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Thread: Sociopaths

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    UK Avalon Member Becky's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sociopaths

    Quote Posted by enfoldedblue (here)
    I got quite into this topic a few years ago. I was fascinated by that site ...sociopathworld that is mentioned in the OP. In fact when I saw the thread title I was going to contribute that site to the discussion.

    One day in my healing journey I discovered my inner sociopath. This unintegrated aspect of me thought it was amusing to sabotage things in my life... it would sit back and laugh as I struggled. It was while I was doing soul retrieval work that this shady aspect was revealed. With the practitioners help we created a space in my heart just for the inner sociopath ... when I asked what this part needed to be happy the response surprized me. What it wanted was a room... a quiet and zen-like room... with NOTHING hassling or disturbing it. When I put 'my inner sociopath' in this room ... the relief that came from it was palpable. When I asked this aspect what it's gifts were the answer came 'order and objectivity'. After so many years of unconsciously rejecting this aspect of myself, it felt so peaceful to finally have it onboard and working with me rather than against me. (I know this probably sounds crazy top some .... but this type of work really works for me).

    Anyway when I extended out from myself to contemplate the sociopath in the wider world. It came to me that the sociopath does have a place and a gift in relation to the whole ... the thing is that in a distorted world based on fear, selfishness and greed it makes sense that the sociopath rises to the top and acts as a destructive force. But if the sociopath could be shown in no uncertain terms that love is logical (right now we tend to see love as week and whimsical) and strong ... a sociopath would naturally fall into line and become a valuable asset to the whole. So in my opinion until we shift from a fear-based to a love based paradigm the sociopath will remain a serious problem.

    I hope this makes sense to some
    Yes, it really does with me - a brilliant post (for me) Thank you :-)
    Becky

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    Canada Avalon Member Ernie Nemeth's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sociopaths

    Empathy isn't everything and it can get in the way of making hard decisions. Empathy isn't love. One can still love and have no empathy, or very little. And one who cannot love can still find empathy within. A sociopath is not a psychopath.

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    Scotland Avalon Member Ewan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sociopaths

    I think some people can confuse empathy and sympathy. Fifteen years ago I couldn't have told you the difference.

    When one is overcome by emotion they are experiencing the same feeling, sympathy. Whereas, knowing how people feel but not being affected by it is empathy. I experience both depending on circumstance and would guess that of the two empathy is a higher evolved state than sympathy.

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    Avalon Member Flash's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sociopaths

    Quote Posted by Ewan (here)
    I think some people can confuse empathy and sympathy. Fifteen years ago I couldn't have told you the difference.

    When one is overcome by emotion they are experiencing the same feeling, sympathy. Whereas, knowing how people feel but not being affected by it is empathy. I experience both depending on circumstance and would guess that of the two empathy is a higher evolved state than sympathy.
    Spot on.

    However, to know how one feels, to understand it, someone has to be able to have emotions and sympathy as well.

    I used to explain it that way: sympathy is when you go to a burial and tell the affected people that you are sorry, and kind of accompany them in their emotions, but you cannot do anything about it, except being there and feeling with them.

    Empathy is when you see people having problems, being affected, you understand, you tell them, accompany them but remain in control enough to offer your help if needed (you do not get devastated by it).

    Compassion is when you are deeply touched and accompany as well, help if needed, support, give your presence, give emotional support. Like Mother Theresa for example.

    Another example I would give is the following:

    you go to the emergency room of an hospital with terrible stomach pain and the nurse receives you, shows you a stretcher, tells you how sorry she is for your pain, and leave you there: sympathy.

    You go to the emergency ward, with your terrible stomach pain, the nurse receives you, tells you how sorry she is for your pain, accompany you to the stretcher, leaves and comes back with medication: empathy

    You go to the emergency ward of the hospital with you terrible stomach pain, the nurse tells how she is sorry for your pain, helps you into the stretcher, then climbs in it with you to suffer with you: compassion

    Psychopaths and sociopaths have neither empathy or compassion, but will be able to fake quite well sympathy.

    This is one of the ways of detecting a sociopath: he can fake sympathy, sometimes fake empathy but with more difficulties (he starts looking odd) and definitely loses it with compassion.

    Add to it, the manipulations, often subtle if intelligent, many manipulative techniques, and the search for thrills, and you can be pretty sure you are with someone sociopathic.

    (be careful with teenagers, some may have a sociopathic phase without being one, hormonal changes plays havoc with the brain. They will come back when the brain finishes developing if not real sociopaths).

    Not much difference Ernie between psychopaths and sociopaths. In the DMS book, they are considered pretty much the same. And psychopaths are not all killers by the way. However when we talk about cold blood killers, we name them psychopaths. Just a difference in conformity degree, sociopath conforming more to society for their own benefit.

