Pieter Hintjens - The Psychopath Code - Cracking the Predators That Stalk Us

If it’s inevitable, why write the book?

Maybe the book was inevitable. It was the right book at the right time, for me. Maybe I’m just a pen in the hand of destiny.

Do believe in God?

Only if you define "God" as "the universal laws of infinite maths and physics" and "believe" as "accept only models that make accurate predictions and cannot be any simpler." Or, to put it another way, "no."

How do I tell if someone is a psychopath?

It depends on how you know the person, and what your goals are. Also on your own experience, and how aware you are of yourself, and others.

You can pick out some, not all, psychopaths in a crowd by their appearance and behavior. You can see the combination of dominance, narcissism, and social distance. They are like car drivers who casually break the rules, knowing they’ll rarely be caught. This stops working if they think you’re watching them.

You can actively look for psychopaths when you see impact craters in organizations or families. Mallory will be well hidden. It takes a different process: elimination of all suspects until one is left. You look for rule breaking and conflict. You eliminate those who show honest guilt, shame, and remorse. It takes time and observation.

You can ask the question about a partner, relation, or colleague. In this case you work off your own responses and behavior. If the relationship is new, are you swept off your feet, and making big plans? Does it feel too good to be true? If the relationship is old, does it make you sad and depressed? Is there abuse, anger, drama?

Another, more general approach is "grey listing." You start by assuming everyone you meet is a psychopath. Don’t panic. It’s not a decision, just a possibility. Then you look for signs to disprove this possibility. Old friends who speak well of them. A clear public history. Zones of happiness around them. Modesty and shyness. Blushing, a sense of humor, creative zest. And so on. As long as you cannot disprove the theory "X is a psychopath," leave them in that category and treat them with care. If you get clear indicators, you can move them to your black list.

Are there different types of psychopath?

Some authors like to distinguish narcissists from sociopaths and so on. I don’t see the point of that. Mallory has many faces, and is opportunistic. It is always the same Mallory, however. He works the same way, has the same attacks and tactics, and has the same weaknesses.

Are you a psychopath, and this book just a twisted way of hiding it?

It is a possibility. Certainly when I read my own descriptions of psychopaths, there are moments when I feel, "that’s me!" I think we all experience that. We all walk on the dark side, at times in our lives. And we can distort the meanings of words. I’ve been firm in defining psychopathy in terms of the harm it does to others. Those "impact craters" we’ve all seen in our work and social lives. In my defense, I think my decades of public work speaks for itself. People who work with me know how protective I am of others. Yet it could all be an elaborate ruse. I don’t know.

What traits did you recognize in yourself?

Charm, reality distortion, language fluency, dominant body language, and almost no fear. To be honest though, authority terrifies me. I’ve been arrested twice in my life (for growing a few marijuana plants, both times) and it was like being gutted. Whereas I’ve seen psychopaths confront police, and get away with it, without blinking. The question, "am I a psychopath?" has bounced around my mind during the whole writing of this book. In the end I decided "no" mainly because I get too much pleasure from seeing my kids and my family and friends safe and happy.

Now I wonder if I am a psychopath…

This is a common experience. We all have some of the traits. Yet it’s practically the definition of "altruist" that you look for blame in yourself, when things don’t work. If you worry that you may be a psychopath, then the chances are low. A psychopath knows they’re different , yet never sees this as their problem.

Is it normal that I’m looking for psychopaths everywhere now?

This is also a common experience. I call it Van Helsing Syndrome. The awareness that the world is full of people who see you as food is disturbing. My advice is to decide slowly, and act rapidly. That is, allow people to show their real natures and intentions. This can take weeks or months. Do take simple precautions with new friends and contacts. If you decide a person is a psychopath, and you cannot explain their behavior otherwise, cut them off. Simply ask them to never contact you again, and delete their details.

So we are all a bit psychopath?

We share 50% of our DNA with a banana. Yet we’re not "a bit banana." We certainly all carry a lot of psychopath genes. Most of these genes, in most people, are not expressed. Or if they are, it is in harmless or positive ways. We all tend towards being better altruists, or better cheaters.

Do psychopaths feel love?

Do you feel love for your breakfast? Or would you describe it as "hunger?" It does seem psychopaths feel something for their parents. It’s not love though, it is more like another form of hunger.

What emotions do psychopaths feel?

Psychopaths feel those emotions needed to be a successful predator. These are: hunger, obsession, euphoria, glee, fury, bloodlust, gluttony, satiation, and blocked. I explain this in The Dance of Emotions . All other emotions appear to be absent. A psychopath can imitate some from birth, and some by learning. Others like remorse they just don’t show, maybe because they can’t fake the physical signs.

Do psychopaths have ethics?

Ethics is one of those slippery terms. Easy to use, hard to define. I assume you mean, do psychopaths set themselves limits on who they hurt? Some psychopaths declare, "children are off limits." Yet others exploit children without remorse. The best analogy I have is that psychopaths have food taboos. They learn what is good to eat, and what is harmful or forbidden, at an early age. It tends to be about costs versus benefits. Preying on children or the aged is taboo when there is real risk of punishment. Hunting other psychopaths can be toxic, and usually a bad idea. Otherwise, food is food.

What jobs attract psychopaths?

Psychopaths are flexible and creative when it comes to hunting. What they seek are people and their assets. This means any organization will attract psychopaths. It’s rarely about the salary, nor bonuses, which are fodder. Rather, psychopaths seek the chance to take what isn’t theirs. They like jobs that let them travel. Certainly, positions of power and influence. Anything in finance. Jobs with access to vulnerable people. Jobs that rotate around image and charisma.

Should my firm hire some psychopaths?

Only if you are in the business of stealing and lying. There is a persistent myth that psychopaths are powerful and effective. It’s a lie. I’ve worked with several psychopaths, and hired more than one. They certainly liven the place up. They will always act in their own interests, even when it hurts their colleagues, or their firm. They are the ones who accept bribes, plot against their bosses, steal clients, falsify accounts, and so on.

How can I be sure I don’t hire psychopaths?

It’s much like dating. If you hire total strangers, based on how well they perform in an interview, you’re asking for trouble. You want to hire people who have a trail of successful team work. Or, hire on a trial basis and be prepared to fire people easily.