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bradvansickle's review
2.0
This book was extremely boring given the topic. The information didn't surpass surface level details and the fictional scenarios they used contained some of the cringiest writing I've seen. I couldn't believe how long it was considering how repetitive and dull the content was. I read this as an eBook so I'm not sure if the hard copy version is in a textbook format but it read exactly like that. How many people have ever been excited to read a textbook front to back?
onceandfuturelaura's review
3.0
I read this as a follow up to Jon Ronson’s marvelous Psychopath Test, which was named for the diagnostic criteria Dr. Hare developed. I ended up skimming quite a bit of it because it was what it was billed to be – a book about dealing with psychopaths in the workplace, largely from a corporate management perspective. It’s good, but spent way too much time cautioning the reader to not do exactly what it was telling us how to do – realize that there are psychopaths among us and reducing the harm they can cause.
Gave me a name for something I’ve seen in both my personal and professional life – “the psychopathic bond.” The bond the psychopath will cultivate in another that allows them to feed. Raising the question – are psychopath vampires?
Also told me something I should have known, but didn’t. I shall quote. “It is important to note that psychopathy is a personality disorder, and that personality disorders are not the same as mental illness. At a basic level, a personal with a personality disorder has a limited range of stereotyped ‘solutions’ that he or she applies to most of the problems accounted in life. Those without a personality disorder are able to apply a variety of behaviors, depending on what best suits the situations.” (40)
Made me a little depressed with regard to domestic violence treatment and anger management therapy. Says that psychopaths will embrace such treatment to get out of jail, but there is no evidence it changes their behavior in any way, though they do apparently get high marks. The psychopath is apparently very good at faking it to get a passing grade, but internalizes none of it.
Had a tragic ending, illustrating, I think, the unspoken subtext of the book – if there’s a psychopath in your life, get away as soon as possible. A subtext that is in dramatic tension with the overt “you’re not qualified to judge if someone’s a psychopath.” Ah, modern life.
Ronson’s book was better.
Gave me a name for something I’ve seen in both my personal and professional life – “the psychopathic bond.” The bond the psychopath will cultivate in another that allows them to feed. Raising the question – are psychopath vampires?
Also told me something I should have known, but didn’t. I shall quote. “It is important to note that psychopathy is a personality disorder, and that personality disorders are not the same as mental illness. At a basic level, a personal with a personality disorder has a limited range of stereotyped ‘solutions’ that he or she applies to most of the problems accounted in life. Those without a personality disorder are able to apply a variety of behaviors, depending on what best suits the situations.” (40)
Made me a little depressed with regard to domestic violence treatment and anger management therapy. Says that psychopaths will embrace such treatment to get out of jail, but there is no evidence it changes their behavior in any way, though they do apparently get high marks. The psychopath is apparently very good at faking it to get a passing grade, but internalizes none of it.
Had a tragic ending, illustrating, I think, the unspoken subtext of the book – if there’s a psychopath in your life, get away as soon as possible. A subtext that is in dramatic tension with the overt “you’re not qualified to judge if someone’s a psychopath.” Ah, modern life.
Ronson’s book was better.
missazane's review
3.0
Good information. The story woven throughout was a bit confusing in audiobook format, but still a good read.
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