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Psychopathic Cultures and Toxic Empires
Will Black outlines up-to-date information about psychopathy and ties it in with insights about powerful psychopaths within influential spheres. He brilliantly integrates anthropological perspectives to applied mental health issues and makes a significant contribution to the subject of psychopathy by advancing the idea of 'psychopathic cultures', in which groups of all sizes can reflect characteristics of psychopaths. In doing so, Black creates a new level of awareness of the dangers psychopaths pose to vulnerable groups and societies at large. Examples of pathological cultures given range from those within families to paedophile rings, political organisations, media empires and finance. Black also illustrates inherent weaknesses in these pathological cultures and explains how critics of toxic organisations have more power than ever before to expose wrongdoing.
Susana De Leon, MD
Child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist
This book is brilliantly timed with so many exemplars of a psychopathic cultures coming to the fore in the courts. From the dressing rooms of celebrities to the news room of News of the World, we have constantly been reminded how secretive powerful institutions breed abuse by the powerful of the powerless. In a world which has lost absolutes of good and evil, Will Black shows how individuals can be swayed by social pathologies, and even good people can easily be led to do bad things.
Peter Jukes, author of The Fall of the House of Murdoch and pioneering 'hacking trial' live tweeter
Susana De Leon, MD
Child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist
This book is brilliantly timed with so many exemplars of a psychopathic cultures coming to the fore in the courts. From the dressing rooms of celebrities to the news room of News of the World, we have constantly been reminded how secretive powerful institutions breed abuse by the powerful of the powerless. In a world which has lost absolutes of good and evil, Will Black shows how individuals can be swayed by social pathologies, and even good people can easily be led to do bad things.
Peter Jukes, author of The Fall of the House of Murdoch and pioneering 'hacking trial' live tweeter
- GenresNonfictionPsychology
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 11, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 7, 2015
About 80% in this flagged for a bit for me and got too clinical. However the later material is chilling in its analysis.
Gives a totally new, and scary lens with which to view the world an what goes on in it.
Gives a totally new, and scary lens with which to view the world an what goes on in it.
April 15, 2017
An unsettling and timely book that explores how psychopaths and their apologists can and have infiltrated institutions with catastrophic results. Black sets out his stall clearly, early on defining what a psychopath is (I now know the difference between a sociopath - hot-headed- and a psychopath - cold-blooded) and how psychopaths can create toxic cultures and dominate institutions to the detriment or ruination of others (Savile at Broadmoor and the BBC being examples). Black's case studies - paedophile rings, celebrity abusers, News International, dictatorships and financial crashes - suggest there's a ton of research to be done on these topics. The book thus serves as a grounding introduction to the field of cultural psychopathy, connecting, as it does, seemingly disparate phenomena and scandals. It's overall a necessary book. Resisting the psychopath is, in the end, pretty much the narrative thread of most genre stories.
April 30, 2016
This was a very interesting read, and you do not have to be a professional in the field to appreciate and understand it. Though I do not agree with every assertion made by the author, our political opinions differ widely possibly due to us living in different countries, his research was thorough and his points well made.
Reading this book may open many peoples’ eyes not only to the possibility of living amongst psychopaths, but may also lead to the realization that one has been for quite some time. I believe that most readers will be able to see these traits in those we have encountered, especially in the workplace. The author’s examples of individuals who displayed psychopathy were as chilling as they were informative.
As technology gives medicine, psychiatry, and psychology the ability to make concrete diagnoses and prove that an individual is truly a psychopath, my concern is that these individuals could be unfairly stigmatized. I agree with the author that there may be no cure for this condition, and I am gratified that he believes more study is necessary. I am also thankful that he maintains that these individuals should be treated humanely and with respect.
The author goes beyond the individual psychopath one may encounter, and asserts that aspects of society as a whole are psychopathic. His insights were fascinating even when I did not agree with his opinions. He discusses all aspects of behavior exhibited by individual psychopaths and demonstrates how these are mirrored in some societies. He also gives examples of how a psychopathic individual can have a damaging effect on a society causing it to become psychopathic as well.
