Trump's actions of the last few days leaves no doubt, Donald Trump is the ultimate malignant narcissist, bar none. No need for a professional psychiatric diagnosis, just a simple observation of his public activities and statements, plainly seen by all who care to pay attention. Taking credit for a monthly drop in the unemployment rate to 14%, when he accepted absolutely no responsibility when it rose from 4% to 24% when COVID-19 cases skyrocketed after he delayed taking the virus as a serious threat, with any meaningful federal action, for nearly two months. Also taking no responsibility when our deaths from the pandemic virus reached claiming over 100,000 American lives, more than double that of any other nation. He is, of course, always quick to blame others for his failures. China for their response to the virus's spread, when numerous other nations took much more immediate and effective action to limit their nation's casualties. State Governors for their responses to the virus's occurrence and spread in their states, although he delayed necessary federal steps and was holding in federal stockpiles much of the equipment they needed to fight it effectively, being delayed or resistant in releasing it to them.
Trump's taking credit for a partial drop in the high unemployment rate is doubly galling since it has been state governors who have taken the responsibility to relax some of the necessary stay-at-home orders, corporations and businesses that have taken the risks of re-hiring and re-opening their services, and employees who are potentially risking their health by returning to work. All while Trump remains safely enclosed in a now barricaded, fenced in White House, receiving daily COVID-19 tests to ensure that his health is never endangered by others, and all those who come into Trump's presence are tested to ensure that they aren't carriers who could expose it to him. Nothing as important to Trump as others taking the risks to open up the nation's economy so he can brag about how well it may be doing, but for Trump to be exposed to any risk, or accept any responsibility for the nation's difficulties occurring under his watch, not so much!
A clear example of the malignant nature of Trump's personality, his lack of regard for others' well-being and the harm he is willing to bring to others for his own purposes is shown in his responses to the protests that have spread from Minneapolis to throughout the nation in reaction to yet another police killing of a non-violent black American suspected of a possible crime. No words from the White House to calm the nation, to reassure those with intense feelings, that justice will be served, that Trump has any empathy whatsoever for those who have experienced a grievous, irreplaceable loss, or for those who fear such horrendous events, under the auspices of the law, will be continuing forever in our country. Only a call for more law and order from Trump, that states should be handling the protests with more force, or that he will call in the military to do it for them. He is very willing to hurt others who stand in the way of his single-minded, self-serving purposes, whether they are former allies who could no longer accept his behaviors, or anyone in the opposition who dares stand in his way.
The nation that Trump envisions for us, and that he has tried to impose on us, has little in common with the nation our Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote of a nation that would embody Liberty and Justice for all, and be ruled by a Constitution that guaranteed an equal balance of power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. When differences came up, opposing sides were to work together to negotiate, compromise, reach some agreement democratically. But that's not the way it is in Trump's world, in his America. Its all about his winning, his having his way, those opposing him suffering the consequences. But his dictatorial leanings are encumbered with the additional weight of his malignant narcissistic tendencies. Everything he does has to be considered the greatest, every ally must brag about him, no matter how much lying that necessitates. Any of those with differing viewpoints deserve to be attacked, ridiculed, lied about, fired, even sent to jail. His personality and presidency are a malignancy spreading from him and affecting the entire nation. After over three and a half years, the evidence is clear. The only question is whether the nation will allow it to continue beyond one disastrous term.
The term "malignant narcissism" first appeared in psychological literature in 1964, introduced by the social psychologist Erick Fromm. It was presented as an extreme form of narcissism, highlighted by grandiosity, an exaggerated sense of entitlement, suspiciousness, lack of conscience and empathy, a tendency to readily hurt others with little regard for their well-being, egocentrism, drive to manipulate, and readiness to project one's faults onto others, blaming others for their failures without ever accepting responsibility for them. It is distinguished from benevolent narcissism by its aggressive nature and readiness to negatively effect others and cause harm to them. The term has been appearing in the media and in political statements more frequently recently, often in reference to Donald Trump.
ReplyDeleteAn additional clarification about malignant narcissism: The term is best considered a way of describing a person's character, based on observing his or her's overt behaviors and statements. It has not been accepted by the American Psychiatric Association as a formal diagnostic disorder.
ReplyDeleteTrump’s refusal to admit defeat and concede in his election loss to Biden is totally consistent with his extreme case of malignant narcissism. In fact, it is a predictable result of it. To Trump, any admission of a fault, mistake, or loss is completely unacceptable, it defines one as a loser, a sucker, or worse. His ego obviously will never be able to admit any defeat. His parents apparently never taught him” it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game”. Too bad, our nation has been paying a high price for that failure!
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