an excellent dissection, Arcana. It's often true that sociopaths make the best middle managers. you don't have to be a sociopath to sit at the top, because you're isolated by money and power. but when you're int he middle, you're still within touching distance of the effects of the decisions you make, meaning emotions more often get in the way. best to put someone there who is less likely to let pesky things like sympathy or conscience get in the way of getting the job done.