Willard Mitt Romney and the disease of sociopathy

Most people, unless they are obsessively following the presidential election campaign, missed the “expose” of something that Mr Romney did when he was sixteen years old.  The rationale for dismissing this “expose” is that “he was only sixteen, and kids do dumb things in high school.”  It is not that simple.  If, for example, we were told that Mr Romney had gotten so drunk that he was taken to the emergency room, we probably wouldn’t say “kids do dumb things in high school.” , because  we know that “kids” who abuse alcohol tend to become alcoholics later in life.   This incident has a similar portent in regards to Mr Romney’s personality.

The incident, as described by several of the participants, involved an attack on a fellow student.  Mr Romney was the leader of a group of four or five fellow students who chased down another student, forcibly restrained him, and cut his hair (with scissors, we assume.)  Why was Mr Romney motivated to do this?  It was said that the victim had unusually long, bleached blonde hair.  It was not said that he was gay, but it is very likely that Mr Romney and his fellow assailants were motivated by that perception.  In fact, the victim much later came out as being gay.

This incident, if interpreted by today’s standards, would be perceived as a physical assault coupled with “unlawful detention” (forcibly restraining the victim, akin to a brief kidnapping.)  In addition, Mr Romney and his fellow assailants would be liable to be charged as adults.  In today’s climate, an incident such as this would be likely to have serious criminal consequences.

More important, this behavior is a symptom of a condition known as sociopathy, that is a lifelong personality pattern characterized by lack of internal constraints that prevent behavior that violates the person and rights of another.  Sociopathy is a condition that begins in adolescence if not earlier, and leads in many cases to a lifetime of criminal behavior with a stunning lack of guilt feelings or concern for other’s hurt feelings.  Sociopaths are greatly over-represented among prison inmates as well as among successful stock traders.

This incident is clear evidence of an already well developed sociopathic personality.  His response to questions about the incident show even more clearly his lack of concern for other’s feelings.  He claimed to not remember the incident, then offered a half-hearted apology.

Finally, Mr Romney claimed that the possibility of the victim’s being gay wouldn’t even have occurred to him “in those days.”  I, for one, clearly recall that the issue of homosexuality was very much in the consciousness of teenagers in the 1960’s, and prejudice against those who were thought to be gay was extremely strong and openly expressed.  Persons thought to be homosexual (and it was usually hidden) were considered fair game for verbal and sometimes physical abuse by those who felt the urge to abuse someone.

It is abundantly clear from Mr Romney’s personal history that he suffers from sociopathy.  It is not just the incident we have discussed, but his career as chief executive officer of the private equity fund Bain also speaks strongly in favor of his sociopathy.  What better occupation for a sociopath than one which involves buying companies, stripping them of their assets, and destroying the careers of those who worked for them?

A vote for Mr Romney is a vote for the practical expression of sociopathic tendencies by our federal government.