Is Kevin Rudd a psychopath?
Calling someone a "psychopath" is a provocative and alarming term that shouldn't be thrown around lightly - instantly conjuring up images of Ivan Milat, Charles Manson and John Jarratt in Wolf Creek.
It's also a term that's always fascinated me - as I'm uncomfortable with the idea our everyday lives are intertwined with people who are genuine, clinically diagnosed psychopaths.
And they're out there. In recent times there have been numerous articles written about psychopaths in the workplace - psychologist Robert Hare even wrote a book Snakes in Suits about psychopaths in the corporate world.
But what about our newly recycled, unstoppable, vengeance-is-mine Prime Minister Kevin Rudd? Could he actually be a psychopath?
I'm no psychologist, so I spoke with Allan McCay, a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney Law School whose speciality is behavioural genetics and sentencing. If anyone could come close to answering my question, it'd be Allan.
I asked Allan the question straight:
Could a psychopath become an Australian Prime Minister? Allan was unequivocal in his answer. "Yes. There have been plenty of psychopaths in politics - in particular, there's been research into the possibility some American presidents could be classified as psychopaths. Certainly, the research suggests there is some possibility."A proper diagnosis for psychopathy, however, requires a lot background information and indepth interviews - forensic psychologists would hesitate to make a diagnosis from media reports.
There is also a "psychopathy checklist" - a diagnostic tool to assess for psychopathy and the perquisites make for some eyebrow-raising reading:
Impulsivity. Superficial charm. Grandiosity. Callousness. Lack of empathy. Manipulative. Pathological lying. Calmness and lack of anxiety. Unfazed if they're caught out lying - for example."Some have suggested a psychopath's skills could prove useful in politics," McCay points out. "A lack of empathy when making the tough decisions prime ministers undertake for example.'
But for me, I'm still nervous about the term - particularly when reading the psychopathy checklist.
So what do you think? I'm suddenly keen to empathise...
Kevin Rudd originally lost his job as leader of the Labour party because he couldn't 'play nice' with the people he was supposed to be leading i.e. his other parlimentary collegues (who put him into the job in the first place). His public persona however has often been more pleasing that the reality of his troubled working relationships. (apparently he was a total shit).
This is why Julia Gillard became Prime Minister after Kev was removed. She could work with her collegues, even if she didn't have the 'razzamataz' and 'face' that appeals to the public.
I don't think this particular leopard can change his spots and further more, why would he? Never-the-less he has his supporters in the Labour Party who have never given up getting 'their man' back into the top position (and reaping the rewards for that support).
One thing that I have noticed is that 'instantly' there are more female Labour party politicians in positions of 'influence'. Just by magic, you might say... I think what they WANT to do is cover the fact that they have 'ambushed' and sacked the first female Australian Priminister (who was a considerable role model for females within the country) and they are all hopeing we don't notice!
Well, people do notice. They are cynical and they do ask questions. Personally, I think there may be a greater swing against the Labour Party, at election time, because of this. Women will turn against Kevin Rudd.