September 18, 2015
According
to ancient Greek legend Narcissus was a god who fell in love with his own
reflection in a pool of water. So
smitten was he by his own beauty that some versions say he pined away and died by
the pool side rather than leave what he saw.
Today there
is a mental disorder that finds its name in the legend of Narcissus – it is
called Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
A little research on this disorder will quickly reveal some common
characteristics. Narcissists have an
inflated sense of self, a deep need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for
others. If you have had the misfortune
of dealing with someone with this disorder, you probably bear the scars to
prove it. They are often charming, can
be very manipulative, and will destroy you without a second thought if you
cross them.
Consider
the above description of NPD and then think about those who have served
recently as President or who are now seeking the office. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama painfully fit
the description of a narcissist. Hillary
Clinton and Donald Trump could serve as textbook examples of this
disorder.
That a
narcissist would lust for the office of the President of the United States goes
without saying. The recognition and
approbation associated with the office will draw them like bees to honey.
What really
puzzles me is why the citizens of this country continue to elect these dysfunctional
(and sometimes dangerous) individuals to the highest office in the land. Allow me to share with you what I have come
to suspect are at least some of the reasons why we continue to place narcissists
in the White House.
One,
narcissists are not hobbled by humility.
They are absolutely convinced they can do the job. They come across as incredibly confident and
competent. Think in terms of Barack
Obama and Donald Trump. One thing
neither lacks is self-confidence. Each
is convinced he is the most intelligent, capable person in the room. I believe Americans, desperately searching
for a kind of superhero to get us out of the mess we’re in, are drawn to
someone who’s convinced he or she can fix what’s broken. And narcissists are eager to share with
anyone who will listen the absolute confidence they possess that ability. So, they make wonderful campaigners, feeding
off the adulation of the crowds and all the pomp and press attention that goes
with running for President.
Two,
narcissists have a tendency to view everyone as either friends or enemies. There is no in-between. If you support them, you’re wonderful. If you oppose them they will destroy you
without hesitation. That makes them very
effective, if ruthless, campaigners for office.
President
Obama has a history of destroying those who have run against him from the time
he held state office, to his senatorial run, to his campaign for the presidency. He showed no hesitation in doing whatever it
took to eliminate his opposition. His
narcissism and “hard ball” no-holds-barred political warring go hand in hand.
Donald
Trump is admired because of his straight talk.
But how about his constant denigrating and belittling of anyone who
opposes him? Just consider for a moment
how he has dealt with his fellow Republican candidates. That is classically narcissistic. Anyone who opposes him, he has made
abundantly clear by words and action, is an enemy that he will attack. Trump, I believe, literally could care less
about hurting the feelings of others.
The only thing that matters is his own success. Anyone who stands in the way will be destroyed.
Three, narcissists
have little or no empathy for the feelings of others. That means they have no problem in lying to
or manipulating others in order to reach their goals. Look at the political corpses President Obama
has littered the landscape with over the past six years. Dozens of senators and
representatives have sacrificed their careers in politics to further his agenda. Have your ever heard him express any genuine
regret over this? The only regret I’ve
heard him express is that their defeat makes it more difficult for him to promote
his agenda.
Four, rules
are for the common people, not for the narcissist. Hillary Clinton really does seem to struggle
with why people would want to apply the same rules of conduct to her in matters
of national security as everyone else.
She is Hillary Clinton! If she
wants her own private e-mail server, for whatever reason, why should she not be
able to do so? Narcissists struggle with
accountability.
President
Obama has repeatedly shown his disdain for the law and the Constitution. If he disagrees with it, he simply ignores it
and proceeds to do as he wishes. Some view
this as idealism. I’m sure that’s true. I also believe it is a reflection of an inner
conviction that he, unlike the more common people, is not bound by the rules. As a narcissist, it is his way, or else. And he’s got Obamacare, a treaty with Iran,
and multiple executive actions to prove it.
Do we
really want another narcissist in the White House? Have we fallen so far that it takes an
imbalanced personality to run this country?
Does it take a narcissist to deal with a House and Senate full of
individuals suffering from the same delusions of superiority and grandeur?
I’m going
to be watching with great interest the political machinations which will be
occurring over the next year. Will the
citizens of this country choose as their leader a man or woman of faith and
humility, or will they once again opt for someone who’s better at running for
the office than actually filling it.
Dan
Rouse
