Some people say psychopaths are made.
Others assume they are born that way.
Where Edmund Kemper grew up with a mother who constantly belittled him, Jeffrey Dahmer claims to have had a good childhood.
Scientists who have studied the brain of serial killers vs. “regular” people reported significant differences in certain areas of the brain, which regulate e.g. the primary emotions, recognizing dangers, morality and memory.
You can probably think of a few symptoms presented in films, such as:
Apt Pupil – remember that scene where a former Nazi war criminal attempts to kill his cat in a gas oven?
We need to talk about Kevin – Baby Kevin refuses to communicate with his mother, while as a teenager he would practically masturbate in front of her.
Girl Interrupted – where we can see the nature of a sociopath, a pathological liar and severe struggle with OCD.
These are pretty extreme examples of psychopathy.
And not every psychopath will end up physically hurting you or themselves.
In fact, there are sneakier, almost socially acceptable, ways to “destroy” a person.
Manipulation. Backstabbing. Stepping on others to reach their own goal.
And the older the age, the less we consider it psychopathic behavior, but simply “tough love”.
How would you feel if you witnessed a child showing no remorse after making another child cry?
If that doesn’t creep you out just a tiny bit, imagine your own child showing no remorse towards you. Or any emotions for that matter.
You could even start wondering if this is a serial killer in the making.
Bullying on a more conscious level would usually take place in the teenage years.
How often have you just watched your classmate being bullied?
How often do teachers and other adults see that without doing anything?!
In fact, often excuses are made for this behavior.
“Being a teenager isn’t an easy time”. Very true, but constantly made feel bad doesn’t make it easier.
“The fact that this person bullies you only shows how insecure they are themselves”. This is the one I have heard the most often and still makes me vomit. How on earth is this considered a valid excuse within our society?
Fast forwarding to adulthood you might even be so lucky to land a job.
Be so lucky.
This is exactly the phrase that companies will use to their advantage by constantly boosting about how they are “one of the world’s largest” in their field and about the company’s amazing benefits.
What people don’t seem to realize is that all these benefits are carefully calculated.
If the company gives you something, you can be sure that they have taken or about to take something from you.
Have you ever felt under appreciated by your manager?
The unpaid overtime you do don’t seem enough.
Your bright ideas are never listened to.
And the once in a life time they complement you, you cherish it like it’s the world’s greatest gift and forgive them for every time they made you feel bad.
Everyone has a their own emotional outlet.
Some laugh it off or ignore it.
Others get angry and will defend themselves.
But I am one of those who cries.
The worst thing is that I feel it coming and I think to myself “Don’t do it! Get rid of those damn onions”.
But the tears drop anyway.
Crying is associated with sadness, but more often it seems to be considered a sign of weakness.
While it is not my intention, I used to think it could provoke empathy.
But each time you look at them, behind the fog of tears, only blank, emotionless face is visible.
And just when you think that things couldn’t get any worse, you’d hear them making fun of you to other colleagues.
And what is the general advice after such an occasion?
“You should not care about what people say, just do you”.
“You need to grow some hair on your chest, life is just tough”.
And that’s when the knife has made it all the way through the chest.
I'll let myself out 