In his fascinating, comprehensive and very readable book, Without Conscience; The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us ," Canadian Dr. Robert Hare of University of British Columbia, discloses some of the results of over 25 years of research.
He has conducted a study to discover what causes sociopathic and psychopathic behavior. This includes swindlers, con artists and mass murderers.
He discovered actual brain malformities and measurable brainwave and emotional response differences from standardized norms, in psychopathic patients.
He has produced a battery of psychological tests for and a personality profile of these sweet-talking, heartless, deceitful takers among us and offers defence strategies for us to protect or defend ourselves from this plague of predators.
A description of the key symptoms of psychopathy as found on page 34 of the book are:
Emotional/Interpersonal
Cautionary Note: Do Not use these symptoms to diagnose yourself or others.
Having said that, Dr. Hare poses questions many of us have been asking. We quote from the book:
Today the psychopath appears to be everywhere among us, and we must ask ourselves some important questions. Why is our fascination with psychopathy growing -- in our movies, on television, in our mass market books and magazines? Why are more and more crimes of violence being committed by young people? And what is it about our society that leads one expert to say:The young criminal you see today is more detached from his victim, more ready to hurt or kill. The lack of empathy for their victims among young criminals is just one symptom of a problem that affects the whole society. The general stance of the psychopath is more common these days; the sense that I am responsible for the well-being of others is on the wane.Are we unknowingly allowing a society to evolve that is the perfect breeding ground, and perhaps even a "killing field," for psychopaths? As our morning newspaper tells us, this question grows more pressing every day. (p. 81)
Reading this book sparked me to extrapolate its findings onto corporations. National and international corporations are legal fictions that are not alive but have the rights of a living human being and more -- they can exist forever. Corporations are truly "the Living Dead."
The Living Dead are soulless, heartless, and have no human feelings, needs or frailties. They conform, where inhumanly possible, very closely to Dr. Hare's checklist of key symptoms of psychopathy. They are by nature, design and focus psychopathic creations that are not capable of caring for individual rights, humanity or the earth. The Living Dead are creatures of our own creation and they are killing us. Frankenstein-ish, isn't it?
Not only are national and international corporations psychopathic by nature, but also any government that wields power without empathy, compassion and understanding or is secretly controlled by corporations are also psychopathic.
There can only be human understanding in corporations and governments when there is acceptance that the only way to discharge power with maximum effect and no harm is with empathy, compassion and love.