Psychopaths seem to be everywhere. They are on the news and at the
movies. People who lack empathy, be they ruthless entrepreneurs or
crazed spree killers are frequently labeled psychopathic; the charming
socialiser is just as suspect as the awkward anti-social loner.
The conception of what defines a psychopath seems to be a morass of
contradictions, the only consistency being the supposition of a lack of
empathy.The Psychopath Factory: How Capitalism Organizes Empathy
examines how the requirements, stimuli, affects and environments of work
condition our empathy. In some cases, work calls for no empathy
characters who don t blink or flinch in the face of danger nor crack
under pressure. In other cases, capitalism requires empathy in spades
charming, friendly, sensitive and listening managers, customer service
agents and careers.
When workers are required to either ignore
their empathy to-do a job, or dial it up to increase productivity, they
are entering a psychopathic modality. The affective blitz of work,
flickering screens, emotive content, vibrating alerts and sounding
alarms erode our sensitivities whilst we are modulated with attention
stimulants, social lubricants and so called anti-anxiety drugs. This is
amidst a virulent and exacerbating climate of competition and frenzied
quantification.
Capitalism pressures us to feign empathy and
leverage social relationships on one hand, whilst being cold and
pragmatic on the other. We are passionate and enthusiastic whilst
keeping a professional distance. Sympathy, care, compassion and
altruism are important; The Psychopath Factory: How Capitalism Organizes
Empathy argues that itis a mistake to presuppose that empathy can
achieve these.
Rather than being subject to the late capitalist organization of our empathy, psychopathy could be a means of escape."
The Psychopath Factory - Tristam Adams
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