Diane Monaco
Steven BeschlossYes, there are too many malignant narcissists and sociopaths in positions of power. But the bigger problem is the number of voters drawn to them and enablers cheering them on.
EarthOne@StevenBeschloss Think about that. It puts us on the cusp of being a tragically failed species.
tienle47@StevenBeschloss You got a formula for breaking the appeal of malignant narcissists to the average human? Especially those with low self-esteem?
Pohl Longsine@tienle47 @StevenBeschloss Disinventing the internet would probably mitigate the effect quite a bit.
Icevice
midwesterner 🦬@pohl @tienle47 @StevenBeschloss
The internet was designed to be resilient against attacks:
brooklynmarie@tienle47 @StevenBeschloss I think if we just stopped treating gerrymandering and weaponized disinformation as though it was acceptable and politics as usual, it would go a long way
@tienle47 @StevenBeschloss When are we going to stop arguing amongst ourselves and start actually kicking the shit out of the bullies who are inflicting this on us? That’s what we need to do but instead I get to watch everybody around me just keep fucking folding to them.
ChookMother 🇦🇺🦘I think step one wd be to explain narcissism to them:
"That person does not really like you, they have an agenda and they're using you as a pawn."
There are many, many stories that can be told as examples.
CJ PalomaThe folks who fall for these types tend to support authoritarian beliefs, which include hierarchy.
But authoritarianism is also *learned* as evidenced by varying rates of its acceptability in different countries.
Belief in hierarchy starts early with gender norms- (among other categories) If we grow healthier men, we WILL have a healthier world.
Continuing to allow RWNJs to define masculinity as being "alpha" is a huge part of our collective problems.
Tanner Mireault@StevenBeschloss yes seriously… Biden supposedly got the most votes in history..?
Stargeezer Smith@StevenBeschloss
Do you have any thoughts on how such reprehensible people draw voters?
Are we just truly a stupid people?
@stargazersmith @StevenBeschloss No. It’s bullshit. They are enormously unpopular, but they are able to lie, cheat, and steal their way into electoral victory
Shoq 🌿@StevenBeschloss You left out an equally large problem: voters influenced by a handful of media conglomerates pretending to be "news organizations," while actually being partisan propaganda organizations. It's probably the biggest problem, because it enables or serves both of the others.
Morten Bay@shoq @StevenBeschloss Shoq, I normally agree with you about most things, but here I don't. There are SO many examples of nations with public service media (PSM)-dominany media systems which are under constant scrutiny for partisanship and where people still become very devoted to narcissistic and slightly sociopathic leaders. The UK, Australia, the Scandinavian countries, Germany, France and Japan are good examples. This is not a U.S. phenomenon.
@shoq @StevenBeschloss In my observations however, this is often tied to lack of education and religion. People who find the world to be a complicated place are attracted to leaders who make the world simple for them and gives them a structure they don't have to question. This is similar to what religion does in answering the unanswerable.
Especially post-Reagan conservatism, after the evangelical takeover has suffered from blindly following leaders without questioning them. It tracks.
t harvey@shoq @StevenBeschloss - that's the issue - voters vote based on the information they're given.
hapbt@shoq @StevenBeschloss which also then drives people to even less reputable grifters in the “alternate news” world peddling miracle cures and snake oil and blatant racism
David M Reiss MDThis article I wrote with Seth Norrtholm, Ph.D. is now almost five years old and some revisions would be appropriate, but I believe it provides some significant theories related to this issue of enabling #MalignantNarcissists and #sociopaths:
June 19, 2017: One Person’s King is Another One’s Clown
Motivations behind becoming a blind follower or sycophant & relevancy to this President
Aviva Gary
Jay Cheroske@StevenBeschloss When humans immunize themselves against the dark triad personality traits, it will be a more significant evolutionary achievement than the mastery of fire.
@StevenBeschloss exactly they think since their rich than they can also become rich if they give them power
Damien Miller@StevenBeschloss and the failed institutions /political parties that failed to weed them out
@StevenBeschloss Though it was not the best political move for a candidate to refer to a segment of the voters as "deplorables", Hilary Clinton was identifying a huge problem.
@StevenBeschloss Honestly, they are not really that numerous. They just seem more so because they are so loud and because their bullying seems to work every single time. It is so frustrating. And then those of us fighting back get treated like we are the cranks, because everybody else lets the minority of bullies make the rules. That’s the problem.
silverhorseman@StevenBeschloss
I agree.
But I don't think this is new, and certainly not unique to the US.
Most of history has been dominated by authoritarian leaders. Democracy is not the default state for humanity. We are still in an experiment.
I agree.
But I don't think this is new, and certainly not unique to the US.
