As a Social Science teacher, I am always looking for books that allow me to discover more about, and understand the social sciences in nuanced ways. This becomes particularly helpful when answering questions that my students have about various concepts like: What is the difference between positive and negative punishment? What was Freud thinking when he came up with the Oedipus and Electra complexes (complexi?)? Or, my personal favourite: What are the precise differences between a sociopath and a psychopath, Ms.? Good question, let me look that up…
Enter, Dr. Maximillian (Max) Wachtel’s succinct and concise research and analysis on the sociopath and psychopath: a short book titled, Sociopaths & Psychopaths: a crisis of conscience and empathy. A forensic psychologist who has interviewed a plethora of criminals for various court cases, Wachtel makes the research (precious little and none of it in any way definitive) accessible to readers of all strokes. You don’t need to have a PhD in Psychology to understand what he is saying. As a teacher, I appreciated the language he used to break down the most important concepts around this intriguing branch of psychology. Enriched with information from various sources (Wachtel has clearly done ample research, evidenced by the 80+ resources he has cited at the end of his book), Wachtel adds an extra layer of appeal for readers by introducing this subject from different angles, he throws in a bit of philosophy, the law, neuroscience. At turns cheeky, serious and cringingly (is that a word?) funny, Wachtel makes you feel smarter while somehow managing to entertain you (this is like EVERY teacher’s job description; yes I took down some tips!). He covers the amygdala (one of my favourite parts of the brain!), the concept of free will and morality, of having a conscience or being amoral, the DSM-5 (that fancy book that psychologists use as A tool – it is one of many – to diagnose mental disorders in patients), and so much more with such ease. I feel like a bit of an expert on the topic myself, off I go to write a book about it…
In all seriousness, if you are in any way interested in learning more about sociopaths and psychopaths (and don’t pretend you aren’t; I know you’ve binge-watched nearly every show on Netflix with a deranged character as the lead), give this quick and comprehensive read a try. I finished this book in two sittings, in about an hour and a half (I was taking notes for a project I am working on, so it took a bit longer). Fellow Social Science teachers, this book might be of particular interest to you, especially if you decide to do a lesson on Antisocial Personality Disorder (Sociopaths and Psychopaths technically fall into this category). You can also encourage your senior students to read it themselves if they are interested in the topic. Happy reading, and let me know what you think!
Books 'n' Nooks 