The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson
Summary: They
say one out of every hundred people is a psychopath. You probably passed one on
the street today. These are people who have no empathy, who are manipulative,
deceitful, charming, seductive, and delusional. The Psychopath Test is
the New York Times bestselling exploration of their world and
the madness industry.
When Jon Ronson is drawn into an elaborate hoax played on some of the world’s
top scientists, his investigation leads him, unexpectedly, to psychopaths. He
meets an influential psychologist who is convinced that many important business
leaders and politicians are in fact high-flying, high-functioning psychopaths,
and teaches Ronson how to spot them. Armed with these new abilities, Ronson
meets a patient inside an asylum for the criminally insane who insists that
he’s sane, a mere run-of-the-mill troubled youth, not a psychopath—a claim that
might be only manipulation, and a sign of his psychopathy. He spends time with
a death-squad leader institutionalized for mortgage fraud, and with a legendary
CEO who took joy in shutting down factories and firing people. He delves into
the fascinating history of psychopathy diagnosis and treatments, from
LSD-fueled days-long naked therapy sessions in prisons to attempts to
understand serial killers.
Along the way, Ronson discovers that relatively ordinary people are, more and
more, defined by their most insane edges. The Psychopath Test is
a fascinating adventure through the minds of madness.
Angie's Comments: Interesting look at the “psychopath industry” and
several examples of possible psychopaths. Ronson makes this book a lot about
his reactions and emotions, which makes for a more personal book. It also shows
that when using checklists such as Hare’s psychopath checklist, you need to be
careful about how you use it. Through the checklist and Ronson’s reactions, you
learn that there is a continuum and everyone has some characteristics of psychopath
(without being a psychopath). People have different views of how to treat
psychopaths and how to identify them.
This book was well-written and
contained a lot of information about the development of research and treatment
for psychopaths. The book is definitely more a pop psychology book that uses anecdotes
to discuss some facets of psychopathy.
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