GoodTherapy.org occasionally receives correspondence from website visitors who are upset about our claims that people are generally born with the capacity for love & empathy. Such visitors are usually angry and think our view of human nature is naive, misguided, and totally oblivious to the reality of sociopathy.
In response to such emails, GoodTherapy.org reassures concerned individuals that our clinical team is fully aware sociopathy is a real condition, with estimates between 3 and 4% of the US population who lack empathy and remorse.
References to people having the capacity for love and empathy on GoodTherapy.org, most often use the word "generally." However, in certain contexts the GoodTherapy.org website may frame the viewpoint that people have the capacity for love and empathy using the words, "All people..." Whatever the sub-context is, it should be noted that the overall context, in any content on GoodTherapy.org, is about people in therapy. GoodTherapy.org is focused on people in the context of psychotherapy and “sociopaths” generally don’t go to therapy, unless they’re mandated by the law or their significant other. Nonetheless, our clinical and editorial teams make every effort to communicate clearly and specifically about the viewpoints of GoodTherapy.org.
