Well, not being able to feel empathy is featured in more than sociopathy (which is now normally described as an anti-social disorder). It's also a feature of Autism. My brother, for example, finds expressions of pain quite amusing. Not because he's sadistic, but because he understands it only as a reaction, not as the same situation would feel to him. There's no filter there of 'oh, I won't laugh, because I would be offended if someone laughed if I had just put my hand on a hot pan'. Just thought I'd throw that in there.
I don't think you can hate someone if you can't feel anything but indifference about them. I agree with Stephanie. People who don't feel empathy don't really care who's in their way, it's the problem that they care about.
Sociopathy is basically a collection of traits that lead towards you being regarded a poor member of society. Poor behavioural/impulse control, severely blunted emotion, not acknowledging the existence of consequences (or the ability to switch this on and off).
I still have in my head your comment earlier, about using shame to correct someone's behaviour. In fact, the whole idea of having a mental disorder which equates to you opting out of society and gets you branded 'evil' scares me a bit. And now I feel we ought to have a debate about whether evil is about choice or is inherent xD Or exists.
I wonder if anyone could have made Voldemort feel shame. I don't reckon so personally. I think JK built him too determined to his purpose.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2009-02-22 01:41 am (UTC)I don't think you can hate someone if you can't feel anything but indifference about them. I agree with Stephanie. People who don't feel empathy don't really care who's in their way, it's the problem that they care about.
Sociopathy is basically a collection of traits that lead towards you being regarded a poor member of society. Poor behavioural/impulse control, severely blunted emotion, not acknowledging the existence of consequences (or the ability to switch this on and off).
I still have in my head your comment earlier, about using shame to correct someone's behaviour. In fact, the whole idea of having a mental disorder which equates to you opting out of society and gets you branded 'evil' scares me a bit. And now I feel we ought to have a debate about whether evil is about choice or is inherent xD Or exists.
I wonder if anyone could have made Voldemort feel shame. I don't reckon so personally. I think JK built him too determined to his purpose.
Sam//Slytherin