"I told you once that I was searching for the nature of evil. I think I've come close to defining it: a lack of empathy. It's the one characteristic that connects all the defendants. A genuine incapacity to feel with their fellow man. Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy."
G. M. Gilbert, Nuremberg Diary, 1947
"Narcissistic personalities care only for themselves, their needs, and their priorities. While you and I appreciate attention, the narcissist craves it and manipulates people and situations to get it. While you and I work hard to be successful, the narcissistic personality connives to succeed and may cheat, lie, embellish the truth, or scheme to get ahead, uncaring of how others are affected.
These personalities can be found in every level of our society, right up to the top, where history's grim record shows that they've started wars and exterminated populations. But they're also found in the cubicle or on the bar stool next to you, at home, on the team, in the classroom, and even in your spiritual community.
Some narcissistic personalities present themselves as being very accomplished, but in fact they've accomplished little — which doesn't stop them from acting superior and seeing themselves as a great inventor, artist, musician, thinker, leader, or singer. When things don't go their way, they blame everyone but themselves. Maybe these individuals made mistakes, are incompetent, or just aren't well liked, but you'll never hear that from them. No, the system, society, the boss, the professor, the electorate, the world is against them. We simply fail to see how great they are.
When others don't treat narcissists as the special person they deem themselves to be, their reaction is infantile rage that ranges from sulking to whining to seething and, sometimes, to violence. They can berate and blame with impunity, hold grudges, and be vengeful — that is their nature.
Because they see themselves as special and unique, narcissistic personalities tend to see everyone else as either marginal or inferior. They become masters at putting others down in order to elevate themselves — they are the bullies of the world. A person who feels superior to others will have limited ability to empathize.
The most dangerous narcissists are those whose utter lack of empathy and high levels of grandiosity verge on psychopathy: the ability to do harm without remorse. They have no conscience and will exploit others emotionally, financially, and sometimes physically. If you please them, you are convenient; if you displease them, you're more than an inconvenience — you're something they must debase or perhaps destroy.
Because they feel entitled, narcissistic personalities may feel they don't have to work as hard as others, that they can take shortcuts to get what they want, or that the rules don't apply to them. This is how you end up with politicians who have affairs, father children, and attempt to deny their paternity; turn public funds into their own private piggy bank; or are willing to sell political favors for a price."
Joe Navarro, Destructive Personalities, 2014
"Love is a medicine for the sickness of the world; a prescription often given, too rarely taken.”
Karl A. Menninger, Love Against Hate, 1942
The astounding rise of flat out craziness in the world and its markets is striking.
Stocks rallied today on the usual statement from the White House that Iran and the US et al. are on the imminent verge of a peace deal.
That sentiment faded as the day wore on.
Note: Late in the day Iran flat out denies that there are any ongoing moves towards a peace deal.
Another Monday morning market-pumping smoke screen that sidetracked the selling on Friday from the Gaslighting Gang.
Mission accomplished - for now.
Gold and silver fluctuated.
The Dollar went many places but ended up where it left off on Friday.
VIX fell.
Bitcoin managed to bounce off its recent low and come back to challenge prior support which had failed.
The next steps will be important.
Risk is greatly undervalued, almost to a shocking level of willing misinterpretation.
This is the hallmark of autocratic regimes that are failing.
Things have the potential to become exponentially worse, and quickly.
The sickness of the world is being spread like a pandemic of lawlessness by a small but powerful crowd of well-funded sociopaths. Those who are easily seduced by money and power are quickly falling in line with it.
It will be hard for future generations to understand this, just as we have struggled to understand the middle of the last century and the madness that overtook it.
Have a pleasant evening.
