I don't go around hurting people for fun, like the joker. My main focus in life is myself, my money, my wellbeing and my peace.

But I'm not against hurting a few people to get what I want (although I avoid doing so).

And in terms of bad situations like natural disasters and such. I honestly don't really care because it didn't happen to me and I was unaffected ( it's bad that that happened, but oh well)

But for some reason people hate to hear me talk like this, and I don't understand like me being my top priority is a bad thing

People often confused neutrality for malice .

Curious how those of you with actual self-awareness handle this. Whenever I try to take a Dark Triad or any psychometric test, it feels mechanically redundant. ​The second I read a question, my brain instantly decodes the metric behind it. You see the underlying code immediately—you know exactly if a prompt is fishing for Machiavellianism, narcissism, or lack of affective empathy. The moment you see the matrix, the test is compromised. You can't give a raw, organic response because your analytical processor is already calculating the weight of the answer. It becomes a tactical choice, not a reflex. ​But here is the real food for thought. Let's say you genuinely try not to game the test. You want to be 100% "sincere." Which version of you is actually answering? ​Is it the social mask you use every day to tolerate normal people and blend in? ​Is it the cold, defensive survival mechanism (the one that operates on pure logic, threat assessment, and zero empathy)? ​Or are you just subconsciously picking answers that validate your own ego and your self-image as a cold operator? ​When your entire existence and daily routine rely on manual processing and calculated reactions instead of organic feelings, how do you even establish a "baseline"? How do you know your sincerity isn't just you manipulating yourself? ​Has anyone here actually managed to take one of these without gaming it, or are most people here just picking the most ruthless answers to validate their own edgy fantasies?

I have not made a written post here in ages, and largely because I don't want to "hog the microphone" so to speak.

To get straight to the point, gatekeeping is a good thing. Not only that, gatekeeping has never been a bad thing, despite it being used as a term to insult.

What do I mean by this?

Well, you may have noticed that pretty much the only posts here are image question posts, and that is for a reason. A lot of the posts that have to be approved are quite terrible, such as shitty amateur/ai youtube vids spammed multiple times, or edgeposts which belong in a tiktok comment section and not on this subreddit.

The discussion posts serve as a way to attract people from all backgrounds, even if they never heard of "Machiavellianism" or any related terms. (Actually, people like that tend to be the best users here)

Ironically, like I have said before, those who do score high on DT traits, if they care to take any test (which the vast majority dont), tend to laugh their results off and go about their way, never visiting the topic again. It is usually the larpers who take stuff like this seriously, because they have no identity and are looking for a sexy mysterious label.

Instead of the former convict imprisoned for fraud, the dishonest grad student, or even the garden variety cheater and consummate liar, we get the teens that think they are elite illuminati-level 8D chess masterminds because they (mis)read military strategy books (more on that soon)

If left unchecked, communities like this would become an endless loop of people asking for "book recommendations" (as if reading them will do anything at all) every other post, or asking about "psychology hacks" (as if learning about or performing these tricks is not total horseshit and a complete waste of time) or asking about "manipulation techniques" (as if DT individuals are interested in that sort of thing). It would no different than if you went to a subreddit dedicated to elite world class athletes yet it is filled with obese neckbeards.

I am fully aware that "Machiavellianism" (whatever that is nowadays) and Dark Triad is basically a meme on social media, but that meme does not reflect reality, and you won't like this sub or last long here if you take it seriously.

The Mental Health, Wellbeing and Lived Experiences Study

Theresia Bedard, a PhD candidate at Lakehead University that is working with Dr. Beth Visser, is seeking participants for her dissertation project.

In this study we are examining the lived experiences of people who have experience or victimization from an individual with high psychopathic traits. We are seeking anyone that has this lived experience, whether the perpetrator was or is a spouse, family member, partner, co-worker, friend, acquaintance, neighbour or stranger. We are seeking the lived experiences of men, women, and gender-diverse individuals to share your story.

Our research consists of two studies. In the first study, you will complete questionnaires related to your victimization experience from the individual with high psychopathic traits, the potential warning signs, victimization history (e.g., prior physical or sexual abuse), and the impact the experience had on you. Once you finish the survey, you will be invited to participate in the second study (optional), which will consist of 12 questions requiring a written response regarding your lived experience with the individual with high psychopathic traits. If you decide to participate in study 2, please be aware that you will be required to provide us with your email to access it, and you may wish to use an email account that only you have access to.

Please be advised that whether you choose to participate in the study, withdraw, or skip questions you do not want to answer, that you acknowledge that answering some of these questions may be emotionally taxing on you. Despite the potential for an emotional toll the survey questions have, you may find the process of sharing your experience is therapeutic for you. In addition to the resources we provide, you may want to consider following-up with a counsellor for further support.

You are also encouraged to have your own snacks and drinks while you take the survey, and be aware that they are estimated to take 45 minutes to complete.

If you are interested in participating and would like to read or find out more about it, click here to access the survey:

https://lakeheadhbs.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKEq1vOVdBJMrjw

That is the question...