Pathological education teaches that pathological partners come in all levels of social and economic success.
Survivors say, “He’s a doctor,” to which I respond, “SO?” So what. Doctors, attorneys, clergy, law enforcement—it’s not the job that’s pathological, it’s the character and personality disorders underneath.
Pathologicals flock to all types of careers. Those with high levels of narcissism and psychopathy flock to areas where they are experts, heroes, or are able to climb up the career ladder. These disorders ‘want’ adoration. You don’t get a lot of that as a worker on the back end of a garbage truck.
Paul Babiak and Robert Hare wrote about this in their book, Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work. The book examines the rise of white-collar psychopathy in our country and in the workplace. Some forms of pathology hide very well within their careers and success. A subconscious belief system is, “If they are successful, they must be okay.”
A degree from Yale means he’s smart; it doesn’t mean he’s safe. Just because a doctor saves others’ lives doesn’t mean he won’t take yours. A minister prays for others’ souls, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t soul-deadening in a personal relationship.
We only have to look at the nightly news to see examples in our culture of those in the ‘helping professions’ who are really predators. Pediatricians who sexually abused children, religious leaders who led their sheep astray, psychologists who had sex with their clients, trusted financial advisors who robbed people blind, loving partners who murdered their wives and children… These people who appeared normal or successful to others were disguised
Pathological education teaches that pathological partners come in all levels of social and economic success.
Survivors say, “He’s a doctor,” to which I respond, “SO?” So what. Doctors, attorneys, clergy, law enforcement—it’s not the job that’s pathological, it’s the character and personality disorders underneath.
Pathologicals flock to all types of careers. Those with high levels of narcissism and psychopathy flock to areas where they are experts, heroes, or are able to climb up the career ladder. These disorders ‘want’ adoration. You don’t get a lot of that as a worker on the back end of a garbage truck.
Paul Babiak and Robert Hare wrote about this in their book, Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work. The book examines the rise of white-collar psychopathy in our country and in the workplace. Some forms of pathology hide very well within their careers and success. A subconscious belief system is, “If they are successful, they must be okay.”
A degree from Yale means he’s smart; it doesn’t mean he’s safe. Just because a doctor saves others’ lives doesn’t mean he won’t take yours. A minister prays for others’ souls, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t soul-deadening in a personal relationship.
We only have to look at the nightly news to see examples in our culture of those in the ‘helping professions’ who are really predators. Pediatricians who sexually abused children, religious leaders who led their sheep astray, psychologists who had sex with their clients, trusted financial advisors who robbed people blind, loving partners who murdered their wives and children… These people who appeared normal or successful to others were disguised dangerous and disordered people.
Pathologicals with a lot of success and money are often the hardest ones to leave, according to their partners. They have more connections, can pay off more bribes, get better outcomes in court, ignore restraining orders, or talk their way out of all sorts of legal issues because of who they are, what they have, or who they know. Partners are at a disadvantage when leaving the wealthy pathological.
“They are sicker than we are smart” is a motto we have long taught in pathology education. Leaving a successful pathological is often difficult because non-pathological partners can never be as deceitful, conning/cunning, or manipulative to fight on their turf. Non-pathologicals don’t think in those terms, so the pathological’s sickness ends up as gain for themselves—up the career ladder, out of the marriage, or anywhere else they want to go.
In the end, success, career, or wealth has NOTHING to do with mental health or your safety. Career is just that. It’s what they do for a living, or the vehicle in which they hunt their prey.
