2014 Reading: Confessions of a Sociopath

This book took me a little longer than normal to read because it is far more complex than what I have been reading. But, that is not a bad thing. The subject matter is something that has interested me for a long time and I'm glad I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to spot it at the library.

It's refreshing to find a book on sociopathy that's not simply a text book. This is written from the perspective of an actual sociopath, and while there are more than a few number of technical terms and psychological jargon, it also has the personal (if somewhat detached emotionally) feelings straight from the mind of the person afflicted.

I went into this book thinking I would have a lot in common with the writer, maybe get some answers for my own life.

...

No.

I can confidently say that that there is pretty much nothing sociopathic about me. (When I confirmed this with my mother, she just looked at me and went "Duh...")

There were several things in this book that caught my eye and I thought I would share with everyone. While I did not agree with everything that was said by the author (not a sociopath, remember), there were certain things that I could just not help but to agree with.

She talks a lot about her religion as a form of being able to tell, not right from wrong, but a set of guidelines that could see her through her life and allow her to blend into society far more effectively. She did this without fully believing every word that was written, too, because as a sociopath she questioned what she read rather than just taking it as law. I agree wholeheartedly with this.

[...]The "opposition" in the

Mormon faith is Lucifer, who became Satan, and who has a

rather interesting and detailed backstory.  Born a spirit child

of God in the premortal world, he is our spiritual brother and

was considered one of the brightest stars in heaven until he

rebelled and became our necessary opposition.  This was great

for God, because his pan needed a villain: "man could not act

for himself save it should be that he was enticed by one or

the other."  And what about Lucifer?  When I first heard this

story in Sunday school I thought that Lucifer was almost a

too-convenient patsy in God's plan.  Did God trick Lucifer into

rebelling? Maybe make some deal with him under the table?

Or maybe God created Lucifer specifically for this purpose?

Mormon scripture says "there is a God, and he hath created all

things, both things to act and things to be acted upon."  Was

Lucifer created to act instead of be acted upon?  Was I? (p133)

This is how I feel about religion on the best of days! I REALLY hate talking about religion, but this same topic has been something that I have discussed over and over again with people who are more religious that I and want to know what got me away from the church. And now I don't want to talk about it anymore. Religion is one of those topics that you can't really discuss at all because everyone just ends up getting offended over the stupidest shit.

[...] Asked to choose

between having power and giving up power to a "trusted" en-

tity, people often prefer to give it up rather that have the re-

sponsibility that comes with that power. (p176)

This is also something that is near and dear to my heart and something that I have tried to convey to many people when it comes to many things in my own life. It's not all laziness, it's not wanting to be responsible for the failure.

I had another passaged lined up to put down here, but then I thought I would just leave it at this and let you read it for yourself if you are so inclined.

I would definitely suggest this book, just keep in mind all the technical jargon and subject matter which may make you start looking at the people around you in your every day life and try to analyze them without letting them know. It's a little addictive.