This was a very informative and fascinating, if sometimes troubling read, and I recommend it for all who are in management, as I, as well as anyone who may be dealing with a difficult person whom they cannot understand. As the author points out, there is hope, for “mentally well adults are responsible for our own actions, regardless of the manipulations of those around us.” So for all of us, who may or may not be living and working amongst psychopaths, we must continue to do what we know is right and treat others in the way we would like to be treated.
Reading this book may open many peoples’ eyes not only to the possibility of living amongst psychopaths, but may also lead to the realization that one has been for quite some time. I believe that most readers will be able to see these traits in those we have encountered, especially in the workplace. The author’s examples of individuals who displayed psychopathy were as chilling as they were informative.
As technology gives medicine, psychiatry, and psychology the ability to make concrete diagnoses and prove that an individual is truly a psychopath, my concern is that these individuals could be unfairly stigmatized. I agree with the author that there may be no cure for this condition, and I am gratified that he believes more study is necessary. I am also thankful that he maintains that these individuals should be treated humanely and with respect.
The author goes beyond the individual psychopath one may encounter, and asserts that aspects of society as a whole are psychopathic. His insights were fascinating even when I did not agree with his opinions. He discusses all aspects of behavior exhibited by individual psychopaths and demonstrates how these are mirrored in some societies. He also gives examples of how a psychopathic individual can have a damaging effect on a society causing it to become psychopathic as well.
This was a very informative and fascinating, if sometimes troubling read, and I recommend it for all who are in management, as I, as well as anyone who may be dealing with a difficult person whom they cannot understand. As the author points out, there is hope, for “mentally well adults are responsible for our own actions, regardless of the manipulations of those around us.” So for all of us, who may or may not be living and working amongst psychopaths, we must continue to do what we know is right and treat others in the way we would like to be treated.
March 29, 2018
We live in interesting times
I really found this fascinating, although it terrified me. This book was written before Trump so reading this was very interesting as I could see similarities with societies across the world that exemplify the examples provided of psychopathic cultures and toxic empires. It's written to provide enough detail to make you curious to look further into the various examples both of people and organizations. Worthy read.
I really found this fascinating, although it terrified me. This book was written before Trump so reading this was very interesting as I could see similarities with societies across the world that exemplify the examples provided of psychopathic cultures and toxic empires. It's written to provide enough detail to make you curious to look further into the various examples both of people and organizations. Worthy read.
December 24, 2015
Wow! An excellent and well written book! I can't recommend it enough. It was hard to read about some aspects of the psychopathic culture around us but it was uplifting to read about the positive impact social media has played in recent years; giving us "little people" a voice and it's making a difference.
May 28, 2019
An ok book
I suppose, it provides loads of examples , but to me it read a lot like a rushed dissertation from a university student.Loads of examples but not a lot of strings thing them together. This is clearly evident in the last pieces of the book where there really wasn't a conclusion just more conjecture
I suppose, it provides loads of examples , but to me it read a lot like a rushed dissertation from a university student.Loads of examples but not a lot of strings thing them together. This is clearly evident in the last pieces of the book where there really wasn't a conclusion just more conjecture
March 31, 2019
An excellent read and relevant to our current times. Clearly written and well-researched. Will gives a chilling insight in to the mind of psychopaths and how they are able to manipulate the powerless for their own gain and to push their agendas forward. Highly recommended.
March 11, 2017
A chilling and insightful read that resonated with me. It avoids cliches and draws interesting and convincing conclusions - if strongly recommend.
July 11, 2016
Absolutely worth the read. A chilling and scary summary of the sad state we are in globally. It is a quite upsetting read at times, but we cannot close our eyes and pretend things are great. While people often know there is something wrong and out of kilter without being able to put their finger on it, this book helps to see through the smoke screen. What can we do? Open our eyes, see them for what they are and don't support them.
April 26, 2017
I bought this book on my Nook and read it long before I ever thought I would wake up one morning to find out that Trump would become my "president". Mr. Will's book explains a lot on how a society and culture, whether it is our government or the place we work can cultivate and nurture a lack of empathy that does not help but can ultimately destroy us. I could not put this book and consider it an important read.
Lisa Van Cleef
Lisa Van Cleef
November 8, 2017
If you add one book to your library, make it this one!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews