by Buttered Toast
I meant that I (not you) would turn into a windbag. I was just whining, so I should drop out of the discussion.
Oh, sorry. I like your posts, mainly. 
by smkovalinskyThis one does not do as duty dictates, but rises superior to it. Therefore, he brings calamity upon himself at the hands of gods and men. This is catastrophe and self-injury. There will be evil.
In my opinion, this statement means that the person, in whom the author is referring to, believes he is too superior to abide by the laws of society. He considers himself to be above the law, which will inevitably result in a path of self-destruction.
by Thrill Kill
by smkovalinskyThis one does not do as duty dictates, but rises superior to it. Therefore, he brings calamity upon himself at the hands of gods and men. This is catastrophe and self-injury. There will be evil.
In my opinion, this statement means that the person, in whom the author is referring to, believes he is too superior to abide by the laws of society. He considers himself to be above the law, which will inevitably result in a path of self-destruction.
The author is the great Wang Bi who rose to prominence after the collapse of the Han Dynasty in ancient China. He is meaning as you say, but there is a deeper meaning; This points to a ruler who has shirked great responsibility, as is about to destroy a nation.
by Thrill KillIt sounds like Wang Bi had some sociopathic potential.
Likely so. He was what they called, "a man of many qualities". and was a brilliant person. He wrote the commentary and interpretation of the I Ching (scholars book of wisdom in antiquity) and died at age 24.
It does not take the DSM to understand the actions of those which are petty, rivalrous, unjust, pernicious, malevolent to others
No it doesnt. But the qualities you have pointed out are not in fact , attributable to sociopaths alone.
It was a simple question, yet you seem loathe to answer directly.
Again , I ask, how many diagnosed sociopaths have you encountered in your life?.
Definitely a good quote for this forum. Wang Bi was an esoteric Daoist. The "duty" he refers to is not any kind of social law nor a set of supposedly divine commandments. "Duty" is acting in accordance with nature, in essence as part of nature. Exercising power in a manner based in self-delusion and prideful ignorance results in unanticipated chaos and disruption. Instead of achieving your aim you will undermine yourself and ultimately self-destruct. I would imagine that many of us are here on this site after getting burned in just that way.
by LycanIt does not take the DSM to understand the actions of those which are petty, rivalrous, unjust, pernicious, malevolent to others
No it doesnt. But the qualities you have pointed out are not in fact , attributable to sociopaths alone.
It was a simple question, yet you seem loathe to answer directly.
Again , I ask, how many diagnosed sociopaths have you encountered in your life?.
3 (Anti-social personality disorder; it is one and the same).
But the ones who simply hadn't been diagnosed were the worst. And yes, those aspects are not attributable to sociopaths alone. But a history and a very specific and recognizable pattern spanning decades of destructive behavior, no remorse, lies, criminality, shifting identities, game-playing, etc,. is enough for a person to be known as a sociopath in the classical sense. It is highly nuanced, but my IQ is very high and I grasp nuance easily. Diagnoses are for DSM, which is an arm of pop culture - I don't respect it.
by Turncoat"(Anti-social personality disorder; it is one and the same)"
Wouldn't hurt to do some more research, especially once you throw the possibility of comorbidities into the mix. Not every case is identical.
This is true so far as it goes. But I don't follow the DSM. I follow classical and Aristotlean methods of character discernment.