Discussion: I call mine the Dragon

Category: Discussion Forum / Dexter Poetry, Fan Fiction and Fan Art

Report thread
Watch thread
Share this

Showing 10 posts

Gomezy3k	I call mine the Dragon Oct 27 2007, 1:37 PM EDT I keep my Dragon locked up in a cage. Being a functional Sociopath, I can relate very much to Dexter... When he describes how he sees others, I could relate down to the last minute detail... His lack of feelings, his being able to understand feelings, and his acting to fit into society...sometimes it doesn't work or you do the wrong thing... You have to watch others and act like them...the ultimate chameleon... Post reply 14 out of 18 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you? Keyword tags: None
KnownasJack	1. RE: I call mine the Dragon Oct 8 2008, 4:31 PM EDT \| Post edited: Oct 8 2008, 4:31 PM EDT My dark passenger chose the name Jack for himself. He hurts people. He lies, reveals the darkest secrets, tricks and forces people into doing things they shouldn't. But i need him. I need his confidence, his strength, his persona. Without him, I'm alone. I don't make friends very well, and I struggle to keep the few I have. Jack is sociable, charming, who everyone really wants to be around. I'm nobody. Post reply 2 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
boorens	2. RE: I call mine the Dragon Apr 28 2009, 5:47 AM EDT lol your not a functional sociopath, just so you know. The picture of sociopaths portrayed in Dexter is a much more romaticized version. Real sociopaths do have feelings (unlike in the show.) They simply arent capable of feeling things for other people such as guild. They can fully understand feelings such as anger, happiness, being content, because they feel that way themselves when something good happens to them, and are quite capable of blending in. They don't really make the mistakes that Dexter does such as not understanding why people get sad, they just dont care. It seems your just young and portraying yourself onto your favorite show, which is common, but I can assure you that you aren't a sociopath Post reply 0 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
psychdoc	3. RE: I call mine the Dragon Aug 22 2009, 6:23 PM EDT Ok, I know that this is completely off topic for this thread (which I hope is just for fun), but I feel compelled to get a bit off topic and technical for just a moment. While the show does tend to romanticize the portrait of a sociopath (or psychopath depending on what researcher in psychopathy you are citing), the trait of "Emotional Shallowness" as Dexter exhibits is actually based in research (see Robert Hare's PCL-R). Yes, sociopaths can exhibit emotion, but they can also have trouble identifying the emotion or confusion about what they are feeling. Some, although it seems to be rare, claim to be mostly devoid of feeling (this maybe more of a problem with disassociation in line with a dissociative disorder). It should also be noted that Jeff Lindsay's character of Dexter has been crafted through much consultation with forensic psychologists and psychiatrists. While the "Dark Passenger" may be Lindsay's artistic license, many of Dexter's traits are actually traits based in research. Not all sociopaths/psychopaths will exhibit these traits, but they may exhibit some. Finally, the idea of a functional sociopath is not unheard of and has been referenced in research. Theodore Millon has discussed how one can exhibit traits of Anti-Social Personality Disorder and still be functional through the dimensional personality scales he has crafted. It is possible that one can channel these traits into a productive means for the betterment of society. Many people with positions of authority exhibit some anti-social traits. While your assessment of one not being a functional sociopath may be accurate along with the assumption that youth and projection of identity are playing a role, the statement that sociopaths can fully understand feelings and have adequate social functioning and social skills may be a leap. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Sueezedtight	4. RE: I call mine the Dragon Aug 22 2009, 7:32 PM EDT \| Post edited: Aug 22 2009, 7:33 PM EDT It is also often a case of threshold and trigger events. Most people have a limit but only a few will go beyond the socially "acceptable" when they are pushed too far. Not necessarily provocation but a self-identified relationship with any number of circumstances that fit into a world-view that is anywhere from slightly to extremely skewed. Dex is not romanitcized so much as he has been humanized. A monster just means big as in "larger than life" or "more than expected". Dex channels his urges into a form that fits within a "socialized" paradigm that Harry passed on to him as the "code". One of the many layers that this show exhibits and exploits. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
