Merry Christmas, all. I don't have much to give out as a gift, except for this explanation of why Nanami as a person would actually work in real life. In time, perhaps, I'll post in-depth studies of other characters so each one can be discussed at length in their own threads.
This all started with a strange thought I had last night, and I had to satisfy my curiosity.
And it turns out that Yasuri Nanami actually is a sociopath.
Now, before you all hit the SCRAM buttons, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Like with Asperger's Syndrome, a sociopath has a different set of tools to work with. And like with Asperger's Syndrome, this can range from making them all-but incapable of functioning in society to flying so far under the radar that you'd never notice unless you paid close attention.
The common trademark of a sociopath is their lack of remorse and empathy. Everything for them is all about the cold calculations. They are willing, if needs be, to hurt people however they feel necessary in order to achieve their goals.
However, this doesn't mean that they lack passion.
Far from it, in fact.
Some medical experts are of the opinion that if a sociopath is capable of love, it is only in an unhealthy way, and that the subject of their love will be discarded once they lose interest.
But what they fail to mention is that this is mostly for the most extreme cases.
By and large, for most sociopaths, love is something that they feel intensely. But don't take my word for it. Hear it from a sociopathic woman:
Source: http://www.sociopathworld.com/2009/01/do...-love.html
This is Yasuri Nanami to a goddamn "T".
Seriously. She actually fits the clinical descriptions...
Source: http://www.md-health.com/sociopath-traits.html
For the ICD-10 criteria, all but bullet item number three applies; and under DSM IV-TR, bullets 1, 4, 5, and 7 apply to Nanami.
If she isn't a sociopath, I'll eat my shoes.
And yet, she loves her brother enough that she was willing to die in order to further his development as the Head of the Kyotouryuu style. Unhealthy? Sure. But Garrick will head off the worst of it.
For one thing, he tells her that if he had been her father, he would have made certain that she knew that she had been loved, even if her illness would have proven fatal for her. It completely up-ends her expectations of the world; that suddenly, there is a man with that much passion and love in his heart, and that he actually cares about her.
That's the big one. She never really needed to manipulate him to get anything out of him. Even though she had manipulated her brother into setting up their marriage, Garrick would have fallen for her regardless if she had played the long game. For all her foibles, he saw value in her, and despite his initial reluctance, he accepts her pretty much as she is.
Another is that she quickly comes to understand the profoundly simple reason that Garrick does good things for people - if he does things that makes people's lives happier, then as that happiness is passed around some of it is bound to be passed back to him. The simple logic of it all passes muster with her sociopathic mind and even appeals to her somewhat, as it is, on a very base level, manipulation on a very broad scale. For this, she accepts Garrick's tendency to be self-sacrificing.
What makes it better is that he has a very clear idea of where to draw the line - to say that enough is enough and commence with the cracking of skulls. And while he has zero compunctions about commiting to simple shock and awe tactics or even a "bloody minded no holds barred hit them where it hurts the most alpha strike", she will also be impressed in that he knows when it's better to send a statement (not a manifesto :V ) - much like the scene in Princess Bride where Wesley challenges Prince Humperdink "To The Pain".
(Come to think of it, Nanami would probably enjoy that movie very much - not because of the romance, but from how Wesley practically has Buttercup eating out of the palm of his hand, and then takes full advantage of being the cabin boy to Dread Pirate Roberts until the mantle is passed to him! Not to mention how he just completely plays Buttercup up until she shoves him down the hill!)
And in fine sociopathic fashion, Nanami will learn him and suss him out entirely, all in order to become the ideal woman for him. Not that she'll have to try very hard - she already has most of the qualities he appreciates. Graceful. Beautiful. Deceptively strong. Absolutely lethal. A bit of a flirt and a tease. Scary as fuck when she needs to be. Someone he doesn't need to worry about being able to take care of herself. (Instead, he just worries about her going a bit too far!) And someone that can be there the moment he goofs up and winds up in over his head. But most importantly, someone who will be fanatical with her unwavering loyalty and support.
Nanami Meiki (nee Yasuri) will be an utter nightmare for many people outside of Garrick's circle of trust. And even within it, she will subtly manipulate people into doing what needs to be done for the good of Garrick's clan, and in a way that will make Seto sit up and take interest. But there will never be any doubt about it. She is madly in love with Garrick, and he returns that love wholeheartedly, because to give her anything less would be an insult to her love of him.
This all started with a strange thought I had last night, and I had to satisfy my curiosity.
And it turns out that Yasuri Nanami actually is a sociopath.
Now, before you all hit the SCRAM buttons, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Like with Asperger's Syndrome, a sociopath has a different set of tools to work with. And like with Asperger's Syndrome, this can range from making them all-but incapable of functioning in society to flying so far under the radar that you'd never notice unless you paid close attention.
The common trademark of a sociopath is their lack of remorse and empathy. Everything for them is all about the cold calculations. They are willing, if needs be, to hurt people however they feel necessary in order to achieve their goals.
However, this doesn't mean that they lack passion.
Far from it, in fact.
Some medical experts are of the opinion that if a sociopath is capable of love, it is only in an unhealthy way, and that the subject of their love will be discarded once they lose interest.
But what they fail to mention is that this is mostly for the most extreme cases.
By and large, for most sociopaths, love is something that they feel intensely. But don't take my word for it. Hear it from a sociopathic woman:
Quote:Yes. Sociopaths can love with a selfish intensity that puts other love to shame. Their love is a devouring, consuming sort of love. When I love someone, I feel like I want to inhale them -- to literally suck out their soul. When I kiss someone, I try to do just that.
