Evil Genes
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agriculture and Machiavellians, 264–71
Ahmadinejad, Mahmoud, ability to dupe journalist Mike Wallace, 317
Akhtar, Salman, research related to identity disturbance, 156
alcoholism. See under addictive behavior
alleles. See genes and also individual allele names
Allende, Salvador (president of Chile), 285–86
altruism. See also naivete
evolutionary aspects
evolutionary model for emotional behavior of evolutionary psychiatrist Randolph Nesse, 258–59
“human cultural and behavioral diversity can be understood in the same way as biological diversity,” David Sloan Wilson, 16
neurological apparatus related to conscience played role in development of, 256
reciprocal altruism, 256–57
“tit for tat” as strategy that may have helped lead to development of, 256–60
Wilson, David Sloan, work involving, 17
neuroscience related to
anterior insula activated when we feel disgust for cheaters, caudate activated when we punish them, 260
associated with increased activity in posterior superior temporal cortex, 100
trust, cooperation, and the caudate, 20–22
vasopressin, oxytocin—and gullibility, 83
social aspects
altruistic individuals whose beneficent acts serve others well
Barry Marshall and the discovery of the cause of ulcers, 307n
Bill and Melinda Gates, 319
Linda Mealey and her father's bestowal of Award for Young Investigators in her name, 253, 283
ordinary people's heroic acts to save others, 285
Socrates, Joan of Arc, the rebellious students of Tianenmen square and their kind, 305–307
a true Communist, 213
Warren Buffett, 319
altruistic individuals whose kindness allows them to be taken advantage of or suffer abuse
“congenital” cooperators, 259
Hitler's belief that humbler people responded more readily to his call, 334
kindheartedness of Laci Peterson, 255
little Adupa judged insane and killed by family in starving Ik tribe, 383n
Mao's wife Kaihui killed rather than denounce Mao—even though Mao had abandoned her, 221–22
Williams syndrome, 98–99
altruists often surprised at how ethics policies are used by Machiavellians for nefarious purposes (e.g., “bad whistle-blowers” and “moral entrepreneurs”), 335
Christian pacifists and Muslim terrorists act as altruists—so what is a Machiavellian, 285
intimidation by Machiavellians can keep even the most altruistic silent out of fear for their loved ones, 333–34
social aspects
altruistic individuals whose beneficent acts serve others well
Barry Marshall and the discovery of the cause of ulcers, 307n
Bill and Melinda Gates, 319
Linda Mealey and her father's bestowal of Award for Young Investigators in her name, 253, 283
ordinary people's heroic acts to save others, 285
Socrates, Joan of Arc, the rebellious students of Tianenmen square and their kind, 305–307
a true Communist, 213
Warren Buffett, 319
altruistic individuals whose kindness allows them to be taken advantage of or suffer abuse
“congenital” cooperators, 259
Hitler's belief that humbler people responded more readily to his call, 334
kindheartedness of Laci Peterson, 255
little Adupa judged insane and killed by family in starving Ik tribe, 383n
Mao's wife Kaihui killed rather than denounce Mao—even though Mao had abandoned her, 221–22
Williams syndrome, 98–99
altruists often surprised at how ethics policies are used by Machiavellians for nefarious purposes (e.g. “bad whistle-blowers” and “moral entrepreneurs”), 335
Christian pacifists and Muslim terrorists act as altruists—so what is a Machiavellian, 285
intimidation by Machiavellians can keep even the most altruistic silent out of fear for their loved ones, 333–34
Alzheimer's disease
of author's father, 114, 324–25, 343
complex genetics of, 64
and connection to genetics of polio susceptibility, 327
copy number variants and, 63
ambition. See control, desire for
Amin, Idi (Ugandan dictator), brief overview compared to other dictators, 28
amnesia of author's mother, 113
amygdala
activation in intentional versus accidental transgression of social norms, 257–58
in borderline personality disorder
dysfunction causes emotional overreaction, 194–95, 206, 209
role in executive control
discussion, 199
flowchart, 196
smaller according to imaging results, 194, 205
genetic aspects
5-HT3A influence on, 71
MAO-A alleles can produce smaller, 80–81
serotonin transporters’ influence on signal to and from cingulate cortex, 74–75
illustrations of, 73, 93, 101, 183
murderers have heightened activity in, 97, 97n
psychopaths have unresponsive, 93, 97n
role in determining emotional significance of information
discussion, 186
flowcharts, 186, 196
Williams syndrome differences in function of, 99
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Mao's fatal illness, 248
anger. See also affective instability; aggressiveness; irritability
in borderline personality disorder
in context with overall mood swings, 230
as DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, 158
intense rage at those who hurt them, 142
as manipulative tool, 140
prone to abrupt in workplace, 149
related to clinical versus subclinical borderlines, 201
