Reply #18: This is a very important issue, and I've thought a lot about it lately

[Time for change]

Lobaczewski's idea on how to handle this (though he does not propose a definitive solution) is to have some sort of testing program for people before being allowed into positions where they could pose a great danger to other people.

Of course, such a program could be subject to abuse, especially if used in politics. On the other hand, we already have menatal health tests for certain jobs in certain localities, and I've not noticed evidence that such programs have been substantially abused.

I would hope that such a program, if instituted, would be based on a person's behavior rather than on psychological test scores. I tend to doubt that we could come up with a psychological test in the foreseeably near future that would accurately identify people who posed a danger without barring a lot of normal people as well.

On the other hand, another way to look at this is that as it is now, white collar criminals, even those who steal huge sums of money, tend to be treated much more leniently than the working class or poor, even those who have done nothing more than be caught with posession of a drug. I would hope that awareness of the danger of white collar criminals would lead to a rethinking of our whole system of justice. I say, let several hundred thousand working class and poor who have committed victimless crimes out of prison, and get tougher with white collar criminals who have ruined the lives of numerous people with their crimes.

But here is the most important point IMO. After thinking about this more, I believe that all it would really take to make a huge dent in the process is to somehow educate society to be much better at identifying psychopaths. The ones that have done monumental damage (Hitler, Stalin, Bush/Cheney) didn't do it alone. They had plenty of help from plenty of people. If society as a whole became much better at recognizing them it's entirely possible, even likely, that no legal measures would have to be used to prevent these people from obtaining great power. Without the help of those whom they manipulate they would be nearly powerless.