Just about the time it appears that there is nothing to write about, (the Democratic National Convention is just too big a target) someone posts something that is just too juicy to overlook.  So, as I am taking a break from politics, I am going to write about the seven occupations that contain the most people that exhibit psychopathic tendencies.

Before going any further, it needs to be determined as to what psychopathic tendencies really entail, as it is estimated that 5% of the American population displays these traits.  According to my research, a typical person displaying psychopathic tendencies has a lack of empathy, lack of guilt, stress tolerance, manipulative behavior, egocentricity, impulsivity, but usually possesses plenty of charm.  Do not get this confused with psychotic traits.  The synonyms for psychotic behavior are insanity, madness, derangement, demented behavior and craziness.  There is a difference.  The total loonies come from the psychotic side of the fence, without any redeeming qualities.  Remember, we are talking psychopathic tendencies (sharing some of the traits), not someone clinically determined to be totally psychopathic.

So, beginning with number seven working our way to number one in the occupations displaying the most people with psychopathic tendencies.  Here we go!

7.  Police

When I first saw this list, I would have estimated that the police would have been rated a little higher. But it does make perfect sense that they are at number seven, because the police see the worst that our society provides every day.    They see the gruesome traffic accidents.  They see the grisly crime scenes.  They answer the calls for domestic violence.  Every day they make decisions that have to be fair and, more importantly, impartial.  In retrospect, they need some psychopathic traits in order to be good policemen.  It takes a person with lack of empathy to give a speeding ticket to mom or nana.  I am sure that scenario has been played out, usually resulting in a chilly reception at nana’s Thanksgiving dinner.

6.  Journalists

Who would have guessed this?    Here is a simple question:  Do you trust journalism in its present state?  If you said yes, you would be in the clear minority as over 70% do not trust any of the media. Could it be because of a lack of guilt widespread in the newsprint establishment?

With the national elections taking place this year, I am amazed as to how each presidential candidate is being skewered by biased journalism.  Journalism that does not seem to care about reporting anything that approaches the truth.  There have been many times when what was reported about a speech, liberally sprinkled with biased reporting, was nowhere near what was actually said during that speech.  In retrospect, it appears journalists should have been rated higher.

5.  Surgeons

Unfortunately, I have had way too much exposure to surgeons and surgery.  Happily, all of my surgeons had a very welcome business-like attitude, and instilled confidence in me before all of my surgeries.  Some decades ago, I had a very serious surgery.  I was in my late 30s, and the surgeon was younger than me.  Before the surgery, he came to my room with his surgical nurse and said, “I have looked at your x-rays, and when I get done with your surgery you are going to be my masterpiece.”  About an hour later, the nurse returned and wanted to apologize for the surgeon.  I asked why.  She said, “Because Dr. A. can be very much wrapped up in himself.”  My response?  “Maam, I feel very much more relaxed concerning this surgery because of Dr. A.’s confidence.  Did you think I wanted to hear that my surgery was extremely challenging and could be hit or miss because he wasn’t sure he could do it?”

Before this surgery, I was paralyzed from the neck down.  I did become Dr. A.’s masterpiece and have lived a full life ever since.  I am personally happy that he had psychopathic tendencies.  After all, nurses are the antithesis of surgeons and they will give you all the empathy you want.  The yin and the yang of the medical profession.

4.  Salesperson.

Much like the police, a really good salesperson needs some of the psychopathic traits.  After all, many salesmen are on some kind of commission/bonus structure that does place them in the position of having to ‘eat what you kill.’  If they don’t sell, they don’t eat.

Many salespeople provide very good service or provide information.  When I was in business, I looked forward to visits from salespeople as they would inform/educate me about new products or services.  Many of these products/services would improve my business, thereby increasing my profitability.

3.  Media (TV/Radio)

Who would have thought that different aspects of the media would take two of the top seven occupations displaying psychopathic tendencies?  What a ringing endorsement for the fact that people just do not trust the media, regardless of what type of media.

There are no shortage of political ads on the TV.  Does anyone believe that each and every one of these ads, especially the ads attacking a competitor are ever scrutinized for accuracy?  Of course not.  But yet, many believe everything they see on the TV or hear on the radio, regardless of the facts.

Unfortunately, there are no consequences for deliberately biasing reporting for political gain, or in some cases, just plain lying about what is being reported for political gain.  If there were prisons for media and journalistic liars, we would have to fence in Texas just to keep all of them incarcerated!  (We could use part of the wall between the US and Mexico to save money!)

It never was like this decades ago.  The media took pride in accurate reporting and the public had a much higher degree of acceptance.  An inaccurate report was always scrutinized.  Now, inaccurate/biased reporting is so widespread that the public has become complacent to the point of it becoming acceptable.

2.  Lawyer

Lack of empathy.   Lack of guilt.  Does any of this sound like any attorney you may know?  I know accused people are entitled to legal representation, but I have often wondered how someone could defend a murderer that they know is definitely, without question, guilty.  I know that my personality composition would not allow me to do that with a clear conscience.  “Your honor, I know my client is guilty as hell, and I recommend that he be fried in an electric chair connected to a nuclear reactor.”   Having said that, I would not make a good public defender.

But just like the TV commercial, “But wait, there’s more!”  The majority of our federal representatives are attorneys, far outweighing any other occupation.   I believe about 43%, if memory serves me correctly.  Why is that?  Maybe they were terrible attorneys and chose another avenue to fame, power and wealth.  (egocentricity?  lack of guilt?)  But as we are well aware, they all rather possess that desirable trait of having plenty of charm.  About half of the people that graduate from law school end up in a profession other than law.  Each year, law schools graduate double the number of lawyers than what is needed in the US.  Parents may want to remember this before sending your student to an expensive law school.  Drum roll please!

1.  Corporate Executive Officers (CEO)

Here again, to be a CEO for a large corporation, a few psychopathic traits would be helpful.  Do we expand or contract?  Where do we target for market penetration?  Where do we build our next facility?  Who stays, and who goes?  Many, many decisions that most people are not aware of and will never experience.   Being a CEO is not for the weak or timid.  I owned my own small company so in effect I was a CEO.  I was placed in some very uncomfortable positions where I needed to make a decision, even though I really did not want to.  I had to do what was right for the company, what was right for my employees/subcontractors and suppliers, what was best for my clients, and finally, what was right for me.

Unless you have been in business, you will never experience many of the things that business owners experience.  There were times when I paid the employees at the expense of me not getting a check for months.  I had to lay off or fire people I liked personally.  Many of  these people were great employees, but we ran out of work.   I had to fire a person that was stealing from the company.  By nature, I do not possess a lack of empathy, but I was put in a position where I had no choice.

There you have it.  Something other than politics and hopefully informative and entertaining.  But really, as you were reading this did any names come to mind about having psychopathic tendencies or traits?  I know I did.  The first name for me?  Ted Cruz.  The second name for me?  Hillary Clinton. Others?  Marco Rubio and Donald Trump.  But I want to point out one item…it is not necessarily a bad thing to have these traits.  Many of these professions are much more efficient and effective if they possess some of these traits, just not all of them.  It is only those who wrap these traits around personal gain, conceit, and selfishness that truly transforms psychopathic behavior into a true psychopath.

Oh.  The seven occupations displaying the least amount of psychopathic tendencies?  From one to seven: care aide, nurse, therapist, craftperson, beautician/stylist, charity worker and teacher.