The Top 10 Jobs That Attract Psychopaths

[acri1]

The Top 10 Jobs That Attract Psychopaths
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Everyone I have ever worked with has, at some point, called another colleague or coworker “crazy.” But does your job actually attract true psychopaths? In the book “The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success,” Kevin Dutton explains that there are jobs that can attract literal psychopaths – and also jobs that are least likely to do so.

It’s important to note that a psychopathic person isn’t necessarily one that is set out to kill others (even though you might feel as such on a Wednesday afternoon in the office.) In reality, psychopaths merely – and typically – just lack emotions and empathy, or the ability to identify with others. Dutton has said that ”a number of psychopathic attributes [are] actually more common in business leaders than in so-called disturbed criminals — attributes such as superficial charm, egocentricity, persuasiveness, lack of empathy, independence, and focus.”

This may explain why many of the jobs attractive to psychopaths – such as CEO’s, salespeople and media types – are often found in the tech industry.

So what jobs are most attractive to psychopaths? Here’s the list, originally published online by Eric Barker:

1. CEO
2. Lawyer
3. Media (Television/Radio)
4. Salesperson
5. Surgeon
6. Journalist
7. Police officer
8. Clergy person
9. Chef
10. Civil servant

And for those looking to potentially avoid working with the least number of psychopaths, here’s the list of occupations with the lowest rates of psychopathy:

1. Care aide
2. Nurse
3. Therapist
4. Craftsperson
5. Beautician/Stylist
6. Charity worker
7. Teacher
8. Creative artist
9. Doctor
10. Accountant

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/01/05/the-top-10-jobs-that-attract-psychopaths/


Just thought this was interesting. Some of these are surprising...most aren't.




CEOs and Lawyers being psychopaths? I completely buy that.

Police officers? Tell me something I don't know.

Clergy people?


Surgeons? Kinda scary.

 

[the cac mamba]

this list sucks

 

[Sensitive Blake Griffin]

i don't think they used the term psychopath correctly. I'd argue the correct term would be "anti-social behavior" when I see psychopath I think murderer.


accountants though

 

[acri1]

i don't think they used the term psychopath correctly. I'd argue the correct term would be "anti-social behavior" when I see psychopath I think murderer.


accountants though

Depends. They used the term psychopath in the way that mental health professionals do, but not in the way that the average person does (ie. crazy serial killer or something).

psy·cho·path (s

k

-p

th

)
n.
A person with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse.

Psychopaths by this definition are perfectly capable of being rational and smart, and thus probably wouldn't be killing people. Even if they wouldn't feel remorse for it, they'd be smart enough to know they'd go to jail.

 

[Dooby]

Surprised military service isn't listed.

 

[TLOL is back]

Pop psychology.

 

[Mr. Negative]

being a chef BREEDS psychopaths.

 

[I Lord Justice]

Chefs tho?

 

[acri1]

being a chef BREEDS psychopaths.

Chefs tho?

But if you think about it, someone with little to no empathy could get away with doing a LOT of shyt to people's food. But yeah, I'm kinda surprised chefs would be up there with obvious stuff like CEOs, Lawyers, and cops.

The experience might be common to many workers, but according to a recent book, The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success, certain fields are more likely to attract actual psychopaths than others. The book by Oxford psychologist Kevin Dutton argues that "a number of psychopathic attributes [are] actually more common in business leaders than in so-called disturbed criminals -- attributes such as superficial charm, egocentricity, persuasiveness, lack of empathy, independence, and focus."

More: Top 10 Jobs Of The 21st Century


In a post about the book, author and Huffington Post blogger Eric Barker says that professions with high rates of psychopaths "offer power and many require an ability to make objective, clinical decisions divorced from feelings." Conversely, those fields with relatively few psychopaths "require human connection, dealing with feelings and most of them don't offer much power."

 

[DEAD7]

Surprised military service isn't listed.

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

Politicians for sure. where else do u get to "legally" order the murder of thousands on the regular.

 

[newworldafro]

aren't surgeons doctors though??????

 

[Blackking]

Surprised military service isn't listed.

because u don't understand y most people join.


but look at Chef and Police officers.... and Definitely Clergy and Religious speakers... I can see how this list is true.

 

[Dooby]

because u don't understand y most people join.


but look at Chef and Police officers.... and Definitely Clergy and Religious speakers... I can see how this list is true.

Have you seen the previous thread I've made detailing this? If policemen are on list you can definitely say military people.

 

[Spoonz]

chef