Narcissism: Lois Lerner

An interesting view of Lois Lerner, the head of the IRS, the Democratic Party operative ignoring scandals, accusations of criminal activity, and violating the principles of the Fifth Amendment by answer questions, then refusing before Congress:

She is being caught lying and obfuscating, here, a violation of her oath, but look at the pose as she looks down on the member of Congress. Let's see:  "screw you"

Compare with Mr. Obama at a prayer session. Mr. Bush's head pose is normal for prayer.

 and

Below is an extract from a body language site that reveals the basic meanings of human gesture which are animal traits, not learned quirks:

head held high

head

superiority, fearlessness, arrogance

Especially if exhibited with jutting chin.

Rarely, do we come across an arrogant sense of superiority of this sort.  I dare say few readers have come across this degree of arrogance. Still, you sense not to hire that person.

Of course, one needs to be careful that a photo is not timed to make the jutting chin expression, but experience shows this is not the case in the above examples. Of course, the media never showed these shots.

Further, holding one's head like that is so unnatural there would be few chances to snap a photo like those. It takes an action of will to make such a posture. One wonders why the GOP, the gang that can't think straight, did not just run ads of the above pose to scare off normal people who could see what they were facing.

We are not looking at just pride; this is narcissism, a deadly trait of one with power, especially if that person is subversive out destroy all he or she disdains. I reviewed this years, ago, here:

Other symptoms in addition to the ones defined by DSM-IV-TR include: Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends, has trouble keeping healthy relationships with others, easily hurt or rejected, appears unemotional, and exaggerating special achievements and talents, setting unrealistic goals for himself/herself.^[5]

Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by dramatic, emotional behavior, and an over-inflated sense of self-importance that is in the same category as antisocial and borderline personality disorders.^[6]

In addition to these symptoms, the person may display arrogance, show superiority, and seek power.^[7] The symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder can be similar to the traits of individuals with strong self-esteem and confidence; differentiation occurs when the underlying psychological structures of these traits are considered pathological. Narcissists have such an elevated sense of self-worth that they value themselves as inherently better than others, when in reality they have a fragile self-esteem, cannot handle criticism, and often try to compensate for this inner fragility by belittling or disparaging others in an attempt to validate their own self-worth. Comments and criticisms about others are vicious from sufferers of NPD, in an attempt to boost their own poor self-esteem.^[8]

Mayor Bloomberg and the Looking Glass

It is the practice of Marxists and socialists to declare their opponents mentally ill and dismiss them, or institutionalize them. (see Frankfurt group at the Marxist Columbia University)  So, I will avoid making snide remarks regarding the left and leave any judgment to you.  One should not engage in tit-for-tat.

As you recall cognitive dissonance occurs when a person is confronted with a reality that does not fit their preferred world view.  In that case, the person never even hears or sees the offending information. You see this when all arguments are rebuffed with,
Bush did it."   Keep that in mind.

Next, understand narcissism, which I outlined when Obama was first running and the leading expert in the world in that mental illness noted Obama was clearly a narcissist.  From  Wikipedia:

Symptoms of this disorder, as defined by the DSM-IV-TR include:^[1]

• Reacting to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation
• Taking advantage of others to reach own goals
• Exaggerating own importance, achievements, and talents
• Imagining unrealistic fantasies of success, beauty, power, intelligence, or romance
• Requiring constant attention and positive reinforcement from others
• Becoming jealous easily
• Lacking empathy and disregarding the feelings of others
• Being obsessed with self
• Pursuing mainly selfish goals
• Trouble keeping healthy relationships
• Becoming easily hurt and rejected
• Setting goals that are unrealistic
• Wanting "the best" of everything
• Appearing unemotional

In addition to these symptoms, the person may also display dominance, arrogance, show superiority, and seek power.^[6] The symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder can be similar to the traits of individuals with strong self-esteem and confidence; differentiation occurs when the underlying psychological structures of these traits are considered pathological. Narcissists have such an elevated sense of self-worth that they value themselves as inherently better than others. However, they have a fragile self-esteem and cannot handle criticism, and will often try to compensate for this inner fragility by belittling or disparaging others in an attempt to validate their own self-worth. It is this sadistic tendency that is characteristic of narcissism as opposed to other psychological conditions affecting level of self-worth.^[7]

One could say, Obama's goals were not unrealistic, considering his offensive line and the defensive media line.

