Laurens Buijs
Amsterdam Gender Theory Research Team
As psychopaths in today’s age are increasingly seizing power, it is also important that we start talking more about that. I think it is helpful to look at psychopathy with a Jungian view.
According to Jung, the human psyche is built on the basis of four major archetypes, or symbolic structures: the self, the shadow, the animus and the anima. In Jungian terms, a psychopath is a person whose personality (self) has come to be completely dominated by his shadow side.
Every person has a shadow side (see AGTRT-BA7). That is a side of the personality that is not integrated into consciousness. Because this side is ignored by the psyche but still exists, it takes on a life of its own.
We are all sometimes “taken over” by our shadow side. Then for a moment we are no longer ourselves and no longer balanced. Then, for example, we act unkind to others when we don’t want to. Or we allow ourselves to be led by our impulses regarding sex, alcohol, drugs, food, buying, etc.
Shadow behavior always manifests itself in the form of greed, aggression and domination. Therefore, it is important that we all work on integrating our shadow into our personality. You do this by working on yourself, holding up mirrors to each other, examining your own blind spots, dealing constructively with criticism, introspection, etc. This is what Jung calls “shadow work.”
Read more about the shadow and shadow work:
With shadow work one shineS light on one’s own unconscious malice
With shadow work, fortunately, most people are all involved to a greater or lesser extent. However, there is a small group that does not do so at all, and has not done so for a lifetime. This is due to a specific kind of intense childhood trauma involving severe emotional neglect and abandonment.
Psychopaths are the people who have neglected their shadow work to such an extent that they have become their shadow: their true personality (which in humans is by definition loving) has been almost completely pushed away by their shadow. They have actually been completely “taken over” by their shadow.
Within that again is a smaller group we call “high functioning psychopaths.” They function well, have hidden their psychopathy behind a convincing backdrop, they are convincing in filling normal social roles (father, partner, friend, leader, athlete, etc.) and hold all kinds of high positions in society.
Because these people have no empathy and therefore no shame or guilt, they have certain advantages in the current neoliberal system that is so much about flat things like efficiency, output, growth, money and profit.
They can very easily subordinate humanity to these goals and thus can easily dismiss, deceive, use, manipulate, eliminate, etc. people to achieve these goals. That’s why these people are also increasingly found in top positions.
So the problem is that high-functioning psychopaths can be such good chameleons. It is a very small group of people, but they are just in the powerful positions and we can’t actually recognize them very easily.
Do psychopaths know about themselves that they are psychopaths? In this there is variation, but there are certainly psychopaths with high awareness about their condition. They know they are not normal people. They know they have to lie and cheat all day long. They know they have to cover all their tracks. They know that they are living a double life and that they must constantly hide behind a backdrop.
What do they themselves think about that? Well they like that. They get a kick out of being able to prank everyone, to outsmart everyone, to have no one see through them while hiding “in plain sight.” It makes them feel better than others. The more susceptible people are, and the more bonkers they can make it with those people, the harder the thrill. So by definition, these people suffer from some form of sadism.
Psychopaths are also by definition afraid. They are always afraid of being discovered. After all, deep down they also know that they are huge losers and that there are people who do have integrity and sincerity. These people hate them, and they actually envy them. They dread the idea that they could be exposed by them. Hence they go out of their way to blacken these people and kick them down.
How do you recognize a psychopath?
– Lack of empathy (may be well hidden by stagecraft)
– Need for domination, control and possession
– Superficial charm: charming but manipulative
– Impulsivity
– Irresponsible behavior
– No shame or guilt
– Superficial relationships on the emotional plane (only intellectual depth)
– Unable to introspect or deal with criticism
– Unable to show vulnerability
– Double life
Most psychopaths are male because you must have completely suppressed your feminine side (the anima) to become a psychopath. This is usually easier for men to do. But high-functioning psychopaths often do have wives. This woman does not realize the psychopath, but unconsciously facilitates him and also benefits from his shenanigans and the loot that comes with it.
Psychopaths usually have an extensive secret sex life in which powerplay is important. The need for dominance and domination is also expressed in sex. To innocent and voluntary BDSM in which one works with “consent” and “roleplay” they are usually incapable of themselves. Sexuality is an important means by which they vent their unprocessed aggression and frustrations.
How to deal with a psychopath? Ultimately, cutting any contact is the only best option. Compassion and love make no sense at all; a psychopath only abuses them. A psychopath must be “drained”: the entire network around him must decide to stop manipulating himself. Only then is the spell worked out and only then can that person truly engage in healing.
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