this post was submitted on 20 Mar 2026
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You don't have to be mentally ill to be these things. Considering the type of people that rule our world

(epstein ) it seems that the most well adjusted people in our society are not only more than capable of being this, it seems like a requirement.

So I am no longer comfortable using the word psychopath (or any other "dark triad" nonsense) to describe these types of people. These people aren't struggling to function with a mental illness, they're of the exact mindset that thrives in our backwards society.

However I'm struggling to think of a suitable replacement word that carries with it the same "This is serial killer coded shit" vibe that calling someone a psychopath carries (and associating such a thing with psychopaths is ableist so I don't want to use the word in that way anymore)

Calling them ghouls, fascists or nazis doesn't carry the same weight. What kind of word bests describes the casual, dangerous heartlessness of people without throwing the mentally ill under the bus?

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[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 8 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

"Satans" or "shayateen" is where my own inner monolog tends to go. Or sometimes I'll say "shaitans" or even the double plural "shayateens". I also sometimes call those types of people KESS-kə-SAYZ (spelling varies) in my inner monolog, but given that that's a reference to the song "Psycho Killer" maybe it inherits ableist baggage from that song? Not that I'd expect anyone but myself to use such a term, anyways.

Edit: "Alex DeLarge types" or "droogs" are some more terms I use.