In today’s world, whenever we hear the term “psychopath”, we often assume the images of serial killers and criminals lurking in the shadows. The scary characters we see in movies, documentaries, and crime books are what many people think of when they hear psychopath. But what if I told you that psychopathy is not confined to individuals? What if I told you that we are surrounded by these serial killers and criminals? What if I told you that we have become the utmost target of these characters? What if I told you that modern psychopaths walk among us, not as individuals, but as corporations, institutions, and even societal structures?
A typical psychopath doesn’t care about others, acts friendly but tricks people, thinks highly of themselves, feels no guilt, has simple feelings, acts without thinking, doesn’t take responsibility, often has lots of partners and a relentless pursuit of profit or power. It is not surprising that one will find all most all of these characteristics in today’s world corporations.
The internet continues to evolve but our privacy is always a matter of debate. So therefore a person’s privacy is always taken for granted.
For instance, Google knows me more than my mom. It collects and track vast amount of my data from my online activities such as search history, websites I visit, apps I used and even my voice commands. Google uses this data to create detailed profiles and personalize my experience but it raises significant threats to my privacy. Corporations like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google etc. facilitate us in numerous ways. They play an inevitable integral role in our daily lives.
From starting our day by checking WhatsApp messages to winding down at night with a scroll through Instagram, these platforms have become indispensable, akin to essential nutrients for our daily functioning. Beyond Leading us to significant knowledge and information, communication and networking, these corporations Leads to potential hazards such as privacy concerns, data security risks, spreading misinformation, manipulative tactics, digital addiction, compulsive behavior, self-esteem, negative social impacts, and increasing stress and burn out in our daily lives.
There is a famous saying that if you’re not paying for the product then you are the product. It highlights an important aspect of many free online services. In context of these free services the user often doesn’t pay any monetary value but in return these companies use your own personal data for making money by targeted and manipulative advertising and various demographics. Companies employ these strategies to influence your preferences and behaviors, typically via targeted advertising and algorithmic content suggestions. They achieve this by analyzing the data they gather about your interactions with their platform; enabling them to customize the content and ads you encounter to better match your interests and preferences. Consequently, this can establish a cycle where the content you engage with further shapes your behavior, potentially impacting your beliefs, perspectives, and purchasing choices.
These are those entities who lack empathy and are solely focused on their own interests, often driven by a ruthless desire for profit or power. They manipulate, exploit, and discard others without remorse, leaving behind a trail of destructions. Their behavior mirrors clinical psychopathy, characterized by a lack of remorse, indifference toward others, and a tendency to deceive.
Consider those corporations that prioritize shareholder returns above the well-being of its employees or the environment. It slashes jobs, under-estimate safety measures and pollutes with abandon, all in the name of profit maximization. Or the politician who lies, cheats, and manipulates to maintain their grip on power, heedless of the harm inflicted on their constituents. These are the modern psychopaths, operating within the structures of society, their actions shielded by layers of bureaucracy and indifference.The impact of these corporations is far-reaching, permeating every aspect of our lives. It erodes trust, exacerbates inequality, and perpetuates systemic injustice. They are none other than snakes in suits which bites us in our own pocket.
But how do we confront this insidious threat? How do we hold modern psychopaths accountable for their actions? It will begin with consumer’s education and awareness, legal rights and advocacy, political reforms, limiting boundaries with technology and community engagement and activism with shining a light on the dark corners where they thrive. We must challenge the narratives that normalize their behavior and demand transparency and accountability in all sectors of society. We must have to set a limit line with these technologies so we could feel safe and secure.
It’s high time to unmask these modern psychopaths among us and to reclaim our collective humanity. Only then can we build a society that values empathy over exploitation, ethics over profit, manipulation over trustworthiness and justice over indifference. It’s a daunting and tough task, but one that we cannot afford to ignore. Let us stand together in the fight against modern psychopaths, for the sake of our communities, our planet, our kids, and our shared future.
