I Am Not A Sociopath, But I'm Pretty Sure This Guy Is

Hello readers, I have a question. I realize I've abandoned you all and I barely write anymore, but for those of you still hanging around and reading this, I have a question. Do you ever grow wary of meeting new people? Does the idea of getting to know someone for the first time excite you or cause anxiety? I used to think introducing new people in my life meant new ideas, new stories, new adventures, but I'm beginning to question the whole thing now. Maybe I've surpassed my own Dunbar's number of people I'm supposed to meet and have in my contact circle.

I've been called a sociopath twice, both times by someone new in my life. The first occurrence affected me deeply and I spent numerous therapy sessions discussing the possibility that I might lack empathy for others. It was decided that I am not a sociopath, but rather a victim of childhood abuse who has difficulty connecting on a deep, meaningfully intimate level. I agree with this, but I also know that until I really get to know someone, I will automatically assume that you are out to hurt me (and others) in some manner. My therapist spent countless sessions trying to teach me how to open up and talk about all the bullshit that constantly drags me down. She ingrained in me the importance of trusting and discussing deeply personal stuff with other people. And so I have. I started opening up. A few times actually. And I honestly wish I hadn't. Nobody needs to know my own personal pain. That's not their burden to carry. I don't expect them to; I don't want them to. That's why I write poetry. Anyone who wants to know my inner demons can find them screaming at the top of their lungs via my poetry. Go there and read it if you want to get to know that side of me, but fuck off if you think I'll just open up and talk about it ever again. Never going to happen. Sorry, therapist Heather, but I'm unlearning all the progress that we made.

I've also had my asexuality questioned. I've never talked about this before, because frankly, it's embarrassing and nobody even understands it. Yes, I am asexual. I don't give a damn about sex. I can go forever without needing to have sex. I don't actively seek it out. Does this mean that I never have sex or that if I do I don't enjoy it? No. Being asexual doesn't mean we lack feeling or arousal. I can be turned on. The problem is, I don't really want to be. I'd rather be left alone really. Even in the company of a beautiful woman who wants to have sex, chances are I'm thinking about short story character development or a podcast I heard or why it took Robin Williams so long to kill himself. Normal shit like that. To me, love and sex are both things I don't really understand. Hence why the majority of my creative writing centers around these topics. I often write about the things that puzzle me the most. Humans are at the top of that list. We are a turbulent, yet predictable species, capable of love and compassion while simultaneously performing the worst acts of violence and hate upon one another. I don't get it. I don't like it. But I also don't shy away from it. I watch snuff videos on the internet as a refresher course on just how fucked up things can get. I read books, listen to podcasts, and watch documentaries about historical wars and genocide. For fuck sake, I am a direct descendant of a Russian Jew who escaped Hitler's advance into communist mother land. Blood stains on every page of history. 

But I am not a sociopath. Nor a psycho. I think about these things a lot. I wonder what causes people to become that way. I have all the right ingredients. The things done to me when I was a church boy is enough in itself to set me on a course of chaos and destruction, but the only person I chose to hurt and destroy in this life is myself. I have been extremely hard on me. I have been trying to kill myself via external choices my entire adult life. Things inside me are broken and bent and I hate myself because I can't figure out how to make it not so. I hide a lot, but I also love to socialize. It's human nature to want to be part of a group and be accepted. It's also human nature to hurt and abuse. I've hurt people too. I recently hurt a friend. He confided in me a secret and during one of my drinking nights, I blabbed it to someone else. I feel really lousy about it. Another trusted me as their best friend, shared everything with me as I did her, and I commenced to hurt her feelings during a phone call that I unwittingly answered in my pocket. I was hanging out with another friend and didn't take her call and she heard me say, "it's no big deal, it's just so & so, she can wait". It pains me when I think about it; she was one of the closest people to me at that moment in my life and I casually brushed her off. One more example of my own failings and then I'll move on. I once cursed loudly and angrily at a girl I was dating for no reason other than I wanted to be left alone. She witnessed the dark side that exists in me and every human to a certain degree. And if you're reading this and thinking to yourself it doesn't exist in you, eh I dunno. I bet it's there, in some form or capacity.

I write about this to point out one bigger thing really: that I carry great remorse over hurting people. Those who know me know this isn't my thing. I don't hurt people intentionally. I do, however, fuck up sometimes. I am, after-all, human, as much as I like to pretend I'm not. And the difference between a good person and a true sociopath is... acknowledgement, remorse and apology. I recently had a conversation with a friend who shared with me her awful life experience with a true sociopath. I tried saving the screenshot texts to share (with her and his names blurred out), but I noticed they were impossible to read so I'll transcribe them instead. For those of you who care to see what a true sociopath acts like in real life, just read the following break up texts between my friend and her boyfriend of a year and half:

Her: What are your unrealistic expectations?

Him: I dunno. I'm always unsatisfied when I wake up with someone. Always a question of "can I do better". I just want someone with the same hobbies tbh

Her: Like video games and traveling?

Him: Essentially

Her: I like both of those

Him: On a different level. I don't have patience. I don;t wanna teach someone.

