The Psychopath Test

by Jon Ronson

It is an awful lot harder, Tony told me, to convince people you’re sane than it is to convince them you’re crazy.

Hare that described psychopaths as ‘predators who use charm, manipulation, intimidation, sex and violence to control others and to satisfy their own selfish needs. Lacking in conscience and empathy, they take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without guilt or remorse. What is missing, in other words, are the very qualities that allow a human being to live in social harmony.’

‘If people like you, you can manipulate them to do whatever you want them to do!’ I blinked. ‘So you don’t really want people to like you?’ I asked. ‘Oh no,’ he shrugged. ‘I’m giving you my deepest secrets here, Jon!’ ‘When you said, “If people don’t like me it hurts me,” you don’t mean it hurts your feelings. You mean it hurts your status?’ ‘Yes, exactly.’ ‘How does it work?’ I asked. ‘How do you make people like you?’ ‘Ah, OK,’ he said. ‘ Watch this . . .’ He turned to the elderly inmate whose children and grandchildren had just left. ‘You have a lovely family!’ he called to him. The man’s face broke into a broad, grateful smile. ‘Thanks!’ he called back. Toto grinned covertly at me. ‘What about empathy?’ I asked. ‘Do you feel empathy? I suppose empathy could sometimes be considered a weakness.’ ‘No,’ said Toto. ‘I don’t feel empathy.’ He shook his head like a horse with a fly on its nose. ‘It’s not a feeling I have. It’s not an emotion I have.