Silk Road forums
Discussion => Philosophy, Economics and Justice => Topic started by: strangeman on July 12, 2013, 11:12 pm
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Hi fellow Roaders,
I was just wondering if anybody would be interested in hearing about (and having audiobook format of, if willing to walk me through a good anonymous, and lazy-proof, way to share) a recent book: Confessions of a Sociopath: A life spent hiding in plain sight, by M. E. Thomas.
I mention it because: a. Illegal activity, and drug use in particular, selects disproportionately for Antisocial Personality types, meaning there will be, statistically, a fair number of sociopaths on this board. b. A sociopath who buys drugs online using a sophisticated encryption and proxy server operation is probably just the type of "functional" sociopath that Thomas herself claims to be and which the book sheds much deserved light on. c.I think the book deserves a wider audience, because the popular imagination could use a good challenge when it comes to what a sociopath, or to use the term I prefer: Antisocial Spectrum Personality Type, actually is. d., I can see the potential at the margins of our culture (like here) for the Antisocial Outcast becoming a better understood and more accepted type, if a polarizing one, but whatever the case, it seems very clear that there is an increased level of popular interest in The Antisocial. Which is to say, I smell a trend. and e., Antisocial Personality has political implications that I think this community might have very interesting and unique insight in.
And all that said by way of argument/temptation, and I hope you won't see this as stereotypically manipulative ;), but I must myself confess a personal interest in the subject that goes beyond morbid curiosity or political abstractions. The strange in my handle refers to (an officially undiagnosed) Antisocial Personality Type. I identify personally with a substantial amount of what Thomas writes, though we are ultimately different types of monster, a term I use advisedly, and with some affection.
It's likely that Antisocials (or whatever moniker you prefer) on this board would be able to guess my neuro- atypicality, anyway, so I may as well get out in front of it. It's not quite like in the Jeff Lyndsey Novels, but we have a way of sensing each other. An artist of disguise recognizes the craft when he/she/it sees it. And really, I would hope that this might spark some discussion among Antis in a space where we can be honest without fear of stigma. Again, the political implications of anonymity are relevant here. One of my major life goals, from around 17, has been to stay out of jail and I realized early that to do that I would have to, as Thomas puts it, "hide in plain sight." Seem like one of the good kids, then get away with whatever the fuck you want when the authoritarian goons/morons aren't looking. But I'm a deep cover motherfucker when it comes to my Anti status. Shit, I don't even talk about it out of doors in person, or without either PGP or TOR at a distance. My wife knows, a few old friends kind of suspect, and I plan to mostly keep it that way for the foreseeable future. Here, however, we might talk about who and what we are, maybe talk about the implications of Antisociality for psychonautics (just for instance) or Anarchist Politics, without having to worry (much) about the possible IRL fallout of admitting we even might be (or worse, might know and love) one of those monsters who have no hearts and like to cut people up.
TL;DR: Anyone interested in review/discussion of this book? Or should this post be dismissed as MDPV-fueled tomfoolery? I await your negative karma and/or general disdain, or, you know not. Whatever the opposite of that is? I have no real feelings to hurt, so, whatever.
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John McAfee, is that you? ;D
sounds like an interesting book. my ex is a self-proclaimed sociopath and I'm trying to figure out what exactly that is.
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I used to think I might be a sociopath, but now I've decided that's not the case, at least not strongly so. I have an empathetic response to violence in most situations for example. I am amoral, however.
I'm curious to hear more about the book and what in it you identified with.