a drink with one of the world's most successful con artists, and undergoes transcranial magnetic stimulation to discover firsthand exactly how it feels to see through the eyes of a psychopath.

As Dutton develops his theory that we all possess psychopathic tendencies, he puts forward the argument that society as a whole is more psychopathic than ever: after all, psychopaths tend to be fearless, confident, charming, ruthless, and focused--qualities that are tailor-made for success in the twenty-first century. Provocative at every turn, The Wisdom of Psychopaths is a riveting adventure that reveals that it's our much-maligned dark side that often conceals the trump cards of success.

Reader Review from Amazon.com:

5 Stars
Fascinating and Evidence-Based Adventure into the Mind
May 26, 2013

Kevin Dutton has accomplished that rare combination of scientifically informed, well-referenced and narrative-rich adventure characteristic of top quality non-fiction. He has succeeded in crafting a compelling and thought-provoking ride through the psyche, populated with fascinating characters that are at turns chilling and intriguing. Dutton has transcended the reductionist thinking that so often attends his subject matter to raise important existential, moral and scientific questions that will linger with the reader long after the last page has been turned. That this book functions as part mystery, part research review, part travelogue and part personal adventure is one notable component of its enduring relevance. Highly recommended, particularly for psychologists who are bored with the shoddy lack of empiricism in many popular science books. Dutton is a psychologist's psychologist, weaving his tale from a hearty base of peer-reviewed scientific evidence and a spirit of intellectual and moral curiosity, even volunteering himself as experimental participant along the way. Dutton's critical evaluation of research findings in his field of enquiry, his astute contextualisations and his frequent links between disparate studies were a pleasure. This book challenges much conventional psychological wisdom on monsters and saints, revealing what James Bond, a serial killer, a Christian apostle and a Buddhist monk have in common with literary flair. One minor gripe is that Dutton did not substantively critique the Five Factor model of personality, despite his insightful critiques of constructs such as "the psychopath". Non-psychologists who read this book may benefit from a reminder that Dutton uses terms like 'empathy' in their scientific rather than colloquial sense, so his definitions of familiar words may seem unfamiliar to readers not familiar with the peer-reviewed literature. Overall, one of the best books I've read in a while.

http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Psychopaths-Saints-Killers-Success/dp/0374533989/ref=sr_1_1/177-2535565-1662248?ie=UTF8&qid=1440317955&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wisdom+of+psychopaths

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