Psychologists call it the dark triad: an intersection of three of the most malevolent tendencies of human nature – psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism.
But the truth goes deeper, and darker. There’s also egoism, sadism, spitefulness, and more. And behind this rogues gallery of all our worst inclinations on the surface, a central, common core of human darkness lies, researchers say.
In a 2018 study, psychologists from Germany and Denmark mapped this driving force behind all our darkest impulses and gave it a name. Meet D, the newly identified Dark Factor of Personality.
D? The Devil inside. How many songs sing about D? “Running with the Devil” come to mind? How about “Lucifer” by the Rolling Stones? Ever look at the cover of the first AC/DC album with Bon Scott on it with horns coming out of his head? Yeah, nothing dark with any of that, right?
This could also help explain sexual fetishes. Like how some people like being cuffed or tied up (BDSM), wearing diapers and possibly pretending to be babies and toddlers (Adult Baby Diaper Lovers and regressive age play), etc.