There is no doubt that the popularity of the anti-hero as we know it has increased in recent times. With unlikely but popular moral gray protagonists like Jack Bauer, Dexter and Gregory House leading some of the most popular TV shows and characters like James Bond, Lisbeth Salander, Tyler Durden (from Fight Club) and Jack Sparrow being among most memorable in films, it is not surprising that there is increased interest in understanding what makes these characters so popular (Peter Jonason in et al., 193). What makes them as likable, if not more, than a normal hero? How is it that we relate to characters who perform actions that, if performed in real life, would cause us to see them in a completely different light? My argument is that a better understanding of the human psyche has allowed us to see beyond our preconceived moral standards. accepting and, in many cases, admiring these anti-heroes. Under the right circumstances, almost any action is permissible (even if it is not necessarily right or wrong). Readers, however, must undergo a process of exposure to the antihero and the world she inhabits before allowing her actions. This process of "disengagement" (presented by Daniel Shafer and Arthur Raney) is what allows the reader to change their preconceived moral standards, at least in the antihero universe, to truly enjoy the story. However, before explaining the big picture, I think it's important to understand how the enjoyment of stories can be weighted. Enjoyment of most stories is measured by Affective Disposition Theory (ADT). Shafer and Raney explain that: "ADT is generally considered the most comprehensive theory explaining the process by which pleasure is derived...... middle of paper ...... empathy, understanding one's faults and this that caused her to be the way she is, and feeling these appeals to our primitive feelings related to the Dark Triad of personality traits when she kicks, we can finally enjoy the positive emotions that would otherwise be doomed as bad in the real world. Works CitedFunk, C. and Gazzaniga, M. “The Functional Brain Architecture of Human Morality.” Current Opinion in Neurobiology 19 (2009): 678-681. Web.Hemley, R. “Sympathy for the Devil, What to Do About Difficult Characters.” Creating Fiction (1999): edited by Julie Checkoway. Story Press.Jonason, P. “The Antihero in Popular Culture: Life History Theory and the Dark Triad Personality Traits.” General Psychology Review 16.2 (2012): 192-199. Web.Shafer, D. and Raney, A. “Exploring How We Appreciate Anti-Hero Narratives.” Journal of Communications 62 (2012): 1028-1046. Internet.