shared trait with bipolar personality disorder, 142n
in child with psychopathic-like traits, 102
in people without apparent signs of affective instability (otherwise see under affective instability)
Gandhi, Mahatma: “violent nature,” 298–99
general discussion, 298–300
Washington, George: capable of terrible wrath, 298–300
anorexia. See eating disorders, anorexia
anterior cingulate cortex
ability to resolve conflicting information as part of executive attentional network, 202, 206, 207
in borderline personality disorder
right is smaller, 205
role in executive control
discussion, 199
flowchart (as “ACC”), 196
borderline-schizotypal types show gray matter reduction in anterior and posterior cingulates, 227
Crick, Francis, free will and the, 328
illustrations of, 101, 181
impulsivity and, 193, 199
linkage with limbic (emotional) systems, 186
role in helping focus attention, empathy, memory storage, 182
anterior insula activated when we feel disgust for cheaters, 260
antisocial behavior. See also antisocial personality disorder; individuals by name
complete review of neurological findings related to, 370n25
COMT alleles and, 79
fear conditioning reduces, 95
MAO-A alleles and, 81–82
PDQ-4+ and dimensional approaches to quantifying, 133
prefrontal cortex damage can produce, 94
as viable traits flowing from forces of evolution, 254–56
as winning social strategy, 260–61
without callous, emotionless features of psychopathy, 56
antisocial personality disorder
DSM-IV definition, 50–51
gener
al definition, 135
heritability is spotty, 86
MAO-A and, 54, 80
Medline's number of studies about, 33
no single gene causes, 68
overlap with borderline personality disorder, 208–209
psychopathy in relation to, 51
sadism and, 52
anxiety. See also affective instability; neurasthenia, Mao's; neuroticism
BDNF alleles and, 77–78
borderline personality disorder and, 140, 158
COMT gene and, 79
limbic system dysfunction in borderlines and, 193–95
of Mendel, Gregor, 288
polio and, 116
psychopaths’ lack of, 92–93
serotonin transporters and, 73
sexual addiction commonly found with, 233
shared trait of borderline and bipolar personality disorders, 142n
APOE4 allele
Alzheimer's disease, other good and bad features, 76
connection to genetics of susceptibility for polio, 327
Appearance of Impropriety, The (Peter Morgan and Glenn Reynolds), 335
Arafat, Yasir, duping of journalists and policians, 316–17
Arendt, Hannah: “banality of evil,” 303n
aristocracy
attraction of certain personality types toward, 35, 277
enjoyed enormous reproductive benefits in many societies through history, 266–70
Aristotle's distinction between knowledge and moral virtue, 52
Armstrong, Edwin, invention of FM radio (hijacked by unsavory Lee de Forest), 291
arrogance. See also narcissism; narcissistic personality disorder
as DSM-IV trait for narcissistic personality disorder, 244
in Mao's companion women, 225
Milosevic's, 153, 171
psychopaths, narcissists, and Machiavellians share trait, 132
in relation to dimensional trait of psychopathy, 167
Shockley, William, of, 290
ASPM gene (cognition), 262
Asquith, Christina, reporter: corruption at Texas Southern University, 279–80
Assad, Hafez, Syrian dictator, ability to dupe journalist Mike Wallace, 317
Ataturk, Mustafa Kemal
brief overview compared to other dictators, 286, 301
mental flexibility despite presence of mood disorders, 314
attention. See executive attentional network
attentional network. See executive attentional network
attention deficit disorder
illustration showing overlap with borderline personality disorder, 208
MAO-A and, 80–81
polio and, 116
Auerbach, “Red,” mental flexibility of, 301
Authoritarian Personality, The (Theodor Adorno), 46
autism
gray matter and, 106
mirror neurons and, 105
avoidant personality disorder, defined, 135
Axelrod, Robert, and game “Prisoner's Dilemma,” 257–58
Axis I and Axis II of DSM-IV, defined, 133–34
Babiak, Paul, and Robert Hare (Snakes in Suits: Why Psychopaths Go to Work), 107
Bafti, adopted son of author and her husband, 151–52, 153, 169–70
Baldwin, Mark, 264
Baldwinian evolution, 263–64
Ballas, Jerry, on “Chainsaw” Al Dunlap: “it's terrorizing working for the man,” 294
“banality of evil,” Hannah Arendt, 303n
Bardeen, John, Nobel prize winner blocked by William Shockley, 290
BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) gene, 77–78
Beatles, The: assistance by manic-depressive “drama queen” Brian Epstein, 291
behaviorism, restrictive effect on research, 41, 174
Behr, Edward (Ceausescu biographer), 270–71
Betzig, Laura, Despotism and Differential Reproduction, 268
Bing, Stanley (Rome, Inc.), 276n
bioengineering, description of, 31
bipolar personality disorder. See also hypomania
BDNF alleles and, 78
chromosomes and genes specifically related to, 54, 160
placement in Axis I of DSM-IV, 134
serotonin receptor alleles, effect on, 72
ventromedial cortex, overactive in bipolars who find meaning in everything they do, 182
birth control programs, 191
Black, Conrad, indicted Hollinger CEO, 313, 338
black-and-white thinking. See relationships, unstable personal, “splitting”
“black Norwegians,” 118
