The Sociopaths Among Us--And How to Avoid Them - The Atlantic

The Sociopaths Among Us--And How to Avoid Them - The Atlantic

Arthur Brooks writes: "You may be allowed a measure of schadenfreude--without being accused of sadism--to learn that Dark Triads are usually not particularly successful in life. They are not, in general, capable leaders; they don't have close friends; they report lower-than-average life satisfaction. If you are worrying about whether you qualify, then, for your own happiness's sake, seek help. Well-designed Dark Triad tests can guide that decision.

"More useful for the other 93 percent of us is advice on how to identify and avoid Dark Triads. The traits to look for are self-importance, a sense of entitlement, vanity, a victim mentality, a tendency to bend the truth or even openly lie, manipulativeness, grandiosity, a lack of remorse, and an absence of empathy. Probe for these characteristics particularly when on first dates and in job interviews. You might even want to take that test imaginatively on behalf of someone you suspect may have Triad traits and see what result you get."

MORE: Jordan Peterson interview with Del Paulhus about the Dark Tetrad (the Triad of narcissism, machiavellianism, and psychopathy, plus sadism).