The Following

[history]

Is anyone following The Following with James Purefoy and Kevin Bacon?

It seems to be a hit.

Purefoy plays a serial killer with a PhD.

 

[Nook]

I'm not following it, haven't even heard of it. But the basic premise of the show seems interesting enough to give it a shot.

Have you been following it, history? What did/do you think?

As for me, it'll probably have to wait until it's available on Netflix.

 

[Tomek]

I started watching the pilot, I gave up after 15 minutes. Nobody deserves another story about a serial killer with a 300 IQ and an alcoholic cop who don't care anymore. Another good product for promoting the image of the entertaining Hollywood psychopath "so deep and so cuh-rayzee at the same time !"

 

[Nook]

I started watching the pilot, I gave up after 15 minutes. Nobody deserves another story about a serial killer with a 300 IQ and an alcoholic cop who don't care anymore. Another good product for promoting the image of the entertaining Hollywood psychopath "so deep and so cuh-rayzee at the same time !"

Thanks for that, Tomek. Out the queue it goes...

 

[history]

I'm not following it, haven't even heard of it. But the basic premise of the show seems interesting enough to give it a shot.

Have you been following it, history? What did/do you think?

As for me, it'll probably have to wait until it's available on Netflix.

I am following it because I love James Purefoy! :D

I think it's entertaining overall but I agree with Tomek that it's basically another glorified hollywood psychopath story although, as we know, plenty of psychopaths are highly intelligent, so that part doesn't particularly bother me and may actually help people to see that psychopaths can be highly intelligent and still be dangerous.

And I'll add that I think it worthwhile to see what the public is viewing/understanding about psychopathy because it can better help us target our message.

 

[Laura]

No, we don't know that psychopaths are "highly intelligent". In fact, their intelligence tends to be sub-standard. How could it be otherwise? What they do have is the cunning to make themselves appear intelligent in particular ways usually by bogarting other peoples stuff.

 

[history]

No, we don't know that psychopaths are "highly intelligent". In fact, their intelligence tends to be sub-standard. How could it be otherwise? What they do have is the cunning to make themselves appear intelligent in particular ways usually by bogarting other peoples stuff.

I thought it was established that in many instances psychopaths measure highly on standardized intelligence tests. No? Not that I think intelligence tests are worth a whole lot, I have to say.

I haven't seen "bogarting" in print in a long time. :P

 

[Alcarohtare]

You might want to look carefully, history, at least for your own sake.
If you do that, you'll notice the pattern.
Snakes can change the suits whenever necessary.

 

[Laura]

I thought it was established that in many instances psychopaths measure highly on standardized intelligence tests. No? Not that I think intelligence tests are worth a whole lot, I have to say.

No, it is not established that psychopaths measure high on IQ tests. You may wish to read Cleckley's book "Mask of Sanity" and Hare's book "Without Conscience", Hare and Babiak "Snakes in Suits", Stout "The Sociopath Next Door", Lobaczewski "Political Ponerology" and more. But that will get you started on the topic.

 

[history]

You might want to look carefully, history, at least for your own sake.
If you do that, you'll notice the pattern.
Snakes can change the suits whenever necessary.

"... snakes constantly grow new skin cells and must shed the old skin cells. We shed our old skin cells continuously in small quantities, but snakes shed their old skins in a continuous sheet (a process called ecdysis). The interval between sheds depends on several factors, including age, growth rate, and environmental factors. Young, growing snakes shed frequently (every few weeks); adult snakes shed less often, perhaps a few times a year, sometimes less."

 

[Teresa]

Is anyone following The Following with James Purefoy and Kevin Bacon?

It seems to be a hit.

Purefoy plays a serial killer with a PhD.

I have watched some of it and while I like the fact that psychopaths are getting more mainstream attention, I don't care for the way the psychopath seems almost romanticized. I also don't like how he's portrayed as being so smart, again there's that little bit of programming thrown in that psychopaths are smarter (read: better) than the rest of us.

 

[history]

Is anyone following The Following with James Purefoy and Kevin Bacon?

It seems to be a hit.

Purefoy plays a serial killer with a PhD.

I have watched some of it and while I like the fact that psychopaths are getting more mainstream attention, I don't care for the way the psychopath seems almost romanticized. I also don't like how he's portrayed as being so smart, again there's that little bit of programming thrown in that psychopaths are smarter (read: better) than the rest of us.

As we know, a lot of people think if they've been taken by a psychopath they were outsmarted and that is why many don't want to admit they were fooled or they will say the path was smarter to justify being fooled.

I also agree that paths are often romanticized and this one certainly is. This casting is brilliant because Purefoy is perfect for this role.

 

[Nook]

As we know, a lot of people think if they've been taken by a psychopath they were outsmarted and that is why many don't want to admit they were fooled or they will say the path was smarter to justify being fooled.

I also agree that paths are often romanticized and this one certainly is. This casting is brilliant because Purefoy is perfect for this role.

Yes, that's what they think and what they say, that that's why psychopaths are smarter when in fact they're not.

People just don't generally know what they're dealing with and when a slimy psycho approaches them and seems to be in line with everything they have to say, they think they've found a soul mate instead of being suspicious and cautious due to a lack of knowledge on the matter.

And even when it's over and they know they were played, they're not gonna call the person a psychopath.

If you say psychopath to an Average Jane or Joe, they'll think of Jim Carrey as the Riddler or Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter or more recently Heath Ledger as the Joker.
Plus, they usually can't even fathom the possibility that psychopaths are not what the media or Hollywood has labeled as such.

 

[history]

People just don't generally know what they're dealing with and when a slimy psycho approaches them and seems to be in line with everything they have to say, they think they've found a soul mate instead of being suspicious and cautious due to a lack of knowledge on the matter.

And even when it's over and they know they were played, they're not gonna call the person a psychopath.

And if they do dare call them what they are, LOOK OUT for those around them that will try to take you down for telling it like it is. The apologists for paths can be as dangerous as the paths!

If you say psychopath to an Average Jane or Joe, they'll think of Jim Carrey as the Riddler or Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter or more recently Heath Ledger as the Joker.
Plus, they usually can't even fathom the possibility that psychopaths are not what the media or Hollywood has labeled as such.

Which is why I like Purefoy's character. He's the handsome, smart, "normal" guy next door hiding dark secrets, not a complete caricature like the ones you mention.

 

[Nook]

And if they do dare call them what they are, LOOK OUT for those around them that will try to take you down for telling it like it is. The apologists for paths can be as dangerous as the paths!

Agreed. That's why strategic enclosure is important.

But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system, and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.

Which is why I like Purefoy's character. He's the handsome, smart, "normal" guy next door hiding dark secrets, not a complete caricature like the ones you mention.

Well, in that case, it might be worth watching at least the pilot, just to see how he does it. I'm interested.