UnitedHealth CEO shot

Sun Wukong said

There have been studies that indicate the uber wealthy and powerful exhibit more sociopathic tendencies. They are overwhelmingly more likely to exhibit dark triad personality characteristics than average people. Its what allows them to succeed at the level they do. You can't have empathy and do what they do.

Also, just...look at the world.

I agree that a world of vigilantes gunning people down in the streets is not good. But we don't need to be sticking up for or defending the rich and powerful, either. They at the very least operate on a principle of what is best for business which rarely is best for everybody else.

Click to expand...

More sociopathic tendencies and dark triad personality characteristics are not the same as being sociopaths. And neither is evidence that they have or would act on those dark tendencies. This also doesn't address whether the nature of the job and the world the live in due to the job creates those sociopathic tendencies or just amplifies their genetic predisposition? I tend to think it's more about in order to do those jobs you have to learn to act like a sociopath but there is likely some genetic component.

The truth is that all humans are selfish and they all will almost infallibly act almost infallibly act in their own self-interest. Most "average people" would do the same things those CEOs do when it comes to doing what is best for business. The uncomfortable truth here is that the evil of corporate America is really just a reflection of the self-interest that is at the core of all people. Corporations act selfishly and in their own interest because we act selfishly and in our own self-interest.

And I'm not defending the rich or powerful. But, once you start justifying or celebrating vigilante justice then it goes both ways and that seldom turn out well for the not rich or powerful. They suffer the most and those willing to do vigilante justice emerge as the new ruling class with the same cycle starting over. I'm talking Reign of Terror stuff. Do we really want that?

Basically, once we open Pandora's box on justifying vigilante justice we break the social contract and we end up back in the state of nature. Which is a world where the strongest and most violent prevail with no restraint. Our world sucks, but that doesn't mean that there isn't another world that would suck more.