Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Confessions of Sociopath by M.E. Thomas

Most sociopaths (also known as psychopaths) aren't serial killers as the media might make you think. Most are productive and functioning human beings - you may know one - that often come across as extremely charming but manipulative individuals seemingly without a conscience. After reading Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas I was enlightened to the more "everyday" sociopath among us.

Thomas (an alias for obvious reasons) runs the blog SociopathWorld, is a former lawyer, and a current law professor. Her opening anecdote was upsetting to the point that I doubted I could continue reading, but I forged ahead. She discusses some of the theories and diagnostic tests surrounding psychopathy, but she doesn't dismantle or attempt to prove any of them in depth, she mostly identifies with them or not. She's very confident, if not arrogant, about her abilities: occasionally she makes declarations such as "I am a genius." At times I couldn't shake the feeling that she was manipulating all of us "empaths" just a bit. However, I do applaud her honesty - her childhood didn't sound particularly rosy, which I wish she had explored a bit more. She adds some humanity to an otherwise generalized label. I recommend this book if you're interested in psychology and/or psychopathy, or if you want some insight into someone you know to be, or suspect might be, a sociopath.

Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight by M.E. Thomas
Find it in the catalog!