Sadly the higher up you go, the higher the likelihood you'll be dealing with sociopaths and psychopaths. While sociopaths can be very effective executives, psychopaths should always be watched it for as they thrive on the drama and power. Sociopaths just lack empathy which makes them highly useful in making emotionally difficult decisions. For a Star Trek reference sociopaths act like Vulcans when it comes to empathy. Psychopaths act like Romulans in nearly every situation. Don't get emotionally invested in either.
I used to get upset over and armchair-diagnose sociopaths and narcissists quite a bit. I realized after a time that I feel better when I afford them sympathy. We can get out of shape about how they are internally miscalibrated and how they do others harm - it's all true. But they are still valid people with something to show us, worthy of forgiveness rather than harm or revenge.
I thought that sociopaths and psychopaths behave identically. The difference is that one was born that way while bad life experiences made the other that way.
No, but there's definitely been a muddying of the definitions so it's understandable. Sociopaths actually have a purpose in society. Psychopaths are a detriment. Sociopaths can be very good and productive members of society. There's evidence to suggest that it's both a gene that needs to be present as well as the correct conditions during upbringing to trigger it.
