confessions of a(n LDS) sociopath

[Portia]

So, I ran across this article in the grocery store. At BYU, she

stole from the lost and found, saying I lost a book, but then I would take the "found" book to the bookstore and sell it. Or, I'd take an unlocked bike that sat in the same place for days. Finders, keepers.

Very strange, and pretty creepy. Reactions?

[UffishThought]

Eek. One of the creepiest ideas to me is that I might find myself up against someone whose brain is wired differently from me, and I'd have no idea what would help me and what would hurt me. It's why I think the Phantom of the Opera is such a scary story.

Also, some bits of her ring familiar to me. There was a guy I was friends with years ago that I think may actually be a sociopath. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but I'm glad we move in different circles now. When I got to know him better, I noticed he would betray other peoples' secrets in a heartbeat if he thought it would be amusing, without a second thought for how they would react. And when he DID think of how they would react, it was to figure a way to manipulate them into being okay with what he'd done, and not to feel guilt or shame.

[S.A.M.]

My actions are what matters, not my ruthless thoughts, not my nefarious motivations.

Wrong. Your thoughs/motivations are as important as your actions.

When I attended Brigham Young—where students were even more trusting than the average Mormon—there were myriad opportunities for scamming.

Yep, it seems there are an abundance of Multi Level Marketing companies in Utah to take advantage of this trusting market. My parents-in-law fell for a Nigerian e-mail scam despite our repeated warnings that it was bogus.

But I am functionally a good person—I bought a house for my closest friend, I gave my brother $10,000, and I am considered a helpful professor. I love my family and friends. Yet I am not motivated or constrained by the same things that most good people are.

If you do good for the wrong reasons, is it still good? I'm ok with someone having different motivations to do good. Motivations can change over time.

I myself try to escape people like that; after all, it's not like all sociopaths give each other hall passes to avoid harassment.

Predator types avoid other predators, they want to be surrounded by prey.

I was not a victim of child abuse, ...
I wonder, though, had I been raised in a more abusive home, whether I would have blood on my hands.

Yes, she was. It sounds like her home was plenty abusive, if not physically abusive. I wonder, though, if she had been raised in a less abusive home, whether she would still have what she is describing as sociopathic behavior? Would this aspect of her personality have been minimized, while other aspects grew?

[Whistler]

I'm both sickened and fascinated

[Violet]

I'm both sickened and fascinated

I agree. I like to understand how and why people do thing, but once mental illness is a part of it, everything becomes so much more extreme both in their actions and my reaction.

[Portia]

I'm writing a short story inspired, in part, by this. It's interesting to get inside her mind. I also was inspired by Becky Sharp.

[Imogen]

I feel like this person should NOT be teaching law, but it's ballsy to put it all out there like that.

[vorpal blade]

Disturbing.

[S.A.M.]

Disturbing.

Woah. Welcome back to active posting vorpal blade!

[vorpal blade]

Thanks, S.A.M. I'm looking forward to getting to know you.

[S.A.M.]

Vorpal, your title is gone!

[Whistler]

I think most of us lost our titles. *sniff

[vorpal blade]

Vorpal, your title is gone!

You are right! I wondered about that. Do I have to earn my title all over again? I do miss my old title. Or maybe I could get an even more awesome title.

[Marduk]

Yeah, that whole title thing. If I could do something about that, I'd totally keep on top of doing titles. Whoever has the ability to do that on this board is really slacking.

Welcome back Vorpal. It is good to see you.

[S.A.M.]

Or maybe I could get an even more awesome title.

Haha like "Older and Awesomer".

[vorpal blade]

Thank you Marduk. I appreciate the welcome.

That would be a funny title, S.A.M. I would hope to be found worthy of it.

[vorpal blade]

Getting back to the sociopath who is the subject of this thread, rumor has it that she was just hired as a BYU law professor. http://abovethelaw.com/2013/05/sources- ... professor/

[NerdGirl]

^I tend to agree with the statement at the bottom of that article that whoever this person is sounds more like a narcissist than a sociopath. Although those two things are not mutually exclusive.

[vorpal blade]

When I read that she sleeps with the boyfriends of her girlfriends, just to prove she can, I thought the old fashioned word "wicked" might better apply. "Sociopath" seems to give her cover, like she has a mental illness. But she knows what she is doing and glories in her wickedness. And to think that she may soon be teaching law students at BYU. I shudder to think of it.

She certainly does seem to exhibit narcissistic tendencies, which may explain why she has a blog about her evil practices and wrote a book bragging about her conquests.