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As a little girl, I once asked an aunt:  “How do you know you’re crazy?”  Her answer was, “If you worry that you are, then you’re not, because crazy people don’t care if they’re crazy.”  I always kept that in my mind’s arsenal, along with my one semester’s worth of a collegiate psychology course for whenever I was talking to someone and they seemed a little… off.  “So… have you ever wondered if you were crazy?  I’m just curious, that’s all!  Why are you looking at me like that?”

However, figuring out psychopaths have taken a very interesting turn. Just in case you’re unclear about the definition, an psychopath is an abnormal lack of empathy hidden behind an outwardly normal manner.  A few years ago on The Daily Show, I was introduced to Jon Ronson.  The English filmmaker and author wrote a book entitled “The Psychopath Test,” that describes his journey into the minds of psychopaths.
In a promotional video on his publisher’s website he claims:  “The problem with psychopaths, psychologists say, is that they’re everywhere.  Some say that one out of every hundred of us are psychopaths… you probably passed one on the street today.”
*BREAKS SCREECH TO A HAULT*  WHAT?!  You expect that that one coworker, or that barista who occasionally laughs maniacally whenever they hand you your cappuccino might not be so right in the head, but, psychopathic?
In his book, The Psychopath Test, he hypothesizes that the modern day psychopath isn’t the person who is slobbering in a straight jacket, mumbling about the government under a bare bulb, but potentially the people in corner offices, or in political positions.  These people are highly efficient, determined, and might share the qualities of being psychopaths.
Using Hare’s 20 point psychopath test, Ronson evaluated people from former Fortune 500 CEOs, former death squad leaders, reality show producers, and executives and found that some fall under the category of psychopaths.  They shared qualities of superficial charm, a grandiose sense of self, a lack of empathy, and so on.
It made him personally start evaluating a lot of people in his inner circle, and after reading the book, it made me evaluate a few people on reality television.  Not pointing any fingers, but… superficial charm? Grandiose sense of self-worth? Lack of empathy?  You’re telling me this isn’t common in reality stars?   Hey, I calls ’em like I sees ’em…
Now, before you work yourself up in a tizzy and rush into your boss’s office demanding that he/she acknowledge the psychopath within, you all know that I’m an advocate of finding fault within ourselves before pointing fingers.  So, before you start evaluating others, here is the 20 point test.  Do it, figure out your score, and find out if you yourself are a psychopath.  But, before you embark on this journey, know that to be fully evaluated that you need a medical professional to adequately score you.  This information is presented to you out of jest and interest, please do not become an amateur psychologist, just brandishing the test around like you’re a professional.  Finally, I think there’s a psychopath behind you RIGHT NOW!!  Just kidding!
For scoring, you score yourself on a scale of 0 to 2 per question.  Anything below a 30 is normal.  30 and up… yeah, you’re a psychopath (the standard definition: ).
I got the test from  arkancide.com:
1 Glib and Superficial Charm The tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, slick, and verbally facile. Psychopathic charm is not in the least shy, self-conscious, or afraid to say anything. A psychopath never gets tongue-tied. They have freed themselves from the social conventions about taking turns in talking, for example.
2 Grandiose Self-Worth A grossly inflated view of one’s abilities and self-worth, self-assured, opinionated, cocky, a braggart. Psychopaths are arrogant people who believe they are superior human beings.
3 Need for Stimulation or
Proneness to Boredom
An excessive need for novel, thrilling, and exciting stimulation; taking chances and doing things that are risky. Psychopaths often have a low self-discipline in carrying tasks through to completion because they get bored easily. They fail to work at the same job for any length of time, for example, or to finish tasks that they consider dull or routine.
4 Pathological Lying Can be moderate or high; in moderate form, they will be shrewd, crafty, cunning, sly, and clever; in extreme form, they will be deceptive, deceitful, underhanded, unscrupulous, manipulative, and dishonest.
5 Conning and Manipulativeness The use of deceit and deception to cheat, con, or defraud others for personal gain; distinguished from Item #4 in the degree to which exploitation and callous ruthlessness is present, as reflected in a lack of concern for the feelings and suffering of one’s victims.
6 Lack of Remorse or Guilt A lack of feelings or concern for the losses, pain, and suffering of victims; a tendency to be unconcerned, dispassionate, coldhearted, and unempathic. This item is usually demonstrated by a disdain for one’s victims.
7 Shallow Affect Emotional poverty or a limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness in spite of signs of open gregariousness.
8 Callousness and
Lack of Empathy
A lack of feelings toward people in general; cold, contemptuous, inconsiderate, and tactless.
9 Parasitic Lifestyle An intentional, manipulative, selfish, and exploitative financial dependence on others as reflected in a lack of motivation, low self-discipline, and inability to begin or complete responsibilities.
10 Poor Behavioral Controls Expressions of irritability, annoyance, impatience, threats, aggression, and verbal abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper; acting hastily.
11 Promiscuous Sexual Behavior A variety of brief, superficial relations, numerous affairs, and an indiscriminate selection of sexual partners; the maintenance of several relationships at the same time; a history of attempts to sexually coerce others into sexual activity or taking great pride at discussing sexual exploits or conquests.
12 Early Behavior Problems A variety of behaviors prior to age 13, including lying, theft, cheating, vandalism, bullying, sexual activity, fire-setting, glue-sniffing, alcohol use, and running away from home.
13 Lack of Realistic,
Long-Term Goals
an inability or persistent failure to develop and execute long-term plans and goals; a nomadic existence, aimless, lacking direction in life.
14 Impulsivity The occurrence of behaviors that are unpremeditated and lack reflection or planning; inability to resist temptation, frustrations, and urges; a lack of deliberation without considering the consequences; foolhardy, rash, unpredictable, erratic, and reckless.
15 Irresponsibility Repeated failure to fulfill or honor obligations and commitments; such as not paying bills, defaulting on loans, performing sloppy work, being absent or late to work, failing to honor contractual agreements.
16 Failure to Accept Responsibility
for Own Actions
A failure to accept responsibility for one’s actions reflected in low conscientiousness, an absence of dutifulness, antagonistic manipulation, denial of responsibility, and an effort to manipulate others through this denial.
17 Many Short-Term Marital Relationships A lack of commitment to a long-term relationship reflected in inconsistent, undependable, and unreliable commitments in life, including marital.
18 Juvenile Delinquency Behavior problems between the ages of 13-18; mostly behaviors that are crimes or clearly involve aspects of antagonism, exploitation, aggression, manipulation, or a callous, ruthless tough-mindedness.
19 Revocation of Condition Release A revocation of probation or other conditional release due to technical violations, such as carelessness, low deliberation, or failing to appear.
20 Criminal Versatility A diversity of types of criminal offenses, regardless if the person has been arrested or convicted for them; taking great pride at getting away with crimes.
Kendra Koger scored a 6 on her psychopath test.  Hit her up for non-psychopath discussions on twitter @kkoger.