CLASSIC PERSONALITIES

CLASSIC PERSONALITIES


By Frances Harris

 

 

It seems there is a fine line between pleasure and pain. The lyrics of many songs are based on this fairly baffling proposition. Well the contradictions don’t end there. This is the point where my mind begins to ask the questions - What if? – How often? - How come?

While researching deeper into the mysteries of the human psyche I discovered there are many similar patterns of contradicting similarities infused into the human personality.  It seems when we find an executive or leader who is supremely successful, he or she is likely to meet the criteria of clinical narcissism. They would be lacking any semblance of empathy or compassion. Queen Victoria, Maggie Thatcher and Cleopatra would fall roughly or fully within this femme framework. A good example of males is John Bolton, George Bush’s man of the moment when deciding on US war strategy. Then Nero (Roman emperor) and Joseph Stalin would be others. That is not to suggest that all had similar rates of successes and failure.

To gain an edge, the narcissist (being with narcissistic disorder) would be an uncompromising bully without a shred of conscience about running a steamroller over anyone or everyone who gets in the way. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Anecdotal evidence and small clinical studies show this to be likely. Not excluded in the collateral damage can be the spouse, children, family, close friends, associates and complete strangers. The narcissist won’t lose a wink of sleep if his or her actions devastate other humans or their communities to meet a justified end. In fact, they will probably be proud of it. Sometimes diverting the truth is another preferred tool to keep in the arsenal. Maybe we could call it respectable deception: i.e.: USA assertions that Saddam Hussein was in possession of weapons of mass destruction. Reports published on Bernie Madoff’s - too good to be true, Ponzi scheme is another example.

For this to happen; at the apex of a very unsavoury pyramid of power would be either a person who is a dedicated narcissist, or a CEO with principles, who would need to hire one to get the job done. Bernie Madoff is more infamous than most because he not only crushed his clients, but also his friends and family with his deceptive activity. For some time, he seemed to be an infallible manipulative superhero of the financial markets until the GEC and its monetary gyrations revealed his illegal activities.

Now, to flip the coin over to the other side, the revelations are surprising. Near carbon copies of that same class of psychopathic executive, who can be found running the world’s most powerful corporations, are likely to be found in jails all over the world. Both classes share similar characteristics. They are likely to have the traits of compulsive personality disorder such as recalcitrance, high inflexible expectations of others, perfectionism and be workaholics. Studies have shown that they have superficial charm, insincerity, an exaggerated inflated ego and also be highly manipulative. But what the detainees don’t have which the executives often do, is personal discipline. The executive strata are also likely to be more responsible and have less impulsive personalities. In both examples, collective and rigid obsession with self makes both sides difficult to work with.

It seems the jailed individuals who share traits with the executives are the ones who got caught while trying to make it to the top. Maybe they had poor judgement and strapped themselves to the wrong rocket. Were they unlucky? Or perhaps due to low level education they were careless or lacking insight?  Maybe privilege has its benefits. Then I ask myself, what shape would the world be in now if there were no narcissists?