I find it extraordinary that psychopaths do get free rein and no one recognises them for what they are - but as you say, that's the clever manipulative ability of psychopaths. 

The power of community is strong indeed - I'm struck though by the 'ostracism' bit in today's world (just one thought train I'm following over coffee right now, just waking up - there's lots in this I could respond to) - that can lead to other issues, though, can't it? Ostracise enough and the retaliation can be dire. 

> This is one of the reasons people used to be so unwelcoming towards strangers, particularly a single person. They suspected this reason for the change of location and lack of family. 

That's fascinating, isn't it? Because taking someone in is also a value - caring for lost souls, so to speak. 

It's all really interesting, thanks for this food for thought. I'm watching the new series of American Horror and the warlock raised in the Horror House (I know right, such parellels with society haha) was clearly a psychopath from birth. There's a really cool scene in which Jessica Lange, the adopted mother, keep planting rose bushes over the top of the dead bodies - hiding his crimes and hoping the goodness will overpower the evil psychopath of a son that was clearly born that way. In the end, she gets 'sick of the smell of roses' - and the whole garden is full of them, barely containing the evil underneath. It's not until I read this article and sat on that scene for a while did I start seeing the beautiful metaphor it is for what we can tend to do - ignore what's in our midst, grin and bear it, and do nothing to stop it until it's too late. A grim picture, perhaps, but an interesting one.