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Single Idea 20290

[filed under theme 23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 4. Boredom ]

Full Idea

Maybe psychopaths are bored because their emotional poverty means that they cannot take interest in, or gain satisfaction from, what for others are the most important things in life: love, family, success in business or professional life, etc.

Gist of Idea

Psychopaths may just be bored, because they cannot participate in normal emotional life

Source

Peter Singer (Practical Ethics [1979], 10)

Book Ref

Singer,Peter: 'Practical Ethics' [CUP 1989], p.216


A Reaction

[he cites Hervey Cleckley for this] Maybe boredom is a symptom of some human inadequacy, but it might sometimes be a mark of superiority. It drives people to both creation and destruction. Quite a good account of criminal behaviour.