Regarding Voldemort being a psychopath

[doddiemoemoe]

No: HPFGUIDX 176227


"doddie wrote:
> >
> > 
> > First off I'll start by saying that being proclaimed 
> > a psychopath is not a diagnosis or representative a 
> > specific mental disorder.  So while JKR proclaimed 
> > Voldemort to be a psychopath, she isn't saying 
> > anything other than Voldemort had serious 
> > psychological issues ...
> > 
> 
> bboyminn responed:
> 
> Maybe Sociopath is a better description. Certainly,
> Voldemort was a megalomaniac; that's why every plan
> he conceived failed. Because Voldemort couldn't 
> conceive that any plan create by a magnificent
> genius like him, could possibly be flawed. He was
> so thoroughly convinced of his own perfection and
> superiority that no plan he conceived ever need
> to be analyzed or discussed. It was by its very nature
> perfect, and if it was screwed up, it was because his 
> inadequate inept henchmen screwed it up. It's never
> the plan; always the execution. 

*big huge snip*

Doddie again:

Actually Sociopath, and megolomaniac are yet other descriptive terms 
that describes certain traits--lack of empathy, inability to form 
interpersonal relationships etc.  but neither are mental disorders. 
Sociopath and Psycopath are actually interchangable terms and 
megolomania is not the same as having a narcistic personality 
disorder.  I am happy that you, much like JKR are not arbitrarily 
handing out diagnoses.  It's an understanding that some behaviors 
are a result of certain charateristics.

Not that I disagree with your reasoning I think it's pretty spot on. 
I just wanted to get out from under any theory that applied JKR's 
depiction of Voldemort being a psyhopath enable folks to make 
excuses for him because he had a mental disorder.

As for the final battle, I'm not quite sure if Voldemort is applying 
occlumency at this point as you stated, not that it would do much 
good as there is no more HorcruxHarry.  I'm not sure why he would do 
it unless... Wow..do you think that by the final battle Voldemort 
still thinks Harry is still in his mind? 

Now this makes a great deal of sense, I can see how Voldemort 
mistakes Leguilmency for empathy at this point..to mistake magic for 
character development. Now I have to re-examine Snape all over again-
-awww thought I was done with that! LOL I laugh but it's true. I'm 
no Snape fan and still haven't come round to Harry's point of 
view..but if Snape confused empathy with legumency then it may 
explain a great deal of his character development--even him being 
mean/cruel to many of his students. No wonder the occlumency lessons 
with Harry were an unmitigated disaster it was quite clear that 
Harry was an individual with a great deal of empathy, if not during 
the time of the lesson(especially after the Snape's worse memory 
scene) it was perfectly clear after his friendship with Luna.

To cut off Harry's empathy would be akin to severing a limb.(makes 
me want to play knock-knock on DD's head and ask if anyone's home in 
OOP--which I'm sure Harry felt like doing in same book.)

So I suppose my question to you is do you think one of Vodlemort's 
final thoughts were that Harry was a legumeins--"reading" his mind 
and sewing doubts, OR was Voldemort unhinged because Harry felt pity 
for him?

And I'm glad that you too think it's important that Harry enlightens 
those around him which I thought he did, well beyond the realm of 
the trio and well beyond the final battle--a true hero. However, the 
final battle was more important because in addtion to Harry 
supporter's being present there were DE's there too and all listened 
to Harry to basically say "Stay back, he's mine." and ALL obeyed 
even the Centaurs and House Elves.(just like Voldie had done in the 
past only with DE's.)

Doddie,
(who was really looking forward to taking 19 years to forgive 
Snape..proof positive that *I* wasn't sure if I loathed him or was 
really enjoying loathing him...perhaps some of both.)