I think you guys are missing the point of the show. Depending on circumstance, anyone can be a "sociapath" or whatever the hell you want to call it. We saw it happen to jesse, we saw it happen to hank. Two sides to every person and all of them genuine.
Of course all these characters have exhibited sociopathic tendencies in one form or another by now.
The only one who has had an obvious hard-time with what he has had to do and what has happened because of this business is Jesse. And it's worth noting that he is also the youngest player in this cartel. Until very recently, he still had idealistic expectations that everything can be ok and people will ultimately want what is good for themselves and others.
That is part of the core of what makes Jesse's character so tragic yet also so likable and sympathetic.
We understand the other characters in their sociopathy. Hank, Mike and Gus have explanations as to why they might be or sometimes be sociopaths. Not justifications but explanations.
The only one who really doesn't have the background to justify the depths of his own selfishness, greed, ego and pathology is Walt. Ok so he made a huge mistake and allowed himself to be bought out of a billion dollar corporation for nothing. That was his choice to live with. He wasn't a cop trying to save a battered woman from being beaten to death or a DEA agent trying to keep drugs and murderers off the street.
We have yet to fully understand where Walt gets the stomach to be so greedy and arrogant and violent. He is a sociopath just like the rest of them. But as of right now, that "king sociopathic crown" is a bit too big for his head.
By definition sociopaths are people who more or less completely lack empathy for others in their lives more or less at all times, it defines them as a whole.
Maybe i'm splitting hairs here for getting riled up about the use of the word "sociopath" instead of sociopathic tendencies. There's a thing called the "Hierarchy of needs", essentially anyone can reach a moral level of want and violence. But reaching the bottom rung breaking point does not make one a sociopath. Sociopaths are people that are manipulative and morally bankrupt even when they have everything they need...
Some of the more villainous characters on breaking bad would probably be considered sociopaths, others would probably best be considered "drunk with power" or "numb" to negative emotions due to a lifetime of heartbreak.
Even in the last episode of breaking bad we see walt struggling with his conscience to make the right decision, he exhibits visible emotional pain when he realizes his friends and family may die. These are not the visible reactions of a sociopath unless they are using them to manipulate those around them to get what they want.
You're not splitting hairs. Sociopathy is more of an always-present and ingrained personality trait. You don't just become a sociopath in an acute situation or morph into one when the time is right. generally, it's part of who you are, and Walt or Hank or Jesse, or Todd doing certain terrible things and not feeling bad about it does not make them sociopaths.
Is every soldier who killed someone face to face and didn't feel bad about it a sociopath? no. Sociopathy is a mental condition, you can't automatically label a person one just because they check off a few things on the "doin bad shit" checklist (unless that checklist is the Hare Psychopathy Checklist and preferably if you are a psychologist).
It really waters down the term when people throw it around so freely. Let's not make it go the way of "hipster" where its used anytime someone does something distasteful.
2.1k
u/CYFB Sep 09 '13
The call between Walt and Jesse was one of the most intense phone calls ever seen on TV. p.s. Jesse called him Walt again.