Snakes in Suits

I am in the middle of reading the book Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths go to Work by Paul Babiak, Ph.D. & Robert D Hare, Ph. D.  It was recommended to me by one of my Anonymous friends after I had read Feet of Clay - a study of madmen and gurus.  This all stems from my recent interest in the cult of Scientology. 

Snakes in Suits  is written as a layman's guide to the psychopathic personality - particularly as it relates to the corporate and business world.  It is not a clinical or technical book, but is filled with examples from real life situations and composite hypothetical examples.

First point:  Psychopathy is a personality disorder - not a mental illness. (There is a difference.)  They are not raving lunatics or slobbering catatonics.  For all intents and purposes, they are quite normal.  At least they appear to be. 

The psychopath - male or female - can be charming, persuasive, and quite likable.  But they are predators. They are not charming and friendly because they like other people or care about them in any way.  On the contrary, to the psychopath other people exist only to serve them.  Other people are either pawns to be manipulated, patrons to be exploited or threats to be neutralized.  When charm and persuasion can't get them what they want, the psychopath feels no guilt in using threats, intimidation, or even physical violence. 

They feel no guilt.  They feel no remorse.  They have no empathy. 

As I said, Snakes in Suits is written primarily for the business world and the corporate structure but it does occasionally describe the psychopath in a religious setting.   They are chameleons and can adapt to whatever group they've infiltrated; they can shout "hallelujah" with the faithful just as easily as they can attend a board meeting with the shareholders.  And since the organizational structure of  my own church - The Salvation Army - is a strange blend of both the religious and the business, I began to wonder if there are any snakes in Salvation Army uniforms. *

I doubt it (though I wouldn't be so foolish as to say absolutely not).  I doubt it because The Salvation Army is rather bureaucratic. No. We're heavily bureaucratic.  We have layers upon layers of organizational rules.  We have a thick book of Orders and Regulations to which we're expected to adhere.  And while there are potential rewards for the exploitative psychopathic personality (i.e. power, privilege, and access to money) the obstacles are numerous. 

"We doubt that psychopathic individuals would be very successful in a highly structured bureaucracy for several important reasons. First, psychopaths are generalized rule breakers; rules and regulations mean little to them.  The sheer number of policies, procedures, and laws governing how companies must act, as well as the fact that managers and supervisors are charged with enforcing them, makes them inhospitable to those prone to psychopathic behavior.  They would not last long in a traditional, textbook bureaucracy.  It is unlikely that they would even consider working for one, unless they knew the boss and could get away with getting a paycheck without producing any work." page 95-96

But while the structure and bureaucracy of an organized religion might be a deterrent to a psychopathic personality the world of New Religious Movements is a bountiful hunting ground.  (New Religious Movement is the more neutral term for those groups sometimes refereed to as "cults.") Loosely organized and free to make up the rules as they go along, the psychopathic person can easily charm, manipulate and swindle those who are caught up in their deceptions.

Psychopathic individuals can and will tell extravagant stories - outright lies and even when they are caught in their lies will not stop. They change their stories, adjust the details as needed until they're believed. And they good at it.  They are persuasive story tellers, raconteurs of the highest calibre.  They're willing to say anything without regard for truth or accuracy.

I'm not a psychologist. I cannot make a diagnosis of any kind - but I would suspect, after reading biographies of L. Ron Hubbard and interviews of people who knew him and worked with him, that the founder of the cult (or NRM, if you prefer) of Scientology was psychopathic.  He used people for what they could give him, and when they could no longer give him what he wanted or they opposed him, he threw them away and destroyed them, without remorse.

The Church (cough, cough) of Scientology in Australia recently made the outrageous claim that they're "just like the Salvation Army."   But the history of The Salvation Army isn't filled with reports of abuse and exploitation like Scientology.  Just compare biographies of our founders, look at our organizational structures, and I think you'll be able to see the difference. 


* Since The Salvation Army - like every other human organization - is made up of fallible humans there are of course some "snakes" amongst us, people who act badly, who occasionally lie or cheat or whatever.  It's inevitable. Even in a religious movement.  But here I'm referring specifically to "psychopathic snakes" and to no specific individuals within the leadership whatsoever.  Is that enough of a disclaimer?