Is Barack Obama a Narcissist?

[Wingslaught]

And if so what is to be done? Is it ok to have a Narcissist as President of the United States? Surely there must be some serious consequences for the nation and the world.

Recently there was an article written by an expert on Narcissism from Harvard, advising American voters on how to avoid feeding into a Narcissistic President's ego, but is that really enough? It seems to me the best course of action is to weed out any Narcissists long before they have a chance to be in the White House.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/romance-redux/201509/psychologists-open-letter-us-voters

I've been watching all of the presidential candidates with great interest—and deep concern. Concern for us. Concern for the fate of our country. Concern for our world.

As an expert on narcissism, I'm not especially worried that narcissists might make it to the White House. According to research, they've always been there. And that shouldn't scare us anyway, because, just to be clear: Being a narcissist is not a diagnosis. It never has been. Narcissists are people higher in narcissistic traits than the average person, and while they may or may not be disordered, they all share one thing in common: They feel special. Some feel special enough to lead a nation, in fact.

 

[nostradumbass]

Who thinks they should be the most powerful person in the world and isn't a narcissist?

 

[Wingslaught]

Who thinks they should be the most powerful person in the world and isn't a narcissist?

I'd imagine quite a lot of potential Presidents. All people like the idea of power, but Narcissists especially would not like the responsibility that goes with it.

 

[Jack V Savage]

The one good thing about Trump's campaign is that it exposes the total hypocrisy on the right. No longer can they pretend not to be authoritarian, to be offended by Obama's ego (separate from a feeling that black men should keep their heads down), to oppose identity politics, etc.

 

[Awesomesauce]

I'd imagine quite a lot of potential Presidents. All people like the idea of power, but Narcissists especially would not like the responsibility that goes with it.

A) not all people like the idea of of power, its actually an uncomfortable idea for the vast majority of people.
B) You better be pretty damn narcissistic in order to think that your the right man for the job description: most important decision maker in the world.

So in conclusion, yes, he is undoubtedly a narcissist, but so is everyone else that even thinks about applying for that job.

 

[Jack V Savage]

B) You better be pretty damn narcissistic in order to think that your the right man for the job description: most important decision maker in the world.

So in conclusion, yes, he is undoubtedly a narcissist, but so is everyone else that even thinks about applying for that job.

Or you just have a lot of public spirit. I wouldn't have any chance of winning major office, but even if I did, I don't think I'd be willing to make the kinds of personal sacrifices most candidates have to make.

 

[Fawlty]

This seems like a very clumsy attempt to paint Trump as presidential by saying that all presidents are just as fucked up as he is. No sale.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

The one good thing about Trump's campaign is that it exposes the total hypocrisy on the right.

I'm worried the shock-waves will send a tsunami my way.

 

[nixkid]

The one good thing about Trump's campaign is that it exposes the total hypocrisy on the right. No longer can they pretend not to be authoritarian, to be offended by Obama's ego (separate from a feeling that black men should keep their heads down), to oppose identity politics, etc.

Or his celebrity. Remember the whole celebrity in chief bit they used to throw around. Then they go nominate a guy that had his own reality tv show (and would still have one if he didn't deploy the strategy of appealing to racists in the most overt way possible).

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

A) not all people like the idea of of power, its actually an uncomfortable idea for the vast majority of people.
B) You better be pretty damn narcissistic in order to think that your the right man for the job description: most important decision maker in the world.

So in conclusion, yes, he is undoubtedly a narcissist, but so is everyone else that even thinks about applying for that job.

Being chief decision-maker is the kind of stress I'd thrive on. Sign me up. I'm even left-handed.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

It's not just Obama, Trump, and Hillary

Narcissism: Why It's So Rampant in Politics

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...112/narcissism-why-its-so-rampant-in-politics

 

[nostradumbass]

The one good thing about Trump's campaign is that it exposes the total hypocrisy on the right. No longer can they pretend not to be authoritarian, to be offended by Obama's ego (separate from a feeling that black men should keep their heads down), to oppose identity politics, etc.

How's that? Trump isn't running his campaign on being "the first ____ president", and nobody claimed that Obama's ego is why they don't like him, and certainly nobody claimed that black men should keep their heads down.

Not a Trump supporter, but nothing you just said applies to this or proves some special hypocrisy. Trump and Hillary both are very clearly narcissists, and so is Obama.

 

[Awesomesauce]

Being chief decision-maker is the kind of stress I'd thrive on. Sign me up. I'm even left-handed.

Ya, no. Literally nobody has thrived on the job. Its easy to maintain delusions of your own infallibility when your not having your mistakes (and sometimes your successes as if they were mistakes) thrown into your face aggressively on a constant basis. There is a reason that every president in memory has looked 30 years older after 8.

