Obama the Clinical Narcissist

@Finn dAbuzz,

Just for the record, Narcissistic Personality Disorder also requires that these items cause problems for the person in their daily lives.

Earned narcissism is not destructive. Anyone who's been elected President of the United States has earned their narcissism, I'd say.

(And I posted similar things when people were accusing Bush of having NPD.)

1 Reply

@engineer,

This thread reminds me of a personal story. My son plays the violin. As a freshman in high school, he was selected to play in the all state strings orchestra. Even though he had only been playing for a few years and was only a freshman, he tried out for concert master and to everyone's surprise (including his) he made it. Bursting with pride, we went to the big concert (where he was GREAT!) and met his high school teacher. Her comment was something to the effect "he's just so overconfident!" I let it slide because I think she didn't mean anything by it, but it really pissed me off, because I was there for the hours and hours of practice that happened before. She just saw him in class with his buds, but between the time he was accepted and the time he tried out for concert master, he probably averaged two hours a day of practice on the pieces for the concert at home. He wasn't overconfident, he was just confident because he'd put in the work and the sweat. It's not overconfidence if you can do it.

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@ebrown p,

This is also pretty common on the break-up threads. "My husband (wife, ex, g/b friend) suffers from narcissistic disorder (depression, etc.) I read the traits online and he/she is a perfect fit!" You can dislike someone without needing a clinical reason.

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@Phoenix32890,

Seriously, though, the President is supposed to surround himself with a staff that helps him push his agenda.

Phoenix32890 wrote:

You are entitled to your opinion, but I don't give a damn!!!

And that would be more effective without the exclamation points.

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@Thomas,

Thomas- I don't think that Bush (whom I ended up believing was a complete idiot) used the media anywhere to the extent that Obama has.

Funny that you should mention Bush. One of the biggest problems that I have when I vote, is that I usually don't like either of the candidates. So I end up with what I consider the "least worst". And I think that my reaction goes back to my remark that the really bright, logical, rational people would not touch national politics with a ten foot pole. Too bad!

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@msolga,

Quote:

Maybe what one person perceives as a "cult of personality" is what another person might see as understandable admiration of Obama's communication skills? He is an extremely impressive & eloquent speaker.

Oh, I agree that Obama is one of the most elequent speakers in the Oval office in years. I have no way to quantify it, but it seems to me that he has gotten more airtime than the last few presidents combined. Also, he is constantly travelling all over the country pushing his agenda, as if his second term were imminent.

Seems to me that the majority of his time needs to be spent in the White House, doing the job he was for which he was elected.

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@Phoenix32890,

Pushing his agenda is his job. He works for the people, so traveling around talking to them seems like a reasonable thing to do. Sitting hunkered down in the White House surrounded by like thinging appointees and battling other politicians who are likewise surrounded by like thinking underlings is not where I'd prefer him.

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@Phoenix32890,

Wasn't he elected to "push his agenda"?

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@Phoenix32890,

I agree he's using his cult of followers to ride the wave. He's smart to exploit it, as annoying as that may be. I find the cultish elements to be bizarre, here and there.

On the other hand, why the hell not-- when I see people wearing their Obama jackets, it makes me realize the impact of a black man making it as president. It still has huge historical meaning, and in this way I find it refreshing.

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@Gala,

I find it refreshing too.....that is until even the mildest criticism of Obama (even jokingly) is met with responses like this (which happened today):

http://able2know.org/topic/71145-1451#post-3795458

teenyboone wrote:

So now, you "nit-pick" at a man YOU don't think is "qualified", let's say it, BLACK, right? More qualified and educated than the Confederate/McCain, who referred to Mr. Obama as "that one", like he landed from the moon, as "not like us"! You "we're better than you" folks forget, that WE pay taxes and wipe our A$$e$ in the SAME place as you!

