[quote=Brovo]
Except it affect how people see psychotics, and if you don't believe me, look at the general media. Look at the next time they see a psychotic killer. Are they going to focus on what was likely an abhorrent life? Nope. The warning signs that he or she was about to snap, likely shown for multiple ? Nope, maybe a footnote. The fact that they're psychotic and all psychotics are monsters and you should look for X, Y, and Z warning signs to keep yourself safe? Yup.The way society looks at the mentally unstable is absolutely contributing to the loneliness and desperation that many of them feel. Hollywood and the general news media are not helping in this regard, they're generally making it worse by constantly pumping this stereotypical crap into people's heads.[/quote]

[s]It's hard for me to disagree with somebody blaming Hollywood[/s]. You are probably right here, but I guess my response is:

[quote]Does it still disturb me when people make these types of monster characters thinking that's a real, accurate representation?[/quote]

Professional storytellers shouldn't really be excused in the same way, but to lament RPers over-simplification of psychotically villainous characters I think over-estimates what the bulk of RPers are here to do and, in many cases, their ability to do it. From what I've seen from RPers in general is a lack of real thought into their characters, and how they fit thematically into a given RP and their role in terms of its conflict. To imagine the average RPer researching anything about their characters apart from a nice photo, let alone looking into the complex causes and symptoms of psychological disorders and mental illnesses (or whatever other umbrella term has psychopathy within it) that might underpin their character's behaviour. I don't think they're remotely thinking about the accuracy of their portrayal one way or another. Psychopaths are awesome in films and therefore their psychotic RP character is awesome. That's all that counts (, right?). 

It's patronising, but I still think RPing is largely about wish fulfilment for a lot of players (I'd wager half to three quarters). As the projection is typically for something the player doesn't have (even if it's simply an adventurous lifestyle available to most fictional characters), it stands to reason their specific subject knowledge may well be superficial without the research they don't have commitment to do. Inaccuracies are inevitable. It's not necessarily that psychopathy is over-simplified in RP-land: everything is, and you, as somebody that seems to be more enlightened on the subject that most, pick up on those inaccuracies. 

I remember having been in a Harry Potter RP (or, one set in that world), and, being a bit of a buff, I could see players making lore-inaccuracies all over the shop from smaller fuck-ups to conjuring food (straight-up impossible in HP lore and a legit if small plot-point). At first I tried to hint that maybe inaccuracies had possibly been perhaps made, but nobody cared in the slightest. Even when politely directed to a clear source of canon information, no attempts were made to try to fit the canon. The consensus wasn't interested in its realism (in this case, realistic means 'a credible part of the HP world'); they just wanted to tangentially experience being special and having the magic powers to do whatever they wanted. Psychopath characters are basically the same, as far as I can see.

It's just the same old traits* of RPing (simplification, amateurism and wish-fulfilment), really, but I can see how they perpetuate societal misunderstandings and why people interested in those things being misunderstood may be concerned. I don't think RPing is itself the problem, though, and more the symptom of what the players see in the media and attempt to artistically replicate - not that they won't cut out the fiddly bits and concentrate on the awesome and badass parts anyway.

[s]Frankly, I think we're getting distracted by the psychopaths and should be concentrating on the existential plight of inexplicably-transfigured food.[/s]