I hope the mods don't mind a bump for an old thread; it's tough to find time to get through a book these days, but I recently finished the audiobook version of The Sociopath Next Door. It was interesting and worthwhile, and the narration was worthy for those of us that choose to go the audiobook route. I'd encourage anyone to check out the book.
The author estimates 4% of the general population are sociopathic; among prisoners, the estimate is about 20-40%. Not all of those are dangerous; many in society live lives characterized by impulsivity, laziness, lack of follow through. The big common factor is a lack of empathy. When this is wielded in violence or mental abuse, the results can be particularly torturous and horrific to the victims.
In my own background, I had experience with an individual who on further reflection fit the characteristics of this type. It can't be overstated that the common mental image of a sociopath as a recognizable evil genius is a false stereotype. It's the charmer with the perfect cover you don't suspect. The person I knew was not violent, but nonetheless dangerous; he seemed to take great pleasure in derailing the lives and careers of others, seemingly just for fun or to advance himself. Even this interaction, magnified in a deployed environment, left some pretty significant mental scarring on some people.
The science in the book is not sound–sociopathy is not a recognized disorder in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders used to ID and classify mental illness. But for our purposes, this type of person is out there regardless of label, and recognizing this type is important for purposes of strategic thinking, as Fred said, and beyond in knowing what to avoid in the formation of friendships, business partnerships, and even marriage.
"You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with." Ideally we choose wisely, but even without that focus life is better if we can at least detect and avoid letting the wrong ones in.
