Evil is a hypocritical notion of the controlling paradigm.

As for your question, however... It reminds me of a case I read ages ago. Robinson v. California, I believe. Robinson was convicted of having a drug addiction by California state law. The conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court, which stated that it is cruel and unusual to punish someone for a status. In Robinson's case, this meant his status as "addict". In the case of psychopaths, it's our diagnosis.

Is it evil to unwittingly do something "wrong" when one never intended the outcome? If someone accidentally kills his friend in a hunting accident, do we charge him the same as the person who intentionally emptied a round of ammo into another person?

Of late, I've been wondering what exactly manipulation is. What is "normal" manipulation, or "persuasion"? And to what degree does that have to escalate before it becomes psychopathic? Many people have noted that I'm manipulative, but I don't often intend to do this, and I can't seem to grasp what exactly makes my statements manipulative. However, I have noticed its effects. Without trying and without intending to do so, I've created divisions in whole communities. I hardly even said anything, and I don't understand from where the troubles came. And I've created mass followings and "mob mentality" in other communities, which would be nice if I wanted to be a cult leader. But I don't. I don't want empty shells of people who follow me unquestioningly. It's... boring... Unfortunately, that's starting to happen in the community in which I currently reside. After the rumours started to spread, I've decided to be more open about myself, and I've gotten some rather curious reactions...

I admit that I do "gaslight" my wife, but not with the intent to drive her mad (arguably, if one considers the strictest definition of "gaslighting", then I don't, in fact, gaslight her). I tell her that I'm doing it. She doesn't mind, and has even taken to returning the gesture. So, in the end, it becomes more like harmless pranks than anything.

I admit that I lie a lot, but my actions are considerably more damaging when I'm being honest. Normals don't want the truth. They want to be coddled with a lie. I don't lie to my wife, however. And she doesn't try to coddle me with pleasant lies, which I appreciate. Sure, I tell her that I love her, and maybe I can't experience love as most people do. But I don't do this with the intention to deceive. It's simply how I portray what I do feel.

I don't isolate her from her family, even though my mother-in-law is simply insufferable. I admit to my wrong doings. And I don't blackmail her with emotions or anything else.

I may not have a conscience, but I have contrived my own sort of principles. I can be heinously cruel to people, or I can be genuinely pleasant. But I like to believe I have control over that behaviour, for the most part. I don't use my psychopathic nature to attack people, but rather to protect myself and those close to me (and, occasionally, strangers, depending on the situation). That doesn't mean, however, that I don't enjoy being psychopathic.

I'm willing to give it a shot, and I'll let her be the judge.

P.S. Yes, a tree does make a sound, regardless of the presence or absence of people. Reality is not exclusive to human experience.