I didn't mean for it to come across like I thought you were bragging.
I have this smart ass that lives in my brain, that makes himself known from time to time 
by DaddyYou don't lack empathy, you suppress it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23431793
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263964.php
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/25/psychopaths-empathy-_n_3652792.html
It is my opinion that true sociopaths actually have a heightened sense for empathy, which would explain how they excel at manipulating others (and in fact make excellent psychologists).
I think that sociopaths may actually have such heightened senses of empathy that they eventually are forced to shut that part of themselves down and suppress it. (In some ways it reminds me of how it would be to constantly read everyones mind... how mind numbing all of that sensory perception would be, you would need to be able to block those voices out to stay sane)
But back to reality, this sociopathic on off switch is akin to how people with deep depression will go into a "numb" stage as a defense mechanism to protect them from deep feelings that cause them anguish. It is often assumed that a sociopath experienced a traumatic event early in childhood that left them traumatized. Could such trauma force them to create a defense mechanism to block out that sensory perception?
But back to your reference of how music makes you feel. I would say you are just as capable of feeling emotion as anyone else. You simply choose not to, whether consciously or subconsciously.
X
This is probably the most intelligent thing you have ever said on this forum, Jay. A definite improvement over the countless references to your golden cock.
"It is my opinion that true sociopaths actually have a heightened sense for empathy, which would explain how they excel at manipulating others (and in fact make excellent psychologists).
I think that sociopaths may actually have such heightened senses of empathy that they eventually are forced to shut that part of themselves down and suppress it."
Haha, what? The thought of the psychos I know actually being these over empaths cracks me up. Sorry, can't see why or even how that would be so.
Also, about sociopaths "excelling at manipulating others"... They just engage in it more often because they lack a conscience, and empathy. They lack emotional understanding, so they have to pay attention and develop the rational understanding a bit more to get by and survive in groups. They get better at that than normal people because they gain more experience. Otherwise they'd be screwed. Actually, many times they are screwed.
I read that there is some evidence that many sociopaths were hypersensitive children who had to construct massive defense mechanisms so as to protect their inner core from abuse, which was stunted before it could fully develop.
I don't know about "heightened" empathy, though. Sensitivity and empathy are not by any means synonymous.
They just engage in it more often because they lack a conscience, and empathy.
Edd.... How many times do I need to share this... Sociopaths don't lack empathy, they shut it off...
If they had none they would be incapable of manipulating people, more over, they would be incapable of understanding the mental state of others. Without an understanding of the mental state (such as dex and other autistic types) It would be impossible for them to read and manipulate their targets. Empathy is required to understand things from the perspective of another. This is what empathy is, the expression of mirror neurons where by we are capable of putting ourselves in the shoes of another and feel what they feel.
Sociopaths are quite good at feeling what others feel, and to that end, they are also quite good at shutting down those feelings if they so choose to do so.
If you actually read these articles I wouldn't need to spoon feed this too you...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23431793
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263964.php
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/25/psychopaths-empathy-_n_3652792.html
This is what empathy is, the expression of mirror neurons where by we are capable of putting ourselves in the shoes of another and feel what they feel.
Sociopaths are quite good at feeling what others feel, and to that end, they are also quite good at shutting down those feelings if they so choose to do so.
I remember seeing a show in which they had sociopaths take a fMRI and they were able to prove that a sociopath's brain is wired differently.
But there also was this neuroscientist (and I can't for the life of me remember his name) who was doing two MRI-based experiments concurrently.
The first one was on a group of sociopathic murderers and the second one was on his own family to try and detect early signs of Alzheimer's.
So he thought there had been a mix-up with the MRIs because among the 'family experiment' MRIs there was one of a sociopath's brain. He asked his assistant to check whose MRI it was (blind studies are done anonymously) and it turned out that it was his own brain.
Morality: even if nature plays a role on sociopathy, nurture also helps to determine who you'll become in life.
No- you seem rather obsessed with it, as evidenced by the garbage you used to post around here. A single reference on the part of a long-time lurker hardly qualifies as an "obsession". Are you unable to even accept a compliment from someone without lapsing into a predictable defensive response?
You're wrong about empathy. I've never been able to feel the emotions of others. A sociopath's ease in manipulating others stems from their glibness, charm, and resulting power of persuasion, coupled with an uncanny ability to perceive and exploit the weaknesses of others.
You're still talking about it... Just admit it, you want the golden D...
As to you not being able to feel emotions that is indicative of Autism, Not psychopathy. In the autism spectrum individuals have issues perceiving and understanding the emotions of others and to that end are socially awkward (to say the least).
As for a sociopaths ease in manipulation stemming from: glibness, charm, and resulting power of persuasion.
That in no way explains the origin of those qualities. It just explains the qualities they have... their origin being their ability to understand the emotions of others. You can only manipulate emotions if you can perceive them and understand them. Such understanding comes from the empathy neuron system. Which allow one to percieve and feel the emotions of others as if they are their own. a simulation of sorts.