 

[Lead]

The one good thing about Trump's campaign is that it exposes the total hypocrisy on the right. No longer can they pretend not to be authoritarian, to be offended by Obama's ego (separate from a feeling that black men should keep their heads down), to oppose identity politics, etc.

There is a significant split in the party right now that doesn't support Trump. I'd say 40% was the stupidity of following what ever person swing their dick the hardest regardless of what they said, 20-30% was whoever wins and has the R after their name is who they will support and the remaining seeing trump is a very different candidate that isn't healthy for the party or the nation as a whole

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Ya, no. Literally nobody has thrived on the job. Its easy to maintain delusions of your own infallibility when your not having your mistakes (and sometimes your successes as if they were mistakes) thrown into your face aggressively on a constant basis. There is a reason that every president in memory has looked 30 years older after 8.

I've no delusions of infallibility. I do however have a tremendous innate ability to not lose sleep over my decisions being criticized. Being able to acknowledge, apologize for, and correct mistakes helps some too. The hard part of the job would be all the ceremonial shit. Well, that and telling lies.

 

[Big_Chief_Stove]

And if so what is to be done? Is it ok to have a Narcissist as President of the United States? Surely there must be some serious consequences for the nation and the world.

Recently there was an article written by an expert on Narcissism from Harvard, advising American voters on how to avoid feeding into a Narcissistic President's ego, but is that really enough? It seems to me the best course of action is to weed out any Narcissists long before they have a chance to be in the White House.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/romance-redux/201509/psychologists-open-letter-us-voters

yes, most politicians are

 

[Jack V Savage]

There is a significant split in the party right now that doesn't support Trump.

The endorsements are piling in (admittedly, some are reluctant), and his support among voters is very high. I think it's definitely true that he's less popular among Republicans than a typical Republican presidential nominee, but the "significant split" reflects pundits, some donors, and some party officials more than your average R/R-leaning independent.

I think most people on the left long-ago noticed that Austrianism, "states-rights" bullshit, were really just intellectually weak covers for racial tribalism, and that Republican attacks on stimulus, debt, and healthcare were really about exploiting that tribalism to get support for upward redistribution of wealth/opposition to downward redistribution. Some right-leaning intellectual types were surprised to discover this election season that the left was right about their allies.

So, yeah, if you want to say that, say, Romney is not a hypocrite, I'll give you that. But to say that Trump hasn't exposed a shitton of hypocrisy is going too far.

 

[lil billy]

Yes - Obama thinks he is the first President and the last President.

 

[ripskater]

The one good thing about Trump's campaign is that it exposes the total hypocrisy on the right. No longer can they pretend not to be authoritarian, to be offended by Obama's ego (separate from a feeling that black men should keep their heads down), to oppose identity politics, etc.

What does Obama's color have to do with this discussion?

 

[Lead]

The endorsements are piling in (admittedly, some are reluctant), and his support among voters is very high. I think it's definitely true that he's less popular among Republicans than a typical Republican presidential nominee, but the "significant split" reflects pundits, some donors, and some party officials more than your average R/R-leaning independent.

I think most people on the left long-ago noticed that Austrianism, "states-rights" bullshit, were really just intellectually weak covers for racial tribalism, and that Republican attacks on stimulus, debt, and healthcare were really about exploiting that tribalism to get support for upward redistribution of wealth/opposition to downward redistribution. Some right-leaning intellectual types were surprised to discover this election season that the left was right about their allies.

So, yeah, if you want to say that, say, Romney is not a hypocrite, I'll give you that. But to say that Trump hasn't exposed a shitton of hypocrisy is going too far.

I agree he exposed a larger portion of the party than I previously believed but my point was it wasn't the party as a whole. Even the endorsements we are talking about with Ryan and McConnell are pulling back after more and more comments come out from Trump. The party is still treating him like an outsider that they are either trying to figure out to keep in line or find a way to replace. Problem is they can't do either.

Trump from what I've seen hasn't been pushing the state rights stuff other than with the bathroom issue and I think that was an attempt at a push rather than an underlying scheme. He's a populist and he likely thinks that issue is toxic either way in a main election. He's been far more liberal on his social issues but then again, it's hard to pin him down on any issue which brings the point that his supporter/voters are rebelling a protest vote more than anything else.

With the unpopularity thing, this isn't just pundits, some donors, and party officials. Trump has the highest unfavorable rating his at least 1980

Given, Clinton is second among these but this hasn't been a progressing line with voters. Romney and McCain had a lower rating than Bush's second run and were in line with predecessors like Regan even. For the Republican side, this makes Trump's high ranking even far more notable.

And I want to clarify, I am somewhat agreeing with you. You are just blanketing over a larger group than myself. I think the people you are addressing definitely is a significant amount at this point than previous believed (around 40% imo). Some of this may be a protest vote but I don't see that as forgivable after the 8 years of complaints mentioned about Obama to then clamor over a person like Trump.