President Bush spoke last week to wounded soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center and uttered these immortal words indicating a lack of true appreciation for the suffering of the gravely wounded, often permanently disabled soldiers he was speaking to:
"As you can possibly see, I have an injury myself -- not here at the hospital, but in combat with a Cedar. I eventually won. The Cedar gave me a little scratch. As a matter of fact, the Colonel asked if I needed first aid when she first saw me. I was able to avoid any major surgical operations here, but thanks for your compassion, Colonel."
At a time when the number of severely wounded soldiers is rising, this lack of appreciation is disturbing and portends badly for adequate resources being made available to care for damaged soldiers and veterans over the coming months, years, and decades.
This episode was far from the first time Bush uttered bizarre sounding comments in response to the injuries of others. Who can forget his remarkable message to the hundreds of thousands of people, many poor and black, whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Katrina:
"Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch."
While Bush's comments to wounded GIs were uttered together with the usual platitudes expected on such occasions, these quotes illustrate Bush's greatest strength and also his greatest weakness, his narcissism.
Narcissism
At an observable level, narcissism involves a self-centeredness that makes one oblivious to the emotional existence of others. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (IVth edition: DSM-IV) defines its pathological extreme (narcissistic personality disorder) as:
"A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy."
In the odd DSM manner, this condition is diagnosed by having a threshold number of the following symptoms (5 out of 9), regardless of which five symptoms they are. (To be diagnostic of a clinical condition each symptom should be possessed to the extent that it interferes with functioning or causes distress):
"Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
"Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
"Believes 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)
"Requires excessive admiration
"Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
"Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
"Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
"Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
"Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes"
I am very leery of making diagnoses via long-distance of people I have never met. Additionally, I am well aware that one must be skeptical of much "information" publicly available about major political leaders as this information is carefully filtered through the lens of PR manipulation designed to create desired images among the public. Furthermore, one must remember that a large degree of narcissism is common, perhaps even necessary in leaders who rise to presidential level. It is certainly hard for someone who is not convinced of their special qualities to have the drive, determination, and desire to undergo all that is required to get the position.
Stephen Soldz is psychoanalyst, psychologist, public health researcher, and faculty member at the Institute for the Study of Violence of the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis. He is a member of Roslindale Neighbors for Peace and Justice. He maintains the Psyche, Science, and Society blog.
This is a terrifying but accurate discription of the Commander-in-Chief. He is so out of touch with reality it is scary!
Nero, Caligula and the rest of the Caesars show us the true cost of unlimited power...The fall of the Roman Empire due to the ravings and acts of lunatics.
How are we to survive while he guts the Constitution, dismantles Civil liberties and destroys the middle class?
We need him out, but what would he do if impeached? The stress might cause him to become more psychotic. He does have a nuclear arsenal at his disposal.
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cyncynical (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments)
on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 at 6:01:36 PM
Very interesting and accurate analysis of our fearless leader, explains many things, exposes the patholgy of Bush for what it is: pathology. We are lead by a man with a severe personality disorder. It was obvious before that he had empathy problems among many others problems, now it all falls into place, thank you for this very interesting piece.
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bob Young (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments)
on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 at 12:56:05 AM
He's a rabid dog, he is the Insane Manhatter, worse than Tim McVeigh, a mad ape in the jungle, a killer, no compassion, no mercy, his heart is ice cold iron with his tongue stuck to it.
He is above the law, he is the law, he is the hand of God, so he thinks. He wrecks societies, murders the helpless, digs up the dead, and worships their skulls.
He is a psycopath, how he became President is that he made everyone believe he is. I never have recognized him as such. I am still waiting for Al Gore to arrest him.
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Dom Jermano (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 40 diaries, 934 comments)
on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 at 5:00:58 AM
Perhaps even more important than Stephen Soldz's very cautious analysis (note that Mr Bush's history of substance abuse, which may not be entirely irrelevant to his current activities, is not even mentioned) of certain of George Walker Bush's character traits, is his pointing out of certain pathological traits in the general public, which may lead it to misconstrue a constitutional lack of empathy and understanding as steadfastness and courage. Unless this basic emotional confusion on the part of Bush's core supporters is addressed and overcome, it will prove extremely difficult to bring them to see the man as he really is, and open their minds to other views regarding such issues as the limits of presidential power or the war on Iraq....
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mhenriday (0 articles, 11 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 151 comments)
on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 at 3:17:12 PM
Bush could not find his ass with both hands. He is so out of touch with the average American and is in the pockets of the wealthy and large corporations. Who else would give tax breaks for the rich and give away the rights and liberties that we used to enjoy. I am of firm belief that Bush and Co. will not be happy until he declares martial law. It is evident that he has a personality disorder. He has been a disaster for this country. He makes Nixon look like a choirboy. The \"culture of corruption\" does exist in Repug circles, and it is business as usual. This is the reason I went to Vietnam? This \"president\" does not care one iota about New Orleans or how bad anyone else has it. He has done all he can to destroy this country. With open borders, the \"war against terror\", Homeland Security, all a sad joke to take away what few rights we have left. It is disgusting, and I am beyond being upset. Thanks for letting me vent.
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lickspittle (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 30 comments)
on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 at 6:34:40 PM
