PsychBabel

The ICD-10 mentions the “haltlose” personality type in its discussion on personality disorders. It was not a term with which I had been familiar. It seems to be related to the German phrase “die haltlosen.”

The haltlose personality has been used to refer to someone with an aimless and irresponsible lifestyle. This type of person seems to “lack a hold” on life. Slater & Roth described the haltlose personality as “the unstable psychopath.” Schneider used the phrase “Willenlose Psychopathen.” These people seem to display a lack of will or purpose, with no interest in the future and little grounding in the past. Some with chronic substance dependence have been said to have haltlose personality disorder.

This post has nothing to do with psychiatry…except for perhaps noting that having antisocial traits is almost de regieur for “moving up” in the corporate world. It often gives people the edge to their ambitions. However, those same traits can manifest themselves in truly selfish fashions. So maybe this post is about human nature.

After receiving $45 billion in government bailout funds, Citigroup executives had gone ahead with plans to buy a new $50 million, twelve-seat corporate jet. The New York Post broke the news on January 26. Apparently, officials from the Obama administration contacted Citigroup and told them to “fix it.” That part made me smile.

The part that saddens me is how people of a certain character and socioeconomic status can lose their “common sense.” Really? A jet? Are you people hearing about people losing their homes? But maybe in their minds buying a jet would be like me buying a camcorder during these difficult economic times. Of course, I didn’t receive any bailout money.

From The Huffington Post.