Jedi = Sociopath | Sith = Psychopath ?

[Beniboybling]

Actually Sith could have a Psychosis and still be functional, most are Paranoid and Paranoia is a Psychosis (unless they actually are out to get you, then it's a Neurosis). In fact I would say the vast majority of Sith have some form of Psychosis or Neurosis, but are just in control enough for them to be functional, to varying degrees.

 

Also the Darkside affects people differently, with some it is like a drug, with others it's like a disease (it literally consumes them and they die because of it), and with others it has virtually no effect (they were already angry/fearful etc and it doesn't even amplify these emotions for them), and with others it amplifies the emotions, skews the perceptions etc. There is no standard rule for the effect of theDarkside.

Most Sith do not suffer from paranoia. Do they believe everyone is out to get them? Yes. Because everyone is out to get them, in such a case its just caution. In the dog-eat-dog world that is Sith society you need to be on your game and always watching your back. This is perfectly natural and not a disorder, nor symptom of the dark side.

 

For example Darth Plagueis was not paranoid at all, and did not suspect the betrayal of his apprentice for a second. Other members of the Rule of Two have also been far from paranoid, expecting the betrayal of their apprentices and encouraging it, rather than falling into anxiety under the pressure of their inevitable demise.

 

Nor is paranoia something you can 'control' or function effectively with.

 

The dark side effects everyone in the same way, simply to varying degrees. It does not cause mental disability, but encourages an amplification of one's emotions. Which makes many Sith prone to violent outbursts, misjudgments and in general regard those around them with contempt. But that can be said of 'normal' people within our own society.

 

These people are just mean spirited and angry. Of course, others are more capable of controlling their emotions.

 

Is it like a drug? Yes. But like a drug. It does not act in the same way as a narcotic, the only addictive elements of the dark side are the promise of power, knowledge and freedom - nothing inherent psychological.

 

In all honesty, I don't feel the dark side produces any psychological impairments on the individual. I believe that any psychotic or sociopathic Sith would have had these conditions already, and would simply have manifested alongside their usage of the dark side, or the amplification of emotion would have triggered the symptoms.

 

And these individuals are few and far between, so no broad statements about the Sith can be made. Altogether We need to realise that fantasy concepts and medical conditions are not compatible.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Beniboybling

[Beniboybling]

This doesn't make any sense as substances (drugs, chemicals ect.) almost always act in the same way. This would mean that EVERY dark side user would exhibit the same symptoms. As almost every Sith is different, and some don't show signs of craziness or mental instability, then something else must be at work.

 

I believe that the sheer amount of power at a Sith's disposal is what causes sociopathic tendencies among Sith. Power doesn't corrupt, it attracts the corrupted.

This, especially the last part. We need to realise that fantasy concepts and medical conditions are not compatible. Edited January 23, 2014 by Beniboybling

[Spetulhu]

I believe that the sheer amount of power at a Sith's disposal is what causes sociopathic tendencies among Sith. Power doesn't corrupt, it attracts the corrupted.

 

Or even if it doesn't attract them at first (the Sorcerer starts as a slave sent to bolster Sith numbers at the academy) those with the right tendencies will have a much easier time learning the ropes. Many succesful business tycoons could be called sociopaths - they're succesful because they see nothing wrong in crushing the competition and getting a profit by any means necessary. If they're so weak that they fail it's their own fault, right?

[MyDarkSunshine]

The majority of fighting in SWTOR does not involve cutscenes but involve mobs. Hell let's not even say majority but a great deal more than 1%. Often no dialogue is involved at all. The mob sees you and you fight. Also the game, especially while leveling encourages you to go pick fights with mobs.

 

....

 

The Jedi in the games are following video game form and logic. So yeah pretty psycho. The game tells us "Kill more and get this" Most video game characters are mass-murdering hobos out to kill things and take their stuff.

 

Think more abstract. The story isn't that "the Jedi killed xx# of [insert enemy] on his way to [insert location] to do [insert stuff]", nor is it "the Jedi went out of her/his way to do a quest to kill xx# of [insert enemy]". It may however be "on the Jedi's way to [insert location] to do [insert stuff] (s)he met opposition in the form of [insert enemy]".

 

The form of opposition, due to limited game mechanics, is almost always displayed as combat with a few notable exceptions of stealth or de-aggroing by running far enough away. But also plausible in game mechanics is 50+ Jedi, who have all undergone the same main quest-line and thus have all somehow managed to kill the same notable named enemies, slaughtering countless never ending respawning waves of enemies in the lower bowels of Coruscant, which isn't so unlikely now it has by official galactic decree been turned into an 'achievement'. By the same rules a Jedi Shadow is capable of killing the bare minimum of mobs required for main quest objectives and stealthing past every enemy/side quest in game, assuming they can find another method of levelling.

 

Simply put, I wouldn't consider the placement or classic MMO nature of mobs a deciding factor in an analysis of nature of Jedi or Sith organizations/individuals, or indeed any mechanical element of the game at all. Story content may prove a little more persuasive.

[DARTHOSIRUS]

The key difference between a psychopath and sociopath is an understanding of the concept of morality.

 

The sociopath understands this concept but simply does not care. They will be absent of any empathy towards others, and have absolutely no qualms about killing an individual they despise. They know it is wrong but do not care. The sociopath can blend into society easier and appear seemingly normal. They are intuitive and good at reading emotion in others. They can be very charismatic and likable, and will not appear socially awkward. Chances are you have met plenty of sociopaths and never even suspected. A good example of a sociopath is Tony Soprano.

 

A psychopath has no concept whatsoever about morality or right from wrong. They are more like wild animals who act on instinct. They have a harder time blending into society and usually come off as scary, weird, and socially awkward. They are likely to have no friends and be loners or institutionalized. They are less common than sociopaths to. A socio and a psycho both share the same sickness and absence of empathy, and the psychopath is a victim of this disorder in its most advanced stages. A good example of a psychopath is Michael Myers

Edited January 28, 2014 by DARTHOSIRUS

[Jandi]

The key difference between a psychopath and sociopath is an understanding of the concept of morality.

 

The sociopath understands this concept but simply does not care. They will be absent of any empathy towards others, and have absolutely no qualms about killing an individual they despise. They know it is wrong but do not care. The sociopath can blend into society easier and appear seemingly normal. They are intuitive and good at reading emotion in others. They can be very charismatic and likable, and will not appear socially awkward. Chances are you have met plenty of sociopaths and never even suspected. A good example of a sociopath is Tony Soprano.

 

A psychopath has no concept whatsoever about morality or right from wrong. They are more like wild animals who act on instinct. They have a harder time blending into society and usually come off as scary, weird, and socially awkward. They are likely to have no friends and be loners or institutionalized. They are less common than sociopaths to. A socio and a psycho both share the same sickness and absence of empathy, and the psychopath is a victim of this disorder in its most advanced stages. A good example of a psychopath is Michael Myers

 

Yay, more pop-culture nonsense. Everything, and I do mean everything, you just posted goes against everything scientists know about the condition.

 

I'm curious though, which magazie you copy/pasted this from? As it sure as hell wasn't a journal of science lol.

[DARTHOSIRUS]

Yay, more pop-culture nonsense. Everything, and I do mean everything, you just posted goes against everything scientists know about the condition.

 

I'm curious though, which magazie you copy/pasted this from? As it sure as hell wasn't a journal of science lol.

 

17 magazine

 

The article was called

 

Badboy sociopaths and why we love them.