As seen in the movies, psychopaths are heartless people who enjoy watching their victims suffer and die. Not all psychopaths are killers, though. Some are just incredibly charming pathological liars who use other people in getting what they want.
Unilad reports 1% of the whole population is believed to be suffering from this mental illness. And according to self-confessed psychopath Jacob Wells, people with psychopathy just normally function within the society. Wells scored 34 on the Hare checklist - a test used to diagnose psychopathy. In his Q&A with Quora, Wells answered several questions on what a psychopath actually is.
Wells said first impressions are important to psychopaths and he would usually present himself as a normal person on first meeting. Wells would act as a good student at school and would try to act as perfect as possible in romantic settings --- although he's often unaware of it.
Psychopaths have narcissistic tendencies, thinking they're better than "normal" people. This trait "often leads to them wanting to be the center of attention" and they would do their best to get it.
"If I haven't already, I will subtly show some intelligence, I will behave a bit abnormally, as that is more comfortable," he wrote. "I will try to be become the most interesting person they know by telling them a true story about myself."
Psychopaths are also prone to living a parasitic lifestyle with the need to control other people. "On the outside, I'm whatever I want you to think I am," he explained. "I can be normal if need be, or if I'm bored I can be eccentric, a genius, or whatever else to get some reaction or provoke interest. Now on the inside I'm different. I need control. It hurts to be powerless."
Wells admitted that he would keep secrets, solve problems and do favors for other people so that he would gain their trust. "I can get literally anything from them, which is incredibly useful," he said.
While curious people now have an idea of what psychopathy really is, it also helps to be aware that psychopaths, just like Wells, are the world's best liars.