Her: I don't travel much because of lack of money & time. I don't much care for your video games but I can sit for hours and play them

Him: I've lied to you too much. I don't want kids like ever. I formed myself on things I thought would make me more appealing to you. I am a lie to you.

Her: Then tell me the truth

Him: I never wanted kids. I never planned on marrying you. I just kept digging a deeper hole.

Her: Why? Why did you try so hard to make me like you?

Him: Because I live to be liked by people. Idolized. It makes me feel power. I have a fucked up complex. I don't care for others feelings as long as they're building me up. Right now that girl she's mad because I didn't answer her calls. And I'm stuck between "do I give up and continue playing all the games that I love, or make it up and pretend to be vulnerable?"

Her: You really are a sociopath aren't you?

Him: I dunno. Maybe

Her: You need help. I don't know if it will work, but you need it.

Him: (crying laughing emoji)

Her: Not even funny right now

Him: I don't care enough to get help. I just want to get through life.

Her: Just don't hurt anyone else.

Him: I can't.

Her: Be single and live your life fucking whoever you want

Him: I can't do that either

Her: Why?

Him: I don't know how to just get people like that. I have to convince them. Make them like me.

Her: Convince them of a one night stand

Him: I'm not that charming

Her: You can be

Him: I like the little relationships though

Her: You made me love you for a year and a half. I'm sure you can handle one night.

Him: I like having the strings

Her: You need to learn to do without. Why the charade with a new person?

Him: Because. I feel even more powerful here than with you

Her: You make me sick. I honestly want to throw up right now.

Him: Really?

Her: Yes

Him: How?

Her: How can you go that long just fucking with me. You knew what I wanted. You knew my goals and had no intention of participating in any of them.

Him: Don't tell anyone of this. Please.

Her: Why?

Him: Because I have a good reputation back home

Her: Not like I know anyone you're gonna fuck over

Him: You can't tell mom. You can't tell my friends or your friends because they know each other.

Her: Interesting. You fuck me over for a year and a half and now you need something from me. How ironic is that?

Him: I didn't fuck you over.

Her: What would you call it then?

Him: A rollercoaster

Her: You wasted a year and half of of my time. I could have been looking for my life partner. Fuck you and your rollercoaster.

Him: You're 20, you'll be fine.

Her: Screw off. Or maybe your new friend Rosa

Him: Rosie

Her: (eye roll emoji)

Him: I thought you cooled off

Her: Is this fun for you?

Him: Honestly?

Her: Yes, honestly. After a year of lies- yeah I'd like honesty

Him: It's not. Because I just lost you both and it kinda blows. But I've learned to look on the bright side so now I have more time to go to the gym, play games and shit

Her: Hmm both? And you said you weren't cheating on me.

Him: Karma lol. Honestly? I lied. The truth comes out now.

Her: How long?

Him: Ready?

Her: Yes. How many?

Him: That night you were super drunk and said you didn;t care, I had sex with that one girl

Her: Which one girl?

Him: When I got to Quantico and told you all about GG I was screwing her. And Rosie was kind of serious since April

Her: I fucking knew it.

Him: So almost a year. And three. Now you can hate me.

Her: I think I might throw up now.

Him: Does it feel better? Or hurt more? I like Rosie because she had more fucked up past than you and your cousin. Her grandpa raped her for years, but made her into really weird shit. It got me going. There's no reason for the other two other than I was shitfaced and wanted to see if I could.

Her: Any other truths you want to tell?

Him: Are you crying?

Her: Nope. You want to make me?

Him: Interesting. I like making people cry. I used to say bullshit to my mom to make her break down when I didn't have my way. You see manipulation is my game. That's why I took psychology to better understand how to break people down.

Her: So any other truths you want to tell?

Him: Your love language "touch" that's why I would refuse to cuddle or hold your hand for no reason. That was your own doing though.. you told me. I can't think of anything else.

Her: I thought I could trust you. My bad.

Him: So are you going to tell anyone? I mean there's nothing I can do about it but I'd prefer you not to.



So there you go, a true sociopath (seemingly born into it). The part where he talks about breaking down and manipulating his own mother makes me wonder how far back his evil up nature goes? To the womb possibly? I don't know. My own childhood experience was pretty bad and I know the damage it caused in me, but even so, I am nothing like this guy and thank God for it. I could never say or think those thoughts about anyone, especially a friend or lover or family member. The level of apathy and cold blooded mindset this kid displays is a clear example of the darkly broken aspect of our species. Those cold blooded murders you hear about on the news... this personality type does it. Those communist leaders who starved millions of their own citizens to death... this personality type does it. I am not this type of person.

But let's revisit the part of this blog where I called everyone out. The part where I said a certain degree of darkness exists in all of us. I already acknowledged it exists in me. I don't pretend it doesn't. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it only exists in a certain percentage of us and there are humans with pure hearts and perfect intentions and zero slip-ups. As for the rest of us, I like to think we can evolve into a higher being and do great things during our time on planet earth. That's my goal. To recognize my flaws and and constantly evolve into a better person all the way to grave.

Okay, bye.