Why Psychopaths Secretly Run The World (How to Spot Them) | Daniel Jones

Growth Minds with Sean Kim

Dr. Daniel Jones is a psychologist and researcher best known for his expertise in dark personality traits such as narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. He has published widely on how these traits influence relationships, leadership, and society, making complex psychological concepts accessible to the public. Dr. Jones is also a sought-after speaker and educator, often featured in media and podcasts where he discusses the impact of personality on everyday life.

In our conversation we discuss:

(00:01) – Spotting psychopaths
(02:13) – Survival context vs psychopathy
(05:19) – Dark triad overview
(10:12) – Prevalence of dark traits
(14:52) – Machiavelli vs Machiavellianism
(18:39) – Influence vs manipulation
(26:36) – Origins: nature vs nurture
(32:30) – Self-awareness of dark traits
(37:39) – Dark traits in leadership
(42:12) – Power tactics and society
(48:36) – Trolley problem basics
(52:48) – Careers suited to dark traits
(1:00:28) – Self-awareness aiding manipulation
(1:04:00) – Dark traits in dating
(1:08:55) – Vetting romantic partners
(1:13:14) – Attraction to high-empathy partners
(1:17:38) – Cutting ties vs expecting change

Learn more about Dr. Daniel

https://www.unr.edu/social-psychology/people/dan-jones

Watch full episodes on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@seankim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://instagram.com/heyseankim