Most of history has been dominated by authoritarian leaders. Democracy is not the default state for humanity. We are still in an experiment.
zendao42@StevenBeschloss
They gave up hope & now just wanna watch the the world burn
They gave up hope & now just wanna watch the the world burn
72mz@StevenBeschloss
It's understandable when the only news they get if from fox and their ilk. Lies and distortions become reality when repeated constantly. Their media is the problem, but our constitution doesn't require truth.
It's understandable when the only news they get if from fox and their ilk. Lies and distortions become reality when repeated constantly. Their media is the problem, but our constitution doesn't require truth.
graphictruthThis could be a good way to use artificial intelligence; recognition and redirection of people with personality disorders; narcissists, social dominators , sociopaths and such; people who are pleased by or indifferent to the harm they do to others.
Sane Thinker@StevenBeschloss You are touching on fundamental behavior problems of humanity. The relationship of wolves and sheep.
Daisy Murphy@StevenBeschloss
That mythical "Rugged individualism' we all love so much has mutated into malignant narcissism.
That's the true story of the United States and every other civilization anywhere in the world at any period in history.
Humans are gonna human.
That mythical "Rugged individualism' we all love so much has mutated into malignant narcissism.
That's the true story of the United States and every other civilization anywhere in the world at any period in history.
Humans are gonna human.
TAI@StevenBeschloss It would be great if there was thorough examination of this result. I would suggest it's the process that both attracts and requires them in its current state. You make an excellent observation, the responsibility goes to all involved for this state of affairs. Spin it around, any decent, qualified person should not want to put themselves through the grinder for the sake of public service. What are we left with to choose ? Those that couldn't cut the mister in other endeavors
Threenotch@StevenBeschloss it’s the $$$$$ we have GOT to get the HUGE stacks of money out of politics!!!!!
George Kenney@StevenBeschloss The problem is a dysfunctional constitution that cannot be fixed, but nobody is allowed to point that out.
PC@StevenBeschloss give me a bat and five minutes
@StevenBeschloss I think leadership positions of almost any stripe are sought mostly by narcissists and psychopath.
It always bewildered me why anyone would want to be in charge of anyone. It seems such a huge burden if responsibility.
But if you are the sort who feels no responsibility it must be amazing to force your will on so many.
Douglas Adams said something like “the person who wants to lead is always the least suited to do so.”
Cat’n’Dog
Sherryn Adair@StevenBeschloss I think John Adams spoke of an educated electorate… Can't blame it all on the people when there are forces at work to undermine education and reason.
@StevenBeschloss
When you're a jet
you're a jet all the way
From your first cigarette
to your last dying day
jets. don't believe in nuance
or working things out
only the gang. Or the tribe. Or the clan. Or . . .
Sean G@StevenBeschloss Nah, it’s a bigger problem that people who take advantage of people trusting them are given power rather than are prevented from getting it. We need to be able to trust people in power. The system is broken otherwise.
@StevenBeschloss nothing but lost sheep 🐑! Wondering hopeless!
📎🖐️ Alan Taylor 🎬 📚More than identification.
- It's a rub-off syndrome...a vote is an investment into the secret of their 'success'...?
- the transaction is no longer a social policy advance but an immersive inner enhancement of personal worth - 'value' 
@StevenBeschloss why the heck would any sane non-narcissist or non-sociopath seek power, especially political power? So not worth the trouble. Almost makes me want to try an alternative to democracy, except that I can’t think of any better alternatives. So here we are.
Say I'm Divine-Ms Em 🏳️🌈"But he's so successful, and so charismatic, how could he possibly be an abuser?" - all the cops who ever took any abused woman's report.
Total Todd@StevenBeschloss If you say “on both sides”, we’ll know you haven’t really learned anything or changed…
Josh Adell@StevenBeschloss People with authoritarian mindset want to be ruled, and want to be ruled by a strong and decisive personality. It's their prime criteria behind choosing who to lead them. Lots has been written on the subject.
It's been my experience that most people don't mind being ruled by narcissists and sociopaths as long as it's *their* side in charge.
Lazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈@StevenBeschloss if it weren't for the Enablers these predators would be on the fringes of society.
Lonewolf@StevenBeschloss people are selfish greedy pieces of shit
What did you expect
What did you expect
ChopinsHeart@StevenBeschloss
The bigger problem is the failure of people to ACT EARLY
Know something say something.
Don’t wait like Republicans who KNEW Santos was lying BEFORE HE RAN.
I blame all of us.
We wait for permission to make noise.
and especially…. Reporters. Waiting for the book, not walking the metaphorical streets.
God Bless Michelle Wolf for speaking up and out and look how she got cremated
After her comedic delivery‼️
Silvia Rasmussen@StevenBeschloss more like the $ backing them.