African Psychopathy

In psychiatry, there exists a diagnostic entity variously known as
psychopath, sociopath and antisocial personality disorder. The central
feature of this disorder is the failure to develop any ethical standards
of social behaviour, The concept of "do unto others as you would have
them do unto you" is foreign to the psychopath and is replaced by "do
unto others as it pleases you regardless of consequences." The cause of
such behaviour is uncertain and may be genetic in origin, the result of
an early developmental trauma, or a combination of the two. The
outstanding feature is that the psychopath has a natural talent for
using and exploiting others and does so with such skill that its true
motives remain concealed by ingratiating ways and apparent normality. At
some point the bubble bursts and the victim awakens to the reality that
they have been taken. An analogy between an individual psychopath and a
government behaving as a psychopathic entity is frighteningly real in
the South Africa of today.

The Diagnostic Criteria

1. A failure to conform to social norms with regard
to lawful behaviour as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are
prima facie criminal.

Comment: This is true for some psychopaths but not all. Many manage to
live a long and parasitic life, avoid prison and die quietly of old age.
Corrupt governments exceed acceptable social norms. They seek out or
create loopholes in the law, and walk away from their acts utterly
indifferent to the consequences.

2. Deceitfulness as indicated by repeated lying, use of contrived
excuses and fraudulent behaviour.

Comment: Fraud lies at the heart of psychopathy. Lying consciously or
unconsciously is the instrument by means of which a psychopath
establishes a rapport with his victim. He promises the world tomorrow.

3 Impulsivity, the psychopath acts impulsively, without
appraising the consequences of its behaviour.

Comment :Impulsive behaviour arises where the government acts simply
because there is nothing to stop it acting as it washes, as the ultimate
elected authority it believes that constraints are unnecessary and
irrelevant It is the fulfilment of childhood fantasy, to be given the
keys of the toyshop.

4. Irritability and aggressiveness as indicated in repeated
physical fights or assaults

Comment: This is characteristic of psychopaths who pursue a career in
crime. There is aggression and fighting in the world of governmental
psychopath but this is acted out in the court to save or expand one's
own turf and to supply an air of judicial legitimacy.

5. Reckless disregard for safety of self or others consistent
with irresponsibility as indicated by repeated failure to sustain
consistent work behaviour or honour financial obligations

Comment: Once greed takes over honesty goes out the window. Accounting
becomes a cover-up. Self interest and nepotism enriches the government
at the expense of the electorate. When a corrupt government fails, all
the people pay.

6 Lack of remorse as indicated by being indifferent to or
rationalizing having hurt, mistreated or stolen from another.

Comment: A lack of genuine remorse is another basic feature of
psychopathy. The government as an entity cannot feel remorse but the
people who run it can, at least to some limited extent, in their
personal lives and on rare occasions when the law catches up with them
and confronts them with the tragic and criminal consequences of their
actions.

It is not necessary for an entity to fulfil all the criteria to be
categorised as psychopathic, the African psyche is a strange world,
dangerous and extremely unpredictable. Apply these criteria to such
individuals as the mugabe, his henchmen, and to the government of South
Africa, whose members would satisfy most of these criteria. Logic
dictates that a government composed of psychopaths must display
psychopathic behaviour.

This inevitably begs the question…Can this condition be rectified ?
Yes, if termination with extreme prejudice is an available option. .