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Summary: Psychopaths are the archetypal SINNER!!!
Review: I read the hardcover version of Dr. Hare's book about 5 years ago and since became a Christian and have read the Bible as well as a considerable amount of related literature. The Biblical description of what sin is (will in conflict with God's will) and what the sinful heart is like is amazingly well represented in Dr. Hare's description of the psychopath. Indeed, psychopaths represent a perhaps "ideal" sinner - a will utterly un-yielding to ANY external force or higher ideal; visciously selfish, utterly lacking in compassion and having nothing but contempt for God and man.I'm glad to see Dr. Hare's book in print again in paperback. It does an excellent job describing what psychopaths are, how they think, what motivates them, how to identify them, and how to protect yourself from them. This book is essential social survival knowledge. I gave copies to my family, friends, and co-workers. I'm seriously considering buying a dozen to keep on hand and give to people as needed. Make sure your entire family and all close friends read this book. If you have teenage daughters, chain them to the kitchen table and read this book to them if necessary.
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Summary: Incredibly interesting!
Review: I read this shortly after an encounter with a psychopath and it was very illuminating. The other presents a very nice lay interpretation combined with scientific information. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in pathologies. It is extremely readable and incredibly interesting.
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Summary: Incredibly interesting!
Review: I read this shortly after an encounter with a psychopath and it was very illuminating. The other presents a very nice lay interpretation combined with scientific information. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in pathologies. It is extremely readable and incredibly interesting.
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Summary: WAKE-UP CALL 101
Review: I t was my good fortune to have a family member bring his "textbook" Without Conscience by Robert Hare along Labor Day Weekend. In light of the horrendous tragedy that has befallen our country and our world, I have one wish....that this enlightening book and all its necessary information be imparted to all government leaders, news anchors, law enforcement personnel, i.n.s employees, corporate decision makers.. all citizenry should make the understanding of psychopathy as basic as the Three R's.
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Summary: Told me What I Wanted to Hear
Review: I wanted to hear that a fair fraction of the human population (10%?) are psychopaths, unable to experience the emotions of shame, guilt, empathy, and sympathy for the plight of others. This book told me that. Why am I not happy, then, with this book? First, the author spends most of his time entertaining the reader with the goulish exploits of famous serial murderers and other notorious killers, yet has not the slightest evidence that they are psychopaths. Give me a break with your titillating stories, Dr. Hare! Second, Hare stereotypes psychpaths to a degree even a rank amateur like me can appreciate. All the people he interviews and describes are good looking, intelligent, verbal, social charmers, impulsive, glib and lie extensively. Each and every one, mind you. I really don't believe psychopaths are so uniform in their personalities. Third, virtually all of the evidence concerning the psychology of psychopathy are from interviews and writings of the psychopaths themselves. But if they lie freely and without compunction, why should we believe their own stories? There is, of course, absolutely no reason. We just want to believe them, so we do. Fourth, we know that some psychopaths are quite sadistic (they torture their victims, kill animals) while others are simply devoid of feeling for others. Shouldn't these be two different types of personality syndrome? If not, shouldn't Hare tell us why? Conclusion: This is a very good read with lots of gruesome titillation. Dr. Hare evidently wrote a Psychopathy Checklist, but we never get to see it, or to find out why it's a valid indicator of anything. Dr. Hare tells us what we want to hear, so we go away happy. I didn't learn much, but I'm happy.
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Summary: Informative
Review: I'd been looking for a book on psychopaths, and was glad to find this one. Some people aren't aware that some people have no consciences. Joseph Wambaugh's THE BLOODING is a great true-crime book about a psychopathic killer in which, when the judge is sentencing the killer at the end, he tells the killer he hopes that the killer will, "Listen to your conscience, and feel remorse, as you sit in your prison cell in the coming years." But as Wambaugh points out, this judge had it all wrong. This killer could NOT feel remorse. But instead, would likely sit in his prison cell reliving his murders with RELISH. And psychopaths are at all levels. Juanita Broaddrick gave believable information that Bill Clinton had raped her. And he has a history of lying, as well as sexual aggression. But Clinton supporters say, "Oh, SHE's lying." And it is this type of letting-the-psychopath -off-the-hook that lets them thrive. (And in case there are any Clinton supporters reading this, Dick Morris wrote in his diaries of Clinton, "He is incapable of feeling any compassion for others." Very psychopathic.) Don't let them off the hook! My family has known three highly educated, polished, psychopaths. All three impressed us with their initial charm. After the first two burned us, but didn't manage, to their regret, to ruin our lives, we met the third one. After his charm impressed us, we became alert to the fact that his charm was a little too slick (we knew to watch for this trait after the first two psychopaths). And we assessed--before we were aware of his having done anything bad--that he was a psychopath. Eventually it turned out we were right: he WAS a psychopath. Things he had told us were monstrous lies (about being an important professional, about having relatives in positions of power...all lies). He wrecked someone's professional life badly, albeit temporarily, whom we knew and respected. So keep your eyes open. It is possible to spot them before they strike. (Which doesn't mean you can STOP them from striking.) Just very difficult. This book should help you spot them.
