Levels and contradictions in JKR's writing ( was Re: It's over, Snape is evil )

[strawberryshaunie]

No: HPFGUIDX 138506

Eleanor
> Actually, what I see is that Voldemort had problems feeling empathy,
> probably slightly autistic in nature. 

 >'I think you are thinking of psychopaths/ sociapaths... 
Autism is very different. Most autistic children are very 
affectionate and caring, only their awareness of the complexity of 
other people's emotions is limited. Once alerted to the fact that 
their actions were hurting others they would be likely to be 
mortified. What they lack is the automatic ability to see the point 
of view of others. Voldemort doesn't give a monkeys about the point 
of view of others, but he doe shave the understanding, which is how 
come he can manipulate people so easily.
Rebecca'
(lots and lots of snipping!)

I definitely agree with the sociopath idea, and I actually came across
an interesting link as I was searching for more info about Snape vs.
Machiavelli's Prince that, wierdly enough,  mentions autism! (It
explains, in less words, exactly what Rebecca has stated above, that
autism is far from what would be comparable to LV and Snape's
psychologies):

Machiavellian intelligence (political intelligence or social
intelligence), is the capacity of an entity in successful political
engagement with social groups. The term refers to Niccolò
Machiavelli's 'The Prince'  and the hypothesis that the techniques
which lead to certain kinds of political success within large social
groups are also applicable within smaller groups, even within the
family-unit.
Such behaviors include:

    * making alliances
    * making and breaking promises
    * making and breaking rules
    * lying and truth-telling
    * blaming and forgiveness
    * misleading and misdirection
Autism

Some theorists believe that autistic people lack Machiavellian
intelligence. One hypothesis is that they lack a "theory of mind"
which is necessary for both cooperation and deceit.


here's the actual link for those interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machiavellian_intelligenc