Michael C. Hall + Kevin Dutton

Media Sponsor is GAIAM TV.
Presented in association with Grand Editorial.
In this groundbreaking adventure into the world of psychopaths, The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success, the renowned psychologist Kevin Dutton argues that there is a fine line between a brilliant surgeon who lacks empathy and a Hannibal Lecter who kills for pleasure. Incorporating the latest advances in brain scanning and neuroscience, Dutton reveals that there is a scale of “madness” along which we all sit. In this on-stage conversation, Dutton will test his theories on the actor who embodies psychopathic qualities in his role on Showtime’s Dexter, Michael C. Hall.Season 7 premieres September 30.
In reference to the Rubin’s focus on Himalayan Asia, Dutton makes an unprecedented link between psychopathic qualities and those of spiritual greatness(e.g. fearlessness and living in the moment.) In a unique study, Dutton journeys to one of the world’s remotest monasteries in northern India to pit psychopaths against Tibetan Buddhist “spiritual black belts” in a test of cold-reading ability.

Praise for The Wisdom of Psychopaths:

“Dutton tackles an elusive, important, and much neglected aspect of the mind: our personality. He presents some highly original insights and does so in a provocative and humorous style—offering practical tips along the way for both ‘normals’ and ‘sociopaths.’” —V. S. Ramachandran, Ph.D., author of The Tell-Tale Brain and BBC Reith lecturer

About the Speakers

Moving effortlessly from an uptight funeral director on “Six Feet Under,” to a serial killer on “Dexter,” Michael C. Hall continues to illuminate the humanity and intelligence in transformative, complex characters.
For his performance as title character Dexter Morgan, Hall (who serves as an executive producer on the series) won Golden Globe and SAG awards in 2010 and five consecutive Emmy Award nominations. Currently, Hall also stars in “Ruth & Erica”a short series by Amy Lippman for WIGS (YouTube). He first made an indelible impression on television as younger brother David Fisher in HBO’s groundbreaking series “Six Feet Under.”
ANorth Carolinanative and graduate ofNYU’s MFA program in acting, Hall made his Broadway debut as the emcee in “Cabaret,” directed by Sam Mendes and portrayed Billy Flynn in “Chicago” (Broadway).
Hall most recently completed filming KILL YOUR DARLINGS, the story of a crime that brought together a young Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs atColumbiaUniversityin 1944.


Kevin Dutton is a research psychologist at the University of Cambridge. His writing and research have been featured in Scientific American Mind, New Scientist, The Guardian, Psychology Today, USA Today, and more. He lives in Cambridge, England