Can You Call A 9-Year-Old A Psychopath

Throughout Michael’s life, detailed in Can You Call a 9-Year-Old a Psychopath?, Michael can go day to day ranging between fits of absolute primitive, horrific rage, only to be immediately followed up by a calm, albeit cold, adult-like demeanor. This shift between extremes is bizarre for anyone, let alone a 9 year old boy with two younger siblings not showing the same issues with temper and emotions. Making these decisions voluntarily, and without regret or ever choosing to do the virtuous thing for sake of it being the right thing to do, means Michael is a vicious person, choosing to live a vicious life. I will argue that Michael cannot avoid vice because in his mind, vice is seen as good from birth and he will always commit vicious acts because of this. According to Aristotle, whether a virtuous or vicious person, people will make decisions in their lives and these decisions will be to act, either virtuously or viciously. These actions will fall into
However, shown by the calculated plan to erase the mean-spirited comments recorded by Jennifer Kahn when visiting Michael at his house, these actions are simply a way to get by until the next vicious act. The other children at the “summer camp” show similar behaviors; L takes her seat after chasing a boy around the room as soon as she is asked, only to do it again when the right opportunity strikes; Michael sees a toy in his younger brothers mouth and does nothing at first, only to turn and yank at the toy, knocking his brother over, when least suspected (Kahn). These seemingly virtuous acts are not in fact virtuous, because they are not being done because it is the right thing to do; because they know it is virtuous; because they consistently do virtuous deeds; because they have controls over their desires; or because they take pleasure in performing virtuous