On doing some further research, I’ve noted the following
There are three names given to those who lack empathy (and by lack I mean completely devoid of - as in born without): psychopath, sociopath and narcissist.
The condition of being born without empathy is hereditary. It can get passed on to the next generation, though it's not guaranteed to be passed on or not.
The types lacking empathy are drawn to people who have high empathy. High degree empaths have an easier time accepting people, making excuses for behavior, believing the best of people, and feeling sorry for people. They are therefore more likely to tolerate one of these types, or at least for a longer period.
The words "sociopath" and "narcissist" are synonymous as far as I’ve uncovered. These two types are one and the same. Society tends to use the word psychopath for the ones that kill adults and get caught. However I think the ones that are called sociopaths and narcissists if they have, got away with it. The psychopath's behavior appears to be the same from what I've experienced and come across. All three exhibit narcissistic behavior and the behaviors patterns discussed below, in varying degrees.
In the medical literature, the psychopath is assumed to be born with the condition (lack of empathy) and the sociopath develops it due to environmental conditioning. As a society however, we tend to use the word psychopath for serial killers, and sociopath for something less serious. From what I’ve read - books written by psychologists, books written by these very types, my experiences with one, other people’s stories, I think they are all one and the same - people born without empathy. It may be easy or preferable to believe they were treated poorly as children and therefore behave this way, and this is often their excuse. Nevertheless it is also likely to be the case that they were abused as children if one of the parents also had the condition.
Empathy, something I once took for granted, is apparently responsible for more than simply appreciating life, caring for others, consideration- including for people you’ll never meet, generosity etc. I think it also is the reason for appreciation and recognition of beauty - appreciation for nature's beauty, art, music, life, interests, hobbies, passions. It’s the reason we want our lives to make a difference.
Those who lack empathy are interested in one thing - power. Power, as they think of it, is dominion of others. The only hobby that would interest them is spying on others. They may go along with the pretense of having an appreciation for nature and whatnot to fit in. But I don’t believe they could see or feel the beauty in anything. They can however recognize when others do and will then make a claim to feeling the same. I'm not even sure they can recognize the beauty even say of an attractive face on their own. They will realize someone is attractive because of the way others behave towards that person. Otherwise it seems to me they apply some formula to determine attractiveness (at least the one I knew did) - “blue eyes and blond hair” for instance. I could be wrong about this.
There are 3 behavior patterns those who lack empathy seem to engage in.
Privacy invasion ranges from obtaining house keys, car keys, passwords, etc and to leaving hidden cameras and recorders in and around the places you inhabit.
2. Gaslighting.
This is a topic unto itself. There are physical and verbal forms of gaslighting. Verbal gaslighting is discussed on other websites. Physical gaslighting includes messing around with items you own, for example hiding/swapping/returning items.
Gaslighting is intended to make you question your memories, sanity and competence.
Memories/sanity: If you place an item in a certain location one day and it disappears the following day, but reappears the next day, you might question your recollections. Your items may also be relocated from one place to another, leading you to question your competence in remembering to perform your tasks. If you used the item in the second location prior to pw relocating it back to the first location, you’ll probably question your sanity as well. (So will other people when you tell them about this. Works out well for the pw, no?)
Competence: You have established habits, many without realizing them. Let’s take locking your door. You may find your door unlocked frequently. No matter how much effort you put into trying to remember to lock your door, you fail. However, when pw stops doing this (because you now have home security), no matter how little effort you put into it, it stays locked.
Or you may find your work becoming undone.
Another example - you take pride in having a tidy workspace in some part of your house. A pw might create a small mess. The mess grows daily and spreads. You can’t seem to keep the place tidy and you don’t understand how it happens.
Gaslighting is intended to make you question your memories, sanity and competence.
Memories/sanity: If you place an item in a certain location one day and it disappears the following day, but reappears the next day, you might question your recollections. Your items may also be relocated from one place to another, leading you to question your competence in remembering to perform your tasks. If you used the item in the second location prior to pw relocating it back to the first location, you’ll probably question your sanity as well. (So will other people when you tell them about this. Works out well for the pw, no?)
Competence: You have established habits, many without realizing them. Let’s take locking your door. You may find your door unlocked frequently. No matter how much effort you put into trying to remember to lock your door, you fail. However, when pw stops doing this (because you now have home security), no matter how little effort you put into it, it stays locked.
Or you may find your work becoming undone.
Another example - you take pride in having a tidy workspace in some part of your house. A pw might create a small mess. The mess grows daily and spreads. You can’t seem to keep the place tidy and you don’t understand how it happens.
3. Stalking.
This is part of privacy invasion. You may not be aware of being stalked. Stalking may be done for the purpose of gaslighting as well as privacy invasion.
I've read that the percentage of the population that lacks empathy is..was..roughly 1% at the time the literature was written. That number has been increasing.
From what I've come across, I will say that if your or I were born without empathy, I'm not sure our behavior would be any different. This is not to say that I condone the behavior or think the lack of empathy is an excuse. These types are fully aware of what they are doing, and their behavior is premeditated most of the time. They are well away or what's right and wrong, legal and illegal, and fully in control of their behavior - apparently able to turn on or off the anger at will. But again, it seems to be the mode of behavior for this type. If you recognize it, avoid having children with this type as it increases the population who exhibits this behavior.
I've read that the percentage of the population that lacks empathy is..was..roughly 1% at the time the literature was written. That number has been increasing.
From what I've come across, I will say that if your or I were born without empathy, I'm not sure our behavior would be any different. This is not to say that I condone the behavior or think the lack of empathy is an excuse. These types are fully aware of what they are doing, and their behavior is premeditated most of the time. They are well away or what's right and wrong, legal and illegal, and fully in control of their behavior - apparently able to turn on or off the anger at will. But again, it seems to be the mode of behavior for this type. If you recognize it, avoid having children with this type as it increases the population who exhibits this behavior.