Blagojevich, Rod, US representative, 165
blame shifting. See projection
Blank Slate, The (Steven Pinker): helped shift researchers away from “people are naturally good” idea, 37, 175
Blink (Malcolm Gladwell): “emote control” as dark side of Blink, 379n20
Bohus, Martin, neurobiology of borderline personality disorder, 232
borderline. See borderline personality disorder
borderline personality disorder (BPD)
attraction of females with borderline personality disorder toward those with power, 277
“borderpath,” 168
effect of immune system on, 207
evolutionary perspective on the disorder by psychiatrist Regina Pally, 282
general definition of, 135
heritability of, 85, 85n
intermediate phenotype and, 66
litigation and unnecessary problems created by those with, 149
Medline's number of studies about, 33
neuroscience behind
cognitive-perceptual impairment: dorsolateral, ventromedial, and orbitofrontal systems, 203–205
impulsivity: anterior cingulate and orbitomedial prefrontal systems, 195–202
anterior cingulate cortex dysfunction inhibits ability to focus on what they don't want to hear, 186
limbic system dysfunction, 193–95
MAO-A effects in “Cluster B” personality disorders (includes borderline personality disorder), 80
N-acetylaspartate compounds found in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, 205
overview of, 193, 205–207, 232
parietal lobe abnormalities may contribute to identity disturbance in borderlines, 198–99
psychotic symptoms increase with decrease in size of right parietal lobe, 199
reduction in hippocampus size increases borderline symptoms, 199
overlap with other disorders
antisocial personality disorder, 137
bipolar personality disorder, 142n
narcissistic personality disorder, 146
a wide variety of disorders, 168, 208–209, 255n
possibility of intervention to help those with, 329
remorse felt by those with, 139
serotonin in mood disorders such as, 69–75, 184
teddy bears, Binky, and, 384n16
traits and characteristics of
affective instability (moodiness). See affective instability; anger
cognitive dysfunction and delusions. See cognitive dysfunction
dimensional description, 163–64, 166
dissociative symptoms, 158
DSM-IV description, 157–59
gaslighting. See gaslighting
identity disturbance. See identity disturbance
impulsivity. See impulsivity
lack of object constancy, 221
overview of traits and behaviors of those with, 136–40, 142–50
projection. See projection
relationships, unstable personal. See relationships, unstable personal
situational competence, 145–46
“splitting.” See relationships, unstable personal, “splitting”
suicidal or self-mutilating behavior, 159
various individuals with borderline-like traits. See Diana, Princess; Hitler, Adolf; Mao, Chairman; Milosevic, Slobodan
Borderline P
ersonality Disorder, Demystified (Robert O. Friedel), 136
“borderpath”
defined, 168
efficacy in leading others toward sinister activities, 303n–304n
as emergenic type with constellation of unfortunate personality characteristics, 315
Mao as, 216–18
Milosevic as, 167–68
Bowen, Ray, on Enron's intimidating CFO, Andrew Fastow, 295–96
BPD. See borderline personality disorder
brahmacharya (Hindu ascetic practice of restraint and control), 299
brain-derived neurotrophic factor. See BDNF
brain stem nuclei and hypothalamus
portrayed in flowchart form (as “Hypo/BSN”), 196
role in producing automatic emotional response, 185
Brando, Christian (Marlon Brando's son), 96
Branson, Louise (Milosevic biographer), 154, 158
Brass, Paul, “riot specialists,” 303n
Brown, Oliver, a “TSU 3” hero, 279–80
Brown, Tina (The Diana Chronicles), 391n54
Bruno, Richard, observations on polio, 111, 114–16
Buffett, Warren, ethical, emergenic genius, 317–19
bulimia. See eating disorders, bulimia
Buller, David J., modular brain theory controversy, 388n12
Bush, George W.
initial naivete regarding Putin, 315–16
in relation to neuroimaging study on partisanship, 189–90
business. See also Black, Conrad; Buffett, Warren; Carnegie, Andrew; Dunlap, “Chainsaw” Al; Enron; Gates, Bill; Stewart, Martha
advantages and disadvantages of Machiavellians in business, 336
attraction of females with borderline personality disorder toward those with power, 277
Babiak and Hare's Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, 107
corruption in business reaches awe-inspiring proportions before concrete action is taken, 333
Machiavellians, with their distorted, self-serving cognitions, can savage their companies, 331
rise of Machiavellians in a growing business means others redirect themselves toward newer, less corrupt businesses, which in turn become corrupt as Machiavellians are attracted to new nexus of power, 336–37
busing programs to help integrate school systems, 191
“Butcher of the Balkans.” See Milosevic, Slobodan
Caesar, Julius, could not resist temptation to stay in power, 298
Caligula, chameleon-like behavior of, 276
Callas, Maria, temper of, 300
capitalism. See politics
Carnahan, Thomas: research on self-selection of personality types for positions that suit disposition, 303n–304n
Carnegie, Andrew: brilliant Machiavellian, 336
Carnes, Patrick, on sex addiction, 233