The dark side of Aspergers: serial killers, sociopathy

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On topic it is common for children with AS to be called little proffessors not so common to be called dangerous to others in a soiopathic way.

There's a problem with stereotypes and sociopaths too. Are they all charismatic charmers? Or are the ones that are more easily noticeable the social ones, which in turn feeds the stereotype?

I also think that aspies do have empathy, unlike a sociopath. They just have a different way of showing it (as other posters have said), a way that gets labeled as 'nonexistant' by NTs, mostly because they can't understand it. Sociopaths do not have empathy. They're the true non-empathetic beings, not aspies.

I don't know. I think aspies and sociopaths rule eachother out. Silva focused a bit too heavily on traits that seem similar, but it's like saying that oranges are grapefruits to me.

I've written on this at least once before:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp850205.html#850205

In summary, no.

I'll second that...

Serial killers often torture and then kill animals, delighting in the sadistic control and power over another living thing... In my opinion, what makes a serial killer is something that is more emotional, at a very deep level, as opposed to just a different neurological component... These people often were raised in very sick, disturbed environments and exposed to alot of cruelty and often repeated, violent, sexual abuse at a young age. (That doesn't mean that every individual that has experienced childhood sexual abuse will turn into a serial killer either -- I think it's a combination of a lot of factors). Lack of early intervention would be another reason -- they hold on to all that rage inside and secretly act it out first, by torturing and then killing animals and then, by turning the aggression against vulnerable people..

I just want to make this point too... I believe that a clear sign of someone that could become a serial killer is not only a person that tortures and then kills animals, but also someone who may actually torture an autistic person as well. Many bullies and violent-prone people will turn their aggression against an autistic person before other people, because they think it will be easier to get away with...

Experts have been finding that torturing animals is a frequent common denominator in many serial killer's pasts. Dahmer was one that tortured animals when he was younger and also had some type of need to be close to his victims and felt that by eating them, that he was somehow keeping that person within himself?? I remember reading something bazaar like that.... I think serial killers are formed by some type of severe, warped emotional pain that goes to a deep core-level of their psyche at a young age. Whatever the case, it is much different than your typical autistic or person that just happens to be on the autistic spectrum. imho

If someone claims a relationship between being "empathy challenged" and being a mass or serial murderer, then, IMO, the burden of proof is on that individual. Hating and wishing ill of people is not a defined characteristic of the Asperger's category. Can an aspie hate and desire to inflict pain on others? Sure, but so can people who are not aspies. When writers make these kinds of claims, I always look for the empirical evidence. So far, I have not seen any evidence.

J. Arturo Silva, MD Shrink, studied Forensic Psychiatry and the law, makes his as an Expert Witness, and sees High Functioning Autism as a defense.

Facing death, life without parole? Caught cold and red handed? Call J. Arturo Silva, who did the famous write up of the Leopold and Loeb killers, 1920, showing they were just poor misunderstood Autistics, so High functioning you would not notice.

If you have the bucks, J. Arturo will get you a comfy life in a mental institution, where someday you might be cured, and released.

So he picks high profile cases, and the message is, I could have helped them beat the rap.

Part of his deal is Autistics lack the ability to form intent, hence, not guilty by reason of deminished mental capasity.

He is from Southern Cal, and we do remember the Twinki Defense. If you are a murder with lots of money, and sitting in a cell, Silva will help you. He will give lessons in avoiding eye contact, and rocking.

So contrary to Autistics being profiled as criminals, criminals are using J. Arturo and AS when they have no defense. If he has his fee all killers will be AS.

So the money trail leads to his pocket. When the best lawyers can't beat the rap, see Silva.

So the whole story is an ad for someone out to beat the legal system, using Psychiatry and AS.

A Congressman in Arizona just got busted for stuffing his pockets, they got him cold, bet he comes down with AS and Silva. Stuffing his pockets is a stim.

The only thing he has to do with law enforcement is trying to defeat it.

A profile of Autistics shows they hardly ever leave home, ignore the world, avoid people, and unless you mess with their Legos, are no danger to anyone.

I did once let the parking meter expire, and drove away without putting in another coin, but I am not saying in what State.

The Dark side of Nuerotypicalism: Sociopaths and Serial Killers.

What people believe is not really important. It is whether their claims can be supported by peer-reviewed evidence.

Dare I suggest not giving psychopathy such a bad rap?

Remember that the psychopathic serial killer is such a rare event that psychologists believe they should be in a category by themselves. Most psychopaths never kill anyone. They just go through life getting into endless trouble because they can't think outside of the moment. Just as we often get into trouble because we can't think IN the moment.

I'd agree with Anbuend on a recent post she made saying that psychopathy is the opposite of autism. In fact, I'd say that the spectrum may be bigger than we imagine:

THEIR END

Psychopath

Drama queen/Player

Party animal

Extrovert

(Hypothetical utterly normal average human being)

Introvert

Bookish/Geeky

Asperger's

High-Functioning Autism

Low-Functioning Autism

OUR END


My pet theory is that Autism and Psychopathy are book-ends of a range of human brain-shapes and the personalities they create. Call me a romantic geek if you like, but I like to use the ancient Viking terms, Elf of Darkness and Elf of Light to describe the two extremes.

Autism and Psychopathy are medical terms that describe a sickness to be cured, and as we all know, that's not the whole truth.

A society will always need its warriors and its inventors. To that end, nature seems to have created mutant forms that encourage this. These mutants are not bound by the traditional limitations of normal people. Psychopaths have no fear of pain or death. The autistic have no fear of the unknown. Psychopaths have uncommonly good leadership skills. The autistic have an irresistible urge to bring order out of chaos.

In just about every civilisation since time began, these traits have been valued, respected and used. Only our current society, believing only in one form of human, the consumer, ignores this.