Trump and potential mental illness

[agent00f]

If I had observed a dozen years ago that the Apprentice celebrity was simply a disgusting person, and that his show was patent bullshit fodder to people who don't understand professional management beyond bullying people and putting them under constant pressure, it is not a political statement. It is not a political observation. It is an observation about someone's personality, character and psychology which defines the former, by a "non-psychologist who happened to study narcissistic personality disorder in the course of an historical research project.

If I thought he was a disgusting person during the Birther Frenzy -- any common-sense rational American would probably concur. Those among the public who were energized and driven by the Birther Frenzy have problems of their own, and the simplistic diagnosis -- if you want to call it that -- is either subliminal racism or anger derived from myths about race and personal circumstance. You could call that observation "political" only if you think that these racist ideas or emotional reactions represent anything good about the American Character.

So. I'm supposed to "accept" a "so-called president" despite the fact of my judgment a dozen years ago -- having little to do with politics -- that he was a slug and a monster? F*** you, F*** him and F*** that. We've victimized ourselves, handing that Jackass the "Biscuit." It is impossible to define the POSSIBLE risks which will materialize under this pathological administration over the next four years. And heaven forbid, if we survive that long, when we then see a prospect of eight years. Among those possibilities -- it could be even longer.

The systemic pathology is encouraged by faith in capitalism, whose mantra is that self-interest is next to godliness. Now there's great truth that humans are motivated by self-interest, and that motivation is useful for productive work. But there's also a distinction between a useful tool to produce the fruits of labor, and a pathological deification by its cargo cult.

The Apprentice and such basically worship the trappings of a brutal environment without producing much of any value other than savage entertainment for followers. Modern bread and circus, except without the bread.

 

[amenx]

In letter to NYT (Feb. 13), mental health professionals warn about Trump:

Silence from the country’s mental health organizations has been due to a self-imposed dictum about evaluating public figures (the American Psychiatric Association’s 1973 Goldwater Rule). But this silence has resulted in a failure to lend our expertise to worried journalists and members of Congress at this critical time. We fear that too much is at stake to be silent any longer.

Mr. Trump’s speech and actions demonstrate an inability to tolerate views different from his own, leading to rage reactions. His words and behavior suggest a profound inability to empathize. Individuals with these traits distort reality to suit their psychological state, attacking facts and those who convey them (journalists, scientists).

In a powerful leader, these attacks are likely to increase, as his personal myth of greatness appears to be confirmed. We believe that the grave emotional instability indicated by Mr. Trump’s speech and actions makes him incapable of serving safely as president...

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/opinion/mental-health-professionals-warn-about-trump.html

 

[pcgeek11]

What a load.

 

[Grooveriding]

We received confirmation after his press conference today. The man is not firing on all cylinders.

 

[IronWing]

Back in the 80s when Trump talked like this, we all figured it was just cocaine, no big deal. Cocaine is out of fashion now so there must be another reason.

 

[amenx]

...according to The APA, are the 9 criteria for “Narcissistic Personality Disorder”. If an individual has 5 out of the 9 they have a confirmed diagnosis of this illness. Many individuals have “traits” of narcissism but only about 1% of the population has clinical NPD.

“Summary : A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.
3. Believe that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with other special or high-status people (or institutions)
4. Requires excessive admiration
5. Has a sense of entitlement
6. Is interpersonally exploitative
7. Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
8. Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her.
9. Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.”

What does it mean if someone does have NPD?

If someone does have “Narcissistic Personality Disorder” they can, indeed, wake up, see a Tweet or a news report from a foreign leader criticizing him, mocking him, calling him “weak” or threatening his ego in any way and order some kind of impulsive, vindictive, punishing, immediate response that could include an unhinged order to attack that foreign leader or foreign country with military force, even including the authorization of nuclear weapons.

http://www.morningticker.com/2017/0...overed-something-shocking-about-donald-trump/

 

[zinfamous]

What does it mean if someone does have NPD?

If someone does have “Narcissistic Personality Disorder” they can, indeed, wake up, see a Tweet or a news report from a foreign leader criticizing him, mocking him, calling him “weak” or threatening his ego in any way and order some kind of impulsive, vindictive, punishing, immediate response that could include an unhinged order to attack that foreign leader or foreign country with military force, even including the authorization of nuclear weapons.

http://www.morningticker.com/2017/0...overed-something-shocking-about-donald-trump/

This was pretty much a daily occurrence with Nixon, especially after his 4th snifter every evening. The country was mostly safe, though, because Nixon was surrounded by competent individuals that knew how to not carry out his alarmingly frequent orders to nuke Moscow. I mean, some of those guys were pretty evil, but they didn't have the goal of ending the USA (like Bannon). That, and Nixon himself was a rather smart guy.

Trump is both a complete idiot fueled by NPD, and surrounding himself with sycophantic and incompetent sophistrists with absolutely zero foreign or homeland policy experience.

And look: when the truth of his incompetence, failure as a leader, and complete lack of support in this country is too much for him to handle, he runs off to rally his cult with another stream of empty promises and victim-blaming for all of the horrible things that his followers are convinced that they are experiencing.

He is Mussolini. That is more and more obvious. Anyone that doesn't see this and especially anyone that supports more of this is no longer a citizen of the country that is generally called the United States of America.