The Wisdom of Psychopaths

What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success

Nonfiction, Health & Well Being, Psychology, Pathological Psychology, Science & Nature, Science
Cover of the book The Wisdom of Psychopaths by Kevin Dutton, Farrar, Straus and Giroux
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Kevin Dutton ISBN: 9780374709105
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Publication: October 16, 2012
Imprint: Scientific American / Farrar, Straus and Giroux Language: English
Author: Kevin Dutton
ISBN: 9780374709105
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication: October 16, 2012
Imprint: Scientific American / Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Language: English

In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a scale of "madness" along which we all sit. Incorporating the latest advances in brain scanning and neuroscience, Dutton demonstrates that the brilliant neurosurgeon who lacks empathy has more in common with a Ted Bundy who kills for pleasure than we may wish to admit, and that a mugger in a dimly lit parking lot may well, in fact, have the same nerveless poise as a titan of industry.

Dutton argues that there are indeed "functional psychopaths" among us—different from their murderous counterparts—who use their detached, unflinching, and charismatic personalities to succeed in mainstream society, and that shockingly, in some fields, the more "psychopathic" people are, the more likely they are to succeed. Dutton deconstructs this often misunderstood diagnosis through bold on-the-ground reporting and original scientific research as he mingles with the criminally insane in a high-security ward, shares a drink with one of the world's most successful con artists, and undergoes transcranial magnetic stimulation to discover firsthand exactly how it feels to see through the eyes of a psychopath.

As Dutton develops his theory that we all possess psychopathic tendencies, he puts forward the argument that society as a whole is more psychopathic than ever: after all, psychopaths tend to be fearless, confident, charming, ruthless, and focused—qualities that are tailor-made for success in the twenty-first century. Provocative at every turn, The Wisdom of Psychopaths is a riveting adventure that reveals that it's our much-maligned dark side that often conceals the trump cards of success.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In this engrossing journey into the lives of psychopaths and their infamously crafty behaviors, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals that there is a scale of "madness" along which we all sit. Incorporating the latest advances in brain scanning and neuroscience, Dutton demonstrates that the brilliant neurosurgeon who lacks empathy has more in common with a Ted Bundy who kills for pleasure than we may wish to admit, and that a mugger in a dimly lit parking lot may well, in fact, have the same nerveless poise as a titan of industry.

Dutton argues that there are indeed "functional psychopaths" among us—different from their murderous counterparts—who use their detached, unflinching, and charismatic personalities to succeed in mainstream society, and that shockingly, in some fields, the more "psychopathic" people are, the more likely they are to succeed. Dutton deconstructs this often misunderstood diagnosis through bold on-the-ground reporting and original scientific research as he mingles with the criminally insane in a high-security ward, shares a drink with one of the world's most successful con artists, and undergoes transcranial magnetic stimulation to discover firsthand exactly how it feels to see through the eyes of a psychopath.

As Dutton develops his theory that we all possess psychopathic tendencies, he puts forward the argument that society as a whole is more psychopathic than ever: after all, psychopaths tend to be fearless, confident, charming, ruthless, and focused—qualities that are tailor-made for success in the twenty-first century. Provocative at every turn, The Wisdom of Psychopaths is a riveting adventure that reveals that it's our much-maligned dark side that often conceals the trump cards of success.

More books from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Cover of the book Black Wings Beating by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Trace Elements of Random Tea Parties by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book My Struggle: Book 5 by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book A Strange Eventful History by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Reasons to Be Pretty by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Lotharingia by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Security by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Frozen by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Wait for Me! by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Caribou by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Where the Air Is Clear by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book Our Kind of Cruelty by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book The Tuscan Year by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book A Manual for Cleaning Women by Kevin Dutton
Cover of the book See Now Then by Kevin Dutton
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy