Can psychopathy be learned?

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I only ask, because I think I'm learning it. I've been sticking to the "moral highground" with regard to respect for other people and society and such. But my encounters are teaching me that perhaps this is not a valuable course in this world. I'm going to confess here .. when I was 10 years old I came home from school. No one was there but my cat, who I loved/love. I strangled him until his eyes bulged out. I wanted to hurt something because I was hurt. I did this three times over maybe two months and then I realized I was wrong. After that I have been self-harming.
Can anyone relate?
The reason I ask is because I feel so detached, I'm not sure that exploiting others is wrong anymore. Am I becoming more human or less?

Yes, you may be a psychopath.
You sound like you're young.

I can't identify with strangling animals.

However as to your last question,
yes, you ARE becoming more Human.

Our (Human's) biggest shining achievement is Capitalism.
What is capitalism ? The exploitation of human beings.
Plain and simple. Any and every college and university professor knows this full well.
Though they will beat around the bush and mince words when they talk about it in lectures.

Socialism, the barnacle on the freight ship of Capitalism is but an outgrowth of capitalism.
Both capitalism and socialism use force against people (whether direct or passive aggressively) and BOTH exploit people.

If you're concerned about becoming less human, don't worry, you're in good company. Always will be.
Who do you think runs this planet ? Psychopaths. Who get the biggest bonuses in fortune 500 companies ?
psychopaths. 1% of the US population is predicted to be psychopathic in nature, and 4% (maybe more probably) of CEO's of successful companies are statistically verified to be psychopaths. Researched and measured by a few non-psychopathic inquisitive scientists, no doubt. What a sad discovery.

BUT. It's good news for You.
You'll do well on this planet, if you apply your psychopathic tendencies to making money.

Just don't come near me.

Your motivations don't sound like ASPD at all.
Another point is that this doesn't seem to be a pervasive pattern in your life, at least you didn't mention that.
People with ASPD don't usually tend to harm themselves either.
And have you actually exploited others? There's a big difference between thinking and doing.
Since you're also talking about remorse I'll place my bet on that you don't have it.

Barchan,

it's called sarcasm.

Many NTs actually believe that, btw.

I think psychopathy can be learned. I learned anti social attitudes when I was a teenager trying to be a thug. I learned to exploit people without feeling any remorse. I learned not to do these things when I stopped using drugs and hanging with criminals. When I got around a more moral crowd, I started trying to live by moral principles.

In regard to your feelings of not caring about hurting people anymore and wondering if you are becoming "less human", I can relate. I think it is because of isolation. It's hard to care about people when you're not close to anyone. Isolation changes the way you think.

There's a big difference between tendencies and full-blown ASPD.
Just saying.

Sounds like you have serious depersonalisation/derealisation and that can numb your feelings towards things, your perception and emotions.

I do not think you are becoming a psychopath. I know more about these things than most of the people who have commented so far. They are barking up the wrong tree so to speak.

The material world including culture is a function of objective forces. I see this everyday on my trading charts and it is, frankly, intriguing. That said, the take away from this for me is that the world is as it is and whilst I may not have the biggest circle of connections, I am less inclined to beat myself up or hate the rest of humanity for that matter. If I meet someone who I can relate to and who relates to me, I count that as a blessing (without the religious overtones as I am an atheist.)

Try it some time. It certainly makes for a less complicated life.