>>Most were mediocre but two stand out in my memory as people who had a positive influence on me.
>>Not a very good percentage, but I'm still using ideas I gleaned from those two.

My view is that apart from the few sociopaths, most people are generous of spirit but also strongly motivated to protect and promote self and family.

E.g. try to reduce Medicare benefits for the benefit of future generations of debtors and you'll learn a good lesson about the selflessness that socialists like to insist is the norm.

IMHO it's a mistake to demonize and characterize political opponents as sociopaths, just as it's an error to anoint your own political persuasion as on the side of the angels. Truth is that civilization is only skin deep and that skin is getting a real scouring at the moment...