boorens	5. RE: I call mine the Dragon Sep 9 2009, 10:34 PM EDT I may be confused here but are you suggesting that sociopaths can't feel any emotions some times? I can assure you that is false. Often the urge to kill is the result of frustration for example, another common example being boredom. The logical thing would be to stick with your job, but sociopaths are notorious for having patchy job histories. Sociopaths are capable of emotions, which is why they do irrational things like any of us. The only difference is that they don't do irrational things FOR others. Sociopaths have hobbies (which they enjoy) They buy their particular types of clothes (which make them happy) They date particular types of women (which they like) A sociopaths problem is exactly that....a social one (or interaction problem) It doesnt stem from damage or underdevelopment of the emotional centre of the brain, but rather the connection between that and the social area of the brain. Preventing emotional links to others. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
JTreetop	6. @psychdoc re: technicalities RE: I call mine the Dragon Sep 15 2009, 12:01 PM EDT I know people can have two diagnoses, but I feel really strongly that the writers of Showtime's Dexter are modeling the schizoid personality disorder. His flat affect, his inability to read social cues, his stilted speech, his organization, neatness, ability to keep a job, his aesexuality, and his lack of anger. Sociopaths tend to be highly, deviantly sexed and to get angry easily, impulsively, right? So... I do hear that Lindsay modeled the sociopath and that in the books, Dexter is far more sinister and narsacistic, but it seems that the series writers wanted to find a more palatable diagnosis to model, even if some of the sociopathic characteristics coexist. Doesn't it seem entirely possible that he could be (on the show), simply schizoid with dissociative personality disorder on top of it? The latter would allow him to supress the rage and desire for vengence he felt over his mother's murder, and channel it into his killings, without being emotionally present in other ways (i.e. lack of remorse) during those killings. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
JTreetop	7. RE: I call mine the Dragon Sep 15 2009, 12:10 PM EDT Assuming this isn't a joke..... I think this type of statement tends to shock people, because they don't realize that there are many, many sociopaths in society, and most of them are not killers or even arsonists. They control the urges, because they want to stay out of jail and they know (even if they don't feel) that they aren't allowed to do violent things. .... But have you been diagnosed as such by someone? "Sociopathy" is actually just a hub term, not a diagnostic one. To be a so-called sociopath, you usually need to have been diagnosed as having conduct, oppositional-defiant and/or reactive-attachment disorder as a child, and/or anti-social personality or dissociative identity disorder as an adult. ... Have you been? ----- You describe the dissociative traits that can be attributed to a number of conditions, not all sociopathic. If you are serious about the "dragon," and by that you mean violent fantasies... you could be right, but not necessarily. Again, I'd be interested to know if you've been diagnosed. .... My personal opinion is that most sociopaths can't be treated because they are too far into their criminal path, or they hide and enjoy their dispositions. If you wanted to get help you probably could. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
JTreetop	8. @KnownasJack RE: I call mine the Dragon Sep 15 2009, 12:20 PM EDT I hope this is vivid imagination and not reality, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Dexter boards attracted people who are suffering from various dark mental anguishes. .... People with schizoid personality disorder often have a "negative vice," that they personify, such as calling their drug addiction "Bad Mama." I see Dexter's Dark Passenger that way. "He" is not really a whole person with "his" own personality... the Dark Passenger is just that slinking, persistent darkness within Dexter. .... If you are being serious here, and not just posting this for fun, it sounds like you might want to look into the dissociative disorders... you are talking as if there are two distinct people -- you and Jack. A person with DID can be a sociopath, but not all people with DID ARE sociopaths. ... Do you like being who you are? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
JTreetop	9. @boorens RE: I call mine the Dragon Sep 15 2009, 12:25 PM EDT I don't think we can diagnose anyone, or rule out a diagnosis, based on a few sentences on an online forum, do you? ... While I'd be happy if these posts were "just for fun," it also makes sense that people with dark psychiatric problems would be attracted to these boards, especially since most people here like and sympathize with Dexter, and thus, might actually empathize with others who have similar afflictions. Dexter may well be a sociopath, and I think in the books (from what I've heard), he is much more of the classic, ruthless, self-absorbed sociopath. In the show, he is milder in many ways, and he has a whole collection of characteristics that actually don't fit into sociopathy, but match the schizoid personality disorder--flatness, missing social cues, confusion over other people's feelings, aesexuality. Post reply Do you find this valuable?