I'm loathe to get political here, but when I contemplate the nature of cults -- personality cults in particular -- it's hard to avoid the one we all live amongst these days here in Dystopia, USA. And funny(?) enough, as I've observed Trump over these years, and read what experts have said about his narcissism, it's hard to avoid Bob.
Before I get to the similarities, there are glaring differences. Bob is highly intelligent. At his best, he is engaging, funny, and generally charismatic. (Yes, I know lots of people think Trump is charismatic. I'm unable to process that.) He's adventurous. It's mainly because of Bob that we sailed around the world in an 80' schooner.And then there's the similarities.
The greatest ever. To the depth of his soul, Bob believes that he's the single greatest theorist to have ever existed in the field of psychology. "The ideas", as he would call his body of work.
Skin thinner than a grape. Even the most trivial slight would draw Bob's rage, sometimes in group under the guise of therapy for the perpetrator.
Master exploiter. Bob assumed control over businesses that were started by his patients and became wealthy as a result. More on this later.
Used non-profit as slush fund. See OPM.
Taking credit when credit wasn't due. All things good flowed through Bob.
I'm going to be a bit audacious here and turn the table (or couch if you prefer). Bob is a narcissist on steroids.
Taking credit when credit wasn't due. All things good flowed through Bob.
Blame shifter. Things that went wrong were never Bob's fault.
Ostentatious display of wealth. The Mazerrati, the extraordinary yachts, the house in Bel Air. Bob was all about money, especially OPM (other people's money). I should mention, he has much finer taste than does Trump.
Ostentatious display of wealth. The Mazerrati, the extraordinary yachts, the house in Bel Air. Bob was all about money, especially OPM (other people's money). I should mention, he has much finer taste than does Trump.
No repercussions. They both got away with it.
I'm going to be a bit audacious here and turn the table (or couch if you prefer). Bob is a narcissist on steroids.
2 comments:
I was born there, left 27 years ago. NEVER looked back or regretted my decision. I did not hold the hatred & anger most “ex-pats” do, but I 1000% feel deeply for what others went through. Reading this makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up - I have learned more secrets-behind-the-curtain in the past two years than I did in the 25 years before that. Everything you have written to this point is exactly how my elementary age self remembers it. It makes me question my sanity and evaluate who I am today for fear I still hold any beliefs from my upbringing. The most terrifying part is to think I could have been so easily part of the majority (the ones that stayed) instead of the minority (the ones who escaped). I don’t consider myself a brave person or a leader. To this day I still question how I had the courage to leave when I did and believe in myself more than believing in them.
Thank you. I look forward to piecing together more of my childhood from your posts.
Thanks for posting this!
Sorry for how long it your comment to appear. My mistake.
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