What is a Sociopath

Legal and clinical guidelines are defined below and my insight in highlighted.

A sociopath (by clinical definition) is a person who exhibits antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), characterized by a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others. This condition is typically marked by behaviors and attitudes that include a lack of empathy, deceitfulness, impulsivity, irritability, aggression, and a failure to conform to social norms.

My opnion is highlighted in Blue

I agree with most of that definition. Every part up until the last line, is true. “A failure to conform to social norms” is false and too vague. I’ll go into it further later, but for now I’ll just say; Sociopathy, like everything else, is on the spectrum and it isn’t just isolated down to universal actions. There’s such a drastic variance between the early stages of sociopathy versus those who are highly functional sociopaths. The two can exhibit up two polar opposite behaviors. The highly functional sociopath can conform to any social norm required fulfill their ulterior motive. The highly dysfunctional one is emotional and impulsive.

Key characteristics of a sociopath include:

• Lack of Empathy: Sociopaths often have a diminished ability to understand or share the feelings of others. This makes it difficult for them to form genuine emotional connections. 100% accurate. Sociopaths can mimic empathy or sympathy. Like an actor, they can channel a different persona for a movie. Highly functional sociopaths can cry on command. Their lack of empathy will allow them to take your situations like celebrations, funerals, wedding or life small victories and make it all about them. They are disassociated from their feelings; crying, pleading, begging and rational talking is an exercise in futility.
• Deceitfulness: They frequently lie, manipulate, and deceive others for personal gain or pleasure. 100% accurate. Don’t take it personal. They lie to themselves; you are no special. Sociopaths aren’t a unilateral group in terms of actions. All lie; some are the petty liar and do it just for the power of manipulation. They are honing their skills. The highly functional sociopath is the con man. He is the smooth talker, a charismatic and highly charming individual capable of talking their way into or out of almost anything.   
• Impulsivity: Sociopaths tend to act on the spur of the moment without considering the consequences of their actions. This can lead to reckless and risky behaviors. This is a fine line to me. Risky or reckless behavior is very relative. Its interpretation is affected by lifestyle, education and religion. I wouldn’t list this entirely as a criteria for sociopathy. Some people just don’t fit in. It’s applicable in specifics. Sociopathic behaviors may include multiple partners; unprotected and often, strangers. Other behaviors include implicating innocent people in crimes or manipulating naive victims into committing crimes.
• Irritability and Aggressiveness: They may exhibit a quick temper and a tendency to engage in physical fights or assaults. This again, is too vague and too broad a net to cast this behavior to sociopathy. All of our moods fluctuate. One person who appears to have a short fuse, can be at the end of their rope. Yes, those early into sociopathy can be moody, irritable, inconsistent and aggressive. Alternating personalities, yes. Irritability, no. It’s too common.   
• Disregard for Safety: They often take unnecessary risks and show a lack of concern for their own safety and the safety of others. Yes. Sociopaths of all levels will sacrifice you or anyone else in the blink of an eye. Your safety, time, money, resources and life are expendable to them. They’ll drive at high speeds, hide drugs/illegal items in your home or near your kids, “joke” with guns or knives, get you evicted, fired or arrested. They’ll do it all and just move on.
• Consistent Irresponsibility: Sociopaths may repeatedly fail to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations. Vaguely true. The jobs titles with the highest probabilities of sociopaths include Judge, Lawyer, Doctor, Law enforcement, Politician and C.E.O. All usually long-term careers, which contradicts this characteristic drastically. Sociopaths are in every field and vary from one extreme to the other. The highly functional sociopaths that will administer the most damage in your life, is the anthesis of this or they’ve found a way to obscure it. 
• Lack of Remorse: They typically show little or no remorse for the harm they cause to others. You can cry, present evidence, have them witness your downfall or be on your death bed; they still will never be sorry. They may say it, but it’s only to pacify you. Guilt never enters the equation of how they reason. They berate you in public. Push you down or empty your account and won’t feel remorse.

Conclusion

Sociopathy is a disease. Make no mistake about it. This a result of severe trauma, which has no normal response to it. Some people go insane, some require medication for stability, some kill themselves and some become psychopaths. Others become addicts, alcoholics, depressed, bipolar or shut down completely, regressing. Some seem normal, until triggered. Suddenly snapping. Sociopaths are ingrained into our society. A lot of our most powerful people and decision makers are sociopaths. That alone help explain why this isn’t a subject that will ever be seriously addressed.