Love may be blind for empaths, but a sociopath sees your faults clearly and loves you still. The sociopath's piercing eyes are not only unsettling because of their unwavering constancy, but because the sociopath's eyes can pierce through to your very soul, leaving you naked before his gaze. The sociopath's ignorance or disinterest in social norms means that he will not see you as the world sees you but how you truly are. They're free of the rose-colored glasses empaths falling in "love" often wear. I imagine this ability would be particularly appealing to those whose role in society doesn't reflect their true worth: members of disfavored races or socioeconomic backgrounds, the too-smart-for-their-own-good crowd, the still-waters-run-deep.
Sociopaths have a genius for adoring. Their understanding of your wants and needs matched with their charm and flexible personality mean that they can and will literally become the man or woman of your dreams. In fact, when I love, my first step is to gather as much information as possible about every aspect of the person's life in order to more closely resemble their ideal mate.
The closest analog to a sociopath's love is probably the love of a child: intense, accepting, selfish. And finally, like a child, the sociopath will be extremely loyal. A sociopath will never put you above himself, but he will readily put you above all others.
Source: http://www.sociopathworld.com/2009/01/do...-love.html
This is Yasuri Nanami to a goddamn "T".
Seriously. She actually fits the clinical descriptions...
Quote:Various hallmark sociopath traits are listed below. It is important to note that not all traits will be present in all the sociopaths.
According to ICD-10 criteria, presence of 3 or more of the following qualifies for the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder (sociopathy):
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-TR) is another widely used tool for the diagnosis and it defines sociopath traits as:
- Callous unconcern for the feelings of others.
- Gross and persistent attitude of irresponsibility and disregard for social norms, and obligations.
- Incapacity to maintain enduring relationships, though having no difficulty in establishing them.
- Very low tolerance to frustration, a low threshold for discharge of aggression, including violence.
- Incapacity to experience guilt or to profit from experience, particularly punishment.
- Markedly prone to blame others or to offer plausible rationalization for the behavior that has brought the person into conflict with society.
A) Pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three or more of the following:
B) The individual is at least age 18 years.
- Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest
- Deception, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure
- Impulsiveness or failure to plan ahead
- Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults
- Reckless disregard for safety of self or others
- Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations
- Lack of remorse as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another
C) There is evidence of conduct disorder with onset before age 15 years.
D) The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or a manic episode.
Source: http://www.md-health.com/sociopath-traits.html
For the ICD-10 criteria, all but bullet item number three applies; and under DSM IV-TR, bullets 1, 4, 5, and 7 apply to Nanami.
If she isn't a sociopath, I'll eat my shoes.
And yet, she loves her brother enough that she was willing to die in order to further his development as the Head of the Kyotouryuu style. Unhealthy? Sure. But Garrick will head off the worst of it.
For one thing, he tells her that if he had been her father, he would have made certain that she knew that she had been loved, even if her illness would have proven fatal for her. It completely up-ends her expectations of the world; that suddenly, there is a man with that much passion and love in his heart, and that he actually cares about her.
That's the big one. She never really needed to manipulate him to get anything out of him. Even though she had manipulated her brother into setting up their marriage, Garrick would have fallen for her regardless if she had played the long game. For all her foibles, he saw value in her, and despite his initial reluctance, he accepts her pretty much as she is.
Another is that she quickly comes to understand the profoundly simple reason that Garrick does good things for people - if he does things that makes people's lives happier, then as that happiness is passed around some of it is bound to be passed back to him. The simple logic of it all passes muster with her sociopathic mind and even appeals to her somewhat, as it is, on a very base level, manipulation on a very broad scale. For this, she accepts Garrick's tendency to be self-sacrificing.
What makes it better is that he has a very clear idea of where to draw the line - to say that enough is enough and commence with the cracking of skulls. And while he has zero compunctions about commiting to simple shock and awe tactics or even a "bloody minded no holds barred hit them where it hurts the most alpha strike", she will also be impressed in that he knows when it's better to send a statement (not a manifesto :V ) - much like the scene in Princess Bride where Wesley challenges Prince Humperdink "To The Pain".
(Come to think of it, Nanami would probably enjoy that movie very much - not because of the romance, but from how Wesley practically has Buttercup eating out of the palm of his hand, and then takes full advantage of being the cabin boy to Dread Pirate Roberts until the mantle is passed to him! Not to mention how he just completely plays Buttercup up until she shoves him down the hill!)
And in fine sociopathic fashion, Nanami will learn him and suss him out entirely, all in order to become the ideal woman for him. Not that she'll have to try very hard - she already has most of the qualities he appreciates. Graceful. Beautiful. Deceptively strong. Absolutely lethal. A bit of a flirt and a tease. Scary as fuck when she needs to be. Someone he doesn't need to worry about being able to take care of herself. (Instead, he just worries about her going a bit too far!) And someone that can be there the moment he goofs up and winds up in over his head. But most importantly, someone who will be fanatical with her unwavering loyalty and support.
Nanami Meiki (nee Yasuri) will be an utter nightmare for many people outside of Garrick's circle of trust. And even within it, she will subtly manipulate people into doing what needs to be done for the good of Garrick's clan, and in a way that will make Seto sit up and take interest. But there will never be any doubt about it. She is madly in love with Garrick, and he returns that love wholeheartedly, because to give her anything less would be an insult to her love of him.
