A notable proportional of people are psychopaths (aka malignant narcissists, sociopaths) and they cause havoc because they have limited empathy and care nothing for social norms. Has given me a valuable appreciation for this form of neurodiversity to help understand and manage those fraught situations that are otherwise inexplicable. The science is interesting - it's more likely neurological than upbringing or trauma. Ironically, the author doesn't show much empathy for the psychopaths!

@wildwoila I'm kinda curious to read this and also absolutely dreading the thought of reading N pages of "oh it's hardwired", which we knew to be bullshit *at least* 25 years ago, as in it was undergrad teaching material wayback then.

The implication in the title, that it's up to "us" to tame toxic people is also not so vaguely putting work in the wrong place... Maybe it's misleading?

@adamsteer
You probably know quite a lot more about this stuff than I do (I was coming in cold) so would probably be very unimpressed with his interpretation of the science. I am keen to read other views.

Yep, basically he treats them as uncontrollable evil demons and all we can do is put our heads down until we can safely extricate ourselves. Actually, that's not true, he talks a fair bit about psychopath-proofing organisational culture so they don't have free reign.
@wildwoila@wyrms.de

@adamsteer
In that case, I think you'll be able to identify with his perspective. He does a good job of laying out the different groups that a psychopath cultivates and how they play them off against each other. But, you will probably get very angry at his pop sci explanation of the psychology/neurology, so be prepared to hold your nose! It's not all that well written - I mostly appreciated it because I Learned A New Potentially Valuable Thing.
@wildwoila@wyrms.de

@wildwoila@aus.social @wildwoila@wyrms.de haha yeah cultivating different groups is definitely a thing.

I've sat through enough HR and MBA spew to tune the pop psych mostly out these days....