Political Ponerology: A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes

Regarding blocks to awareness, I need to state for the record

that I have spent 30 years studying psychology, history, cul-

ture, religion, myth and the so-called paranormal1. I also have

worked for many years with hypnotherapy - which gave me a

very good mechanical knowledge of how the mind/brain of the

human being operates at very deep levels. But even so, I was

still operating with certain beliefs firmly in place that were

shattered by my research into psychopathy. I realized that there

was a certain set of ideas that I held about human beings that

were sacrosanct – and false. I even wrote about this once in the

following way:

…my work has shown me that the vast majority of people

want to do good, to experience good things, think good

thoughts, and make decisions with good results. And they try

with all their might to do so! With the majority of people hav-

ing this internal desire, why the Hell isn't it happening?

I was naïve, I admit. There were many things I did not know

that I have learned since I penned those words. But even at that

time I was aware of how our own minds can be used to deceive

us.

Now, what beliefs did I hold that made me a victim of a

psychopath? The first and most obvious one is that I truly be-

lieved that deep inside, all people are basically “good” and that

they “want to do good, to experience good things, think good

thoughts, and make decisions with good results. And they try

with all their might to do so….”

As it happens, this is not true as I - and everyone involved

in our research group - learned to our sorrow, as they say. But

we also learned to our edification. In order to come to some

understanding of exactly what kind of human being could do

the things that were done to me (and others close to me), and

why they might be motivated - even driven - to behave this

way, we began to research the psychology literature for clues

because we needed to understand for our own peace of mind.

1 I have never received any academic degrees, so I am not a “professional”, in

that respect.

12

EDITOR’S PREFACE

If there is a psychological theory that can explain vicious

and harmful behavior, it helps very much for the victim of such

acts to have this information so that they do not have to spend

all their time feeling hurt or angry. And certainly, if there is a

psychological theory that helps a person to find what kind of

words or deeds can bridge the chasm between people, to heal

misunderstandings, that is also a worthy goal. It was from such

a perspective that we began our extensive work on the subjects

of narcissism, which then led to the study of psychopathy.

Of course, we didn’t start out with such any such “diagno-

sis” or label for what we were witnessing. We started out with

observations and searched the literature for clues, for profiles,

for anything that would help us to understand the inner world

of a human being - actually a group of human beings - who

seemed to be utterly depraved and unlike anything we had ever

encountered before. We found that this kind of human is all too

common, and that, according to some of the latest research,

they cause more damage in human society than any other sin-

gle so-called “mental illness”. Martha Stout, who has worked

extensively with victims of psychopaths, writes:

Imagine - if you can - not having a conscience, none at all,

no feelings of guilt or remorse no matter what you do, no lim-

iting sense of concern for the well-being of strangers, friends,

or even family members. Imagine no struggles with shame,

not a single one in your whole life, no matter what kind of

selfish, lazy, harmful, or immoral action you had taken.

And pretend that the concept of responsibility is unknown

to you, except as a burden others seem to accept without ques-

tion, like gullible fool.

Now add to this strange fantasy the ability to conceal from

other people that your psychological makeup is radically dif-

ferent from theirs. Since everyone simply assumes that con-

science is universal among human beings, hiding the fact that

you are conscience-free is nearly effortless.

You are not held back from any of your desires by guilt or

shame, and you are never confronted by others for your cold-

bloodedness. The ice water in your veins is so bizarre, so

completely outside of their personal experience, that they sel-

dom even guess at your condition.

POLITICAL PONEROLOGY

13

In other words, you are completely free of internal re-

straints, and your unhampered liberty to do just as you please,

with no pangs of conscience, is conveniently invisible to the

world.

You can do anything at all, and still your strange advan-

tage over the majority of people, who are kept in line by their

consciences will most likely remain undiscovered.

How will you live your life?

What will you do with your huge and secret advantage,

and with the corresponding handicap of other people (con-

science)?