Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
"Three dark personalities, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy, have been studied in businesses. Although the first two share similar traits with psychopathy, such as superficial charm, lying and manipulation, the inability to accept responsibility for their actions, and the complete lack of empathy, guilt and humility, a large body of research has demonstrated that psychopathic individuals are more dishonest, treacherous and destructive than the others. While all three dark personalities can be bad news for a company, corporate psychopathy is the most dangerous."
Cynthia Mathieu, The Devil Lurks In the Suit
"All governments suffer a recurring problem: power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted."
Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse Dune
"Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by twenty well-documented traits and characteristics. The most visible are glib/superficial charm, a grandiose sense of self worth, a strong need for stimulation (that is, psychopaths are easily bored) and impulsivity. However, there are others, which they successfully hide from view, in particular pathological lying, conning, manipulation, a lack of empathy, remorse and guilt. Over time, one might begin to see examples of irresponsibility, lack of realistic, long-term goals, and their failure to take responsibility for their own actions."
Paul Babiak, Robert Hare, Snakes In Suits
"Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all."
Edmund Burke
"The temporary alliance between the elite and the mob rested largely on this genuine delight with which the former watched the latter destroy respectability. To its conviction that history, which was a forgery anyway, must be added the terrible, demoralizing fascination in the possibility that the difference between truth and falsehood may cease to be objective and become a mere matter of power and cleverness, of pressure and infinite repetition.
Not Stalin’s and Hitler's skill in the art of lying but the fact that they were able to organize the masses into a collective unit to back up their lies with impressive magnificence.”
Hannah Arendt
After the bell the news came out that Fox settled their defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787 million.
There seem to be some heavy judgements falling lately on those who willfully and almost pathologically spread outrageous lies and foment violence in the pursuit of influence and profit.
You may choose to look away, but you can never again say that you did not know the lies that you were spreading to your children and grandchildren, 'just keeping them informed.'
Politicians and financiers are a vile bunch in general. But that does not excuse your willingness to get down in the mud with them for a cheap thrill and some cathartic lawlessness.
Stocks did the usual pop and flop, one day wash and rinse, to which we have become accustomed.
The Dollar fell.
Gold and silver bounced back, although the miners with heavy play in the options market seemed to underperform.
Must be a stock option expiration on Friday.
VIX is now at a noticeable low— as are the morals of far too many people, led by the catastrophic ethical failures of our professional elites at almost every level.
"Evil when we are in its power is not felt as evil, but as a necessity, or even a duty."
Simone Weil
Have a pleasant evening.