For 450 years, before this place became the so-called United States, WE were here, building Washington DC, Boston, New York and toiling in the fields of the South, for FREE! That WE have fought in every war since the Revolution and then some and still don't get recognized for our SERVICE. We bleed and die on the fields of battle, just like you, so who are YOU to say, that Patriotism only comes in one COLOR? If you give the Japanese and Jews of WWII reparations, where in the hell is my 40 Acres, forget the mule, because I can buy a tractor!
450 years and still 2nd class. Where is your mind?

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Hmm, I suppose we have different ideas about clinical narcissists [= persons with narcissistic personality disorder according to DSM-IV-TR (and the various related classifications in the ICD-10)] here in Europe, but especially in Germany.

At least to my experience and to what I've heard from a friend who's the leading psychiatric doctor of a ward for persons for such illness.

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@maporsche,

maporsche wrote:

I find it refreshing too.....that is until even the mildest criticism of Obama (even jokingly) is met with responses like this ...

Some people considered any critisism of Bush as attacks against his religion. We all filter stuff through our personal beliefs. I wouldn't let it get under your skin or ascribe that trait to all supporters of the President.

1 Reply

@maporsche,

I know what you're saying. Then again, I don't know what it's like to be judged for the color of my skin. So, if someone is sensitive to this, even the joking, then it's important to look at it from their perspective.

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@engineer,

Quote:

Some people considered any critisism of Bush as attacks against his religion. We all filter stuff through our personal beliefs.

Sadly, so true. With Bush is was his religious beliefs, with Obama his color. I am so much more interested in a President's political beliefs, coupled with an ability to realize that the U.S. is a nation with people with disparate political beliefs.

I abhorred Bush's agenda in attempting to superimpose his religious values on the nation. I dislike Obama's attempt to interject the power of federal government in ways that are best dealt with on a personal or in some cases, state level.

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@engineer,

I like this story, and it just goes to show you how people's prejudices get in the way. Better yet, it sounds like your son has focus, which will help him throughout his life.

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@Gala,

Quote:

I agree he's using his cult of followers to ride the wave.

What "cult of followers"?

I don't know which President Obama you are talking about, but this doesn't describe at all what is happening. The people who elected president Obama are now way ahead of him. We are pushing him to the left (not following him to the center).

Look at the Health Care debate. Obama has clearly wanted to use the "Snowe trigger" as a safe way to get some mythical "bipartisanship". The left said (quite clearly) -- "No way!" and basically pushed Obama back (apparently) into the public option. The left is also pushing Obama about Don't ask/Don't tell (which is increasing pressure to the bubbling point) and immigration (which is being handled with a bit more patience but the pressure is there).

There is no rationale between this "cult of personality". It simply doesn't exist.

Those of us that made the Obama presidency possible are about issues, not about personality. And more often than not the issues are driving Obama faster than he wants to go.

Name me one issue where you think people are mindlessly following (rather than leading ahead of) Obama.

If there is any cult here-- it is the cult of Obama hatred.

If you are going to indulge in silly name calling-- at least make sure there is some basis in reality to back you up.

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@Gala,

Quote:

when I see people wearing their Obama jackets, it makes me realize the impact of a black man making it as president. It still has huge historical meaning, and in this way I find it refreshing.

Yes, the election of a black man does have tremendous historical significance. This is only a start. The real challenge is when a person is elected because he/she is a great candidate, not because of sex, religion, ethnicity, color, or sexual preference.

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@Phoenix32890,

Are you saying Obama was elected because he is black? I would have said he was elected in spite of that.

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@engineer,

I don't think Phoenix is suggesting Obama was elected because he was gay.

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The funny thing is that little girls like Finn whine and bitch about people being mean to them, while they feel perfectly comfortable being mean to people who have no ability to write back or engage them - as is the case here. I think it's a form of cowardice, personally.

I also agree with earlier posters that Pop Psychology diagnoses say a lot more about the person who is making them than they do about the person supposedly being diagnosed with a 'problem.'

I honestly think this thread was started by John as a way of testing out his intention to ignore those of us who don't pretend he's not an asshole.

Cycloptichorn

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Obama the Clinical Narcissist

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