    And it is true that empathy is not love, sympathy and empathy are linked with emotions, not with love. Compassion is linked with love.
    Last edited by Flash; 11th January 2016 at 12:05.
    How to let the desire of your mind become the desire of your heart - Gurdjieff

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  9. Link to Post #25
    Morocco Unsubscribed
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    Default Re: Sociopaths

    Y'all are getting sympathy and empathy backwards. Sympathy is feeling sorrow or regret for another person who is in pain, whereas empathy is feeling another person's pain.

  10. Link to Post #26
    Avalon Member Flash's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sociopaths

    Quote Posted by PurpleLama (here)
    Y'all are getting sympathy and empathy backwards. Sympathy is feeling sorrow or regret for another person who is in pain, whereas empathy is feeling another person's pain.
    well, my way is definitely not backwards in French french (not quebecers). It is in the Larousse dictionnary. Maybe I am wrong for English, I do not know. However, despite backwards or not, the lesson remains the same: sociopaths do not have empathy/sympaathy nor compassion.

    WOW check at those definition, and their translation from American English to French, NO WONDER WE ARE MIXED UP. And it seems that French do not have empathy lolllllllllll no translation give empathy in French lollll however the word empathie does exist, how come the Collins dictionary does not pick it up?

    ---------------

    Here it is in the Webster:

    Simple Definition of empathy
    Popularity: Top 1% of lookups
    : the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions : the ability to share someone else's feelings

    Full Definition of empathy
    1
    : the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it
    2
    : the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also : the capacity for this

    ooooooooooooo

    Simple Definition of sympathy
    Popularity: Top 10% of words
    : the feeling that you care about and are sorry about someone else's trouble, grief, misfortune, etc. : a sympathetic feeling
    : a feeling of support for something
    : a state in which different people share the same interests, opinions, goals, etc.

    Full Definition of sympathy
    plural sym·pa·thies
    1
    a : an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the other
    b : mutual or parallel susceptibility or a condition brought about by it
    c : unity or harmony in action or effect <every part is in complete sympathy with the scheme as a whole — Edwin Benson>
    2
    a : inclination to think or feel alike : emotional or intellectual accord <in sympathy with their goals>
    b : feeling of loyalty : tendency to favor or support <republican sympathies>
    3
    a : the act or capacity of entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another
    b : the feeling or mental state brought about by such sensitivity <have sympathy for the poor>
    4
    : the correlation existing between bodies capable of communicating their vibrational energy to one another through some medium

    ooooooooooooo

    Simple Definition of compassion
    Popularity: Top 1% of lookups
    : a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc.

    Full Definition of compassion
    : sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it
    com·pas·sion·less play \-ləs\ adjective

    -----------------

    Collins American dictionary

    empathy (ˈɛmpəθi )
    Definitions
    noun
    the projection of one's own personality into the personality of another in order to understand the person better; ability to share in another's emotions, thoughts, or feelings
    the projection of one's own personality into an object, with the attribution to the object of one's own emotions, responses, etc.

    Translations for 'empathy'
    American English: empathy Empathy is the ability to share another person's feelings and emotions as if they were your own.Having begun my life in a children's home, I have great empathy with the little ones.
    French: sympathie

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    sympathy (ˈsɪmpəθi )
    Definitions
    noun
    Word forms: plural ˈsympathies
    sameness of feeling; affinity between persons or of one person for another
    (rare) agreement in qualities; harmony; accord
    a mutual liking or understanding arising from sameness of feeling
    an entering into, or the ability to enter into, another person's mental state, feelings, emotions, etc.
    ([often pl.]) pity or compassion felt for another's trouble, suffering, etc.
    a feeling of approval of or agreement with an idea, cause, etc.
    (physics) a relation or harmony between bodies of such a nature that vibrations in one cause sympathetic vibrations in the other or others
    (physiology) a relation between body parts of such a nature that a disorder, pain, etc. in one induces a similar effect in another

    Translations for 'sympathy'
    American English: sympathy If you have sympathy for someone who is in a bad situation, you are sorry for them, and show this in the way you behave toward them.We expressed our sympathy at the death of her mother. sympathies

    French: compassion

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    compassion (kəmˈpæʃən )
    Definitions
    noun
    sorrow for the sufferings or trouble of another or others, accompanied by an urge to help; deep sympathy; pity

    Translations for 'compassion'
    American English: compassion Compassion is a feeling of pity, sympathy, and understanding for someone who is suffering.Elderly people need time and compassion from their physicians.

    French: compassion
    Last edited by Flash; 11th January 2016 at 13:27.
    How to let the desire of your mind become the desire of your heart - Gurdjieff

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  12. Link to Post #27
    Scotland Avalon Member Ewan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sociopaths

    I don't recall the original language these words came from, probably Greek, but the literal translation of sympathy means same feeling whereas empathy means knowledge (of that) feeling.

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