LogosBronte

Thanks again for your interest, Rose, I really appreciate having someone to talk to. I understand the problems with self-diagnosis, but it's the best way I know to summarize my state of mind. I'm happy to drop the label and discuss specifics. I process my own meat, partly because I like to save money, but mostly because I get a thrill from killing animals. If I'm honest, things like that will come up, and if I'm dishonest, then what is the point? I don't know if the psychotherapist can construe that as a threat to do harm, so I'd rather continue talking somewhat anonymously to smart people on the internet. When I kill an animal... I can focus on its beauty and innocence and feel sad and anxious, but I can just as quickly turn that off (or never feel it at all), do the deed and feel invigorated. I can turn my feelings on and experience the world like a normal person, but without a compelling reason, why should I? If there was a compelling rational argument to do wrong, I suppose it would be very simple for me to take 'the road to evil'. However, most philosophers spend their time dedicated to understanding what is just and moral. I think I'm interested in that pursuit simply because that is what I have been exposed to in my amateur study of philosophy (freedomain radio included). Just as engineers often design weapons, tools or skyscrapers rather than Rube Goldberg machines, I am pursuing what is practical. On the other hand, I am aware that there are many high IQ criminals that likely get all their thrills from solving puzzles such as: "How do I get what I want? How do I manipulate this person?". I do this as well, but I know I can turn it off if I have a set of logical rules for myself. Another angle - a sociopath (if I am one) does not like to live in a sociopathic world. It's in my interest for the majority of the world to be good and just because it will be more advantageous for myself. The more moral the world is, the more opportunity there is for those who are not bound by it. Living in a world of moral and just people is to be surrounded by opportunity. Would a wolf like to be in a field of wolves, or rabbits? Perhaps the facade of adhering to a moral theory like UPB is the perfect disguise? Whoops, I thought I answered you about the show. I live in the 3rd world and my internet is quite spotty, so I haven't called in for that reason. If that changes, I'd be interested, as it would be an honor to get Stef's opinion. I've heard people with similar stories break down and cry on the show... I would love that opportunity as I haven't cried in about 15 years and it feels overdue.

Thank you all for clarifying the errors in my understanding of UPB, it's been very helpful. Yes, but your reputation may be worth less than what you can get by destroying it. Also, if you're not particularly famous and avoid social media, it's possible to juggle many reputations, some of which are disposable. I travel frequently which essentially gives me a fresh reputation in each geographical area. There are plenty of immoral things you can do that won't land you in jail even if you're caught. Intelligent sociopaths rarely get caught without turning themselves in or pushing the limits far beyond their control. Excellent questions, thank you for digging to the root of it. Without getting into all the details, I've self-diagnosed (I know, I know...) using sociopath self-assessments, and can strongly relate to other sociopaths that I read about. My brother saw a health professional (psychologist? psychiatrist? Not sure) when he was a teenager, and was held in a ward against his and our family's will for a few days. Since he's a lot more normal than I am, I'm not interested in risking my freedom by being honest with mental health professionals. I'm not sure how much is genetic and how much is environment, but I most certainly had a traumatic childhood. My A.C.E is 8/10. In your experience, how many non-sociopaths are interested in coming to a philosophy board with a desire to understand themselves and their relationship with morality? Anyway, there aren't any intellectual forums I'm aware of that seriously discuss the path to evil. I do think there is a chance that I might heal, and maybe that's why I am pursuing this discussion. I think it would be great to enjoy being good, and maybe I'll live a bit longer. I'm not sure how much is genetic and how much is environment, but I most certainly had a traumatic childhood. My A.C.E is 8/10.

First of all, thanks in advance to anyone who reads all this. Lately I've been struggling with my own morality and would love for some smart philosophers to help me out. I am a sociopath, and so without a moral code I am left to use my own dysfunctional internal moral compass. I do believe it is important to have a moral theory to guide my everyday actions. Without one, I often find myself deliberating for hours about otherwise simple decisions. I may not have a problem with stealing for example, but the idea that there is someone out there in the world who could make an airtight moral case that stealing is wrong... deters me. Or, the idea that I am misinterpreting UPB and there is already an airtight case also causes me to hesitate. I worry that without morality now, I will do something that I will regret when I'm older and wiser. However, that is a kind of Pascal's Wager and not terribly compelling when I have a visceral urge to violate commonly held morality. I think many people do not realize how liberating it would be to default to 'good' behavior and worry only about which hand to pat yourself on the back later. This idea that I need to find and adhere to a universal moral code, I think, is because I have a respect for truth and rationality. As a high IQ individual in the engineering field, it's hard to say that truth and reason do not matter. For that reason, I would categorize myself as 'skeptical' or 'empiricist' first. I am fully aware, and experience has shown, that I am fallible and vulnerable to sophist trickery. Just because I am a moral nihilist now, does not mean it will always be so. With UPB, Steph has used moral rules like 'don't steal' and 'don't rape' as fundamental axioms from which to work backwards and develop the theory. As a sociopath, this doesn't work for me because I cannot not agree with the axioms. It's not obvious to me that stealing is wrong, it doesn't feel wrong, and if someone steals from me I wouldn't 'prefer it', but only in the same kind of way that I 'prefer' vanilla ice cream to chocolate. I've often heard Steph and callers say (paraphrasing) "well, you'd have to be a sociopath to not understand X about UPB...". True I suppose... but that leaves me in a tough spot! I would also agree that UPB could bring about a better world, but that is not a compelling argument for me to follow it myself. For example, while I can see the value in an airplane, I would not want to be an airplane. You may say that is a silly argument, but as a sociopath, you must realize that I empathize with an airplane about as much as a person who follows UPB. I do however, believe it is important to have some kind of moral code to guide my everyday actions. Without one, I often find myself deliberating for hours about otherwise simple decisions. I may not have a problem with stealing for example, but the idea that there is someone out there in the world who could make an airtight moral case that stealing is wrong deters me. Or, the idea that I am misinterpreting UPB and there is already an airtight case also causes me to hesitate.