Sociopath or psychopath? I like presidents who aren't 'paths'

I never imagined that, while writing commentaries and essays about the president of the United States, I’d have to research the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath, but here we are in late October in the year two thousand and seventeen…and these are strange days indeed. 

In previous comments here and on Facebook and Twitter, I may have, er, hypothetically described our current president as a “psychopathic narcissist,” only to be, umm, hypothetically corrected by my wife, who majored in psychology in college. “You mean ‘sociopath,’ she hypothetically told me, ‘not psychopath.’”

At the same time, I’m watching a Netflix series called “Mindhunter” about the origins of the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences Unit that features the following exchange about Richard Nixon:

FBI Agent Holden Ford: “How do you get to be president of the United States if you’re a sociopath?”

Psychology Professor Dr. Wendy Carr: “The question is, how do you get to be president of the United States if you’re not?”

So anyhow I looked it up and here’s an excerpt of what WebMD has to say:

You may have heard people call someone else a “psychopath” or a “sociopath.” You won’t find the definitions in mental health’s official handbook, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Doctors use a different term instead: antisocial personality disorder.

Most experts believe psychopaths and sociopaths share a similar set of traits. People like this have a poor inner sense of right and wrong. They also can’t seem to understand or share another person’s feelings. But there are some differences, too.

A key difference between a psychopath and a sociopath is whether he has a conscience, the little voice inside that lets us know when we’re doing something wrong. A psychopath doesn’t have a conscience. If he lies to you so he can steal your money, he won’t feel any moral qualms, though he may pretend to. He may observe others and then act the way they do so he’s not “found out.” A sociopath typically has a conscience, but it’s weak. He may know that taking your money is wrong, and he might feel some guilt or remorse, but that won’t stop his behavior.

Both lack empathy, the ability to stand in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel, but a psychopath has less regard for others. Someone with this personality type sees others as objects he can use for his own benefit.

The article goes on to say that psychopaths and sociopaths are usually not violent, but use manipulation and reckless behavior to get what they want. Others are skilled at climbing their way up the corporate [or political] ladder, even if they have to hurt someone to get there. Does all of this sound like anyone you know?

If you’re really interested, read the full story under the link above or do your own research of other sources. I’m sure there are many. I found out what I wanted to know, which is that neither psychopaths nor sociopaths exhibit a set of traits that I want my president to have. Unfortunately, when I was asked that question last fall, they only gave me one vote.