"Imagine – if you
can – not having a conscience, none at all, no feelings of guilt or
remorse no matter what you do, no limiting
sense of concern for the well-being of strangers, friends, or even
family members."
"And pretend that the concept of responsibility
is unknown to you, except as a burden others seem to accept without question, like gullible fools. Now add to this strange fantasy
the ability to conceal from other people that your psychological makeup is radically different from theirs. Since everyone simply
assumes that conscience is universal among human beings, hiding the fact that you are conscience-free is nearly effortless.”
“You can
do anything at all, and still your strange advantage over the majority
of people, who are kept in line by their consciences, will
most likely remain undiscovered."
“You are not
held back from any of your desires by guilt or shame, and you are never
confronted
by others for your cold-bloodedness. The ice water in your veins is so
bizarre, so completely outside of their personal experience
that they seldom even guess at your condition."
“Provided you are not forcibly stopped, you can do anything at all.”
– Hervey M. Cleckley, M.D., The Mask of Sanity