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Summary: Frightening!
Review: If you've ever wondered if you've encoutered a psychopath, read this book!Dr. Hare does a magnificent job of describing the psychopaths that dwell within prisons, mental institutions, and unfortunately,..among us. This book is very easy to read, with very short subchapters within the regular chapters (which makes it even easier to read!)I am very happy that I purchased and read this book. It is very educational, to say the least.
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Summary: The Definitive Text on the Psychopath
Review: In this seminal textbook, David Hare, distinguishes psychopathy from mere antisocial behavior, the main criterion used by the DSM-IV-TR to diagnose the Antisocial Personality Disorder. The disorder appears in early adolescence but criminal behavior and substance abuse often abate with age, usually by the fourth or fifth decade of life. It may have a genetic or hereditary determinant and afflicts mainly men. The diagnosis is controversial and regarded by some scholar as scientifically unfounded. Psychopaths regard other people as objects to be manipulated and instruments of gratification and utility. They have no discernible conscience, are devoid of empathy and find it difficult to perceive other people's nonverbal cues, needs, emotions, and preferences. Consequently, the psychopath rejects other people's rights and his commensurate obligations. He is impulsive, reckless, irresponsible and unable to postpone gratification. He often rationalizes his behavior showing an utter absence of remorse for hurting or defrauding others. Their (primitive) defence mechanisms include splitting (they view the world - and people in it - as "all good" or "all evil"), projection (attribute their own shortcomings unto others) and projective identification (force others to behave the way they expect them to). The psychopath fails to comply with social norms. Hence the criminal acts, the deceitfulness and identity theft, the use of aliases, the constant lying, and the conning of even his nearest and dearest for gain or pleasure. Psychopaths are unreliable and do not honor their undertakings, obligations, contracts, and responsibilities. They rarely hold a job for long or repay their debts. They are vindictive, remorseless, ruthless, driven, dangerous, aggressive, violent, irritable, and, sometimes, prone to magical thinking. They seldom plan for the long and medium terms, believing themselves to be immune to the consequences of their own actions. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".
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Summary: Read it!
Review: Many, if not most, readers will read this book, and think back to people they've known and think, "AHA!" that's what explains why the guy was such a scumbag! I read a bunch of articles about President Clinton's psychopathic personality, and many of them referred to Robert Hare's book. Hare's book indirectly explains Clinton's personality well, and also the personalities of those who let people like him get away with their corruption, and excuse him, and "shoot the messengers." This is a very important book, because none of us will escape psychopaths in our lives, whether it's being victims of someone in your family, or someone in the White House, or the CEO of a company you own stock in.
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Summary: Informative AND Entertaining
Review: More often than not, a book that centers around anything psychological is well researched but boring to the point of tears. Dr. Hare escapes this trap and entertains and simultaneously informs the reader. The book is loaded with examples of real life encounters of psychopaths, primarily those interviewed by Dr. Hare's research within prisons. However there are also a number of victims accounts and the tales they tell may sound a bit familiar to someone in any reader's life. Dr. Hare obviously stands by his own research and his standardization tool for assessing psychopaths, the pyschopathy checklist. He details the difference between psychopathy and other other afflictions. He also gets to the hard truth..... we can recognize psychopaths among us, we can study them, we can even hope that we can develop ways to manage them, but we can never cure them. The book is loaded with side stories and events that make it a gripping read without dumbing it down. The only complaint I had is that there wasnt more in depth case studies and empirical research to back his assertions. It is an ideal read for anyone interested in psychology, criminology, or any of the behavioral sciences. You wont be dissapointed.
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