A Narcissist Goes to War

A narcissist is someone who (a) thinks he’s smarter or more skilled than he is; and/or (b) thinks he has power or knowledge that nobody else can have.

At the root of narcissism is a false belief that something other than rational knowledge and rational action is the means of accomplishing anything.

Narcissists usually surround themselves with people who will not question or criticize them in any way. These are people who, for their own unhealthy reasons, fawn or swoon over the object of their attention. They help create the narcissist by fostering or enabling his false beliefs.

It’s hard to imagine a more narcissistic President than the one we have now. And, until recently, it would have been difficult to imagine a more compelling example of his narcissism than that of Obamacare. The law that ‘has to be passed before anyone will read it,’ the law that you’re supposed to take on faith—on the faith of His word, that is, regardless of objective facts or consequences; if this isn’t an example of narcissism in practice, I don’t know what is.

As excellent an illustration of narcissism as Obamacare was, the way Obama goes about handling Syria is even more compelling, as an example of his psychopathology. Syria is just another third-world nation run by militant gangs fighting for power. It’s not in America’s interest to either defend or oppose Syria. If nations such as Iraq, Afghanistan, or Iran don’t matter to America’s interests—as Obama built his national career on claiming, just five years ago—then Syria is certainly not important, either.

But Syria’s relationship with America’s self-interest is not the point here. The point is that Obama wants to drop bombs on Syria. Therefore, you must support him. It has nothing to do with national security or self-interest. Obama is against self-interest on principle; he does not care about anything tainted by ‘selfishness.’ It’s his own will and desires he cares about, just like any narcissist. It’s all—and it’s only—about him.

This is why Obama initially claimed that he would drop bombs on Syria with or without Congressional approval. This is the same President who implied that George W. Bush’s intervention in Iraq, had it occurred without any Congressional approval, would have been an impeachable offense. Obama abruptly reversed course, and decided to go for a vote in Congress, but even in doing so has made it clear he will do what he wants with or without Congressional approval.

He does what he wants; this is always Obama’s attitude, and this is what narcissism looks like in what was supposed to be the highest office a democratic republic.

Of course, Obama’s narcissistic enablers in the Democratic Party can be counted on to support Obama’s actions, right or wrong, because ‘ well, that’s what enablers do. Plus, they want the debt ceiling to be raised into infinity and the trillions in wealth redistribution to keep coming. Obama’s their pimp. And my bet is that Republicans (with rare exception) can be counted on to wobble and retreat, just as they always do in the face of principle, right or wrong.

Narcissists like Obama feed off an environment of moral cowardice. Narcissists are inherently irrational and ultimately self-defeating, but they thrive in a context where nobody stands up for anything. This is why Obama came to power and why he stays there, as if by default. Nobody who stands for the right things will take a stand, which is why we ended up with Obamacare, and why we’ll probably end up with some bungled, self-defeating operation in Syria, as well. The media will spin it as ‘greatness’ on a par with Napoleon, and Republicans (with rare exception) will bow their heads in humility.

If Obama, along with his supporters, believed even one-tenth of what they said in all those years of opposing Bush’s intervention in Iraq, what makes them think that it will be any better—or any different—when Obama intervenes in Syria? The failure of anyone, especially among Obama’s supporters, to even raise this question reveals the ‘depth’ and the magnitude of the narcissism that inhabits this man’s psyche.

‘When I’m doing it, it’s right. When someone else does the same thing, it’s wrong.’ Why? There can be only one answer. ‘Because I’m great.’ Underlying premise, never acknowledged or stated: ‘I am greater than my character or abilities prove me to be; I’m great because I’m me. I don’t need rational proof. I’m all the proof I need.’

As our narcissistic President goes to war, it will be interesting to see if he can hold onto the 52 percent or so of the population who have enabled him to get this far. Maybe that’s why he’s doing this. He wants to see just how far he can push Americans, and what it takes to get a majority of them to finally say, ‘Enough.’

 

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