Scott Peck once wrote there are two types of mental illness. One where a person takes on responsibility for everything bad  and tone where one never assumes responsibility for anything, ever.  So, with this in mind, review Mayor Bloomberg's recent comments on TV that Rod sent along:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Sunday: Sometimes government does know best. And in those cases, Americans should just cede their rights. 

“I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom,” Mr. Bloomberg said, during an appearance on NBC. He made the statement during discussion of his soda ban — just shot down by the courts — and insistence that his fight to control sugary drink portion sizes in the city would go forth.

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SEE RELATED: N.Y. Mayor Bloomberg: ‘I think I have a responsibility … to try to make this country safer’

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“We think the judge was just clearly wrong on this,” he said, on NBC. “Our Department of Health has the legal ability to do this. … [They’re] not banning anything.” 

Mr. Bloomberg’s remaining months in office have included a firestorm of regulations and policy pushes on wide range of issues. Aside from the soda size ban and a well-publicized call for tighter gun control, another contentious policy he pushed: Nudging hospitals to lock up baby formula to force mothers to breast-feed newborns.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/25/nyc-mayor-bloomberg-government-has-right-infringe-/#ixzz2OfqJROeo
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

The man is, as we used to say, "mad."

He says, you are too stupid for your own good and should let "we,"  the government, tell you what to do. (I guess this act of a madman accepting this must resolve the illness).   He does agree we have rights, but they have to be put aside for his edicts on proper living. 

He said the Department of Health, now it is not him as the ruling was rejected by the court, had the right to interfere with your rights to purchase a legal substance and the flow commerce. even if the regulation discriminated against the poor, thus, being racist at heart.

He is spending millions in Chicago and Colorado to influence local elections, as the people there are stupid too to be trusted.  He wants cigarettes to be hidden from view in a store, lest a child look at them and decide to buy them.  This is the MAYOR of the, still, the most important city in the world.

Notice he also clearly states the government is "we." Classical fascist logic (yes, fascism is the right aspect of the current "liberal.") Leftist never agree to be followers, they always see themselves as the "we" that is in charge.

Of course, as the article says, he feels hospitals must hide baby formula lest a mother want to use it. He likes mothers to breast feed. It must please him to see that. I guess if a mother is on crack, it is too bad for the baby.

He knows what is good, you see, coming from Wall Street where, as a partner in Salomon Bothers, he learned to use other people's money and other people.  One has to say, though, he was a good chum defending billionaires to the Occupy Wall Street people as being hard working tax payers. 

The man should be removed for medical reasons.  

Caveat: Not being judgmental about the looney, just saying. The curious thing to remember, he is not crazy if you are a leftist where if you say you don't understand why 33 oz of crappy soda is a crime. immoral, or whatever the justification makes you extreme or ill.  

In the forests of the night

Doesn't it seem as though news departments of various television and radio outlets meet to discuss what stories to run?  The world is in chaos, there are wars and bombings everywhere, our nation is being dismantled at a quickening pace, as the citizens are catching on, yet the same six stories are covered, all with no substance.

The other day, no matter how quickly I used the remote channel changer, there was snide gossip about Tiger Woods.  His tale was the lead story, even ahead of the dog show.  Righteous indignation for the drooling masses.

Frankly, watching such coverage should make one uncomfortable.  Who watches gossip? Who decides a personal melt down is news?  Why put so many women, who look at Woods as a soap opera character, on TV to express outrage?  We are have become the gossip nation.

World wide coverage of a discovered personal failing does not recommend us to the Federation of Panets.

Put aside, now, this disconcerting notion that people all around you are shallow. Look at what lesson has been revealed. There is a very clear one, if you look.

In Wood's speech, his media apology for who knows what - for upsetting his image is what I got, Mr Woods said he was having therapy and it was there he was reminded of the spiritual life.

That is the lesson, do you see it?

In today's world someone can divest moral responsibility to a word that exists outside the person.  We are told immorality is a disease.  Some virus done it, no me.

Simply, Mr. Woods had no moral center regarding marriage and preferred not to have one, thank you very much.  It is as simple as that. This is not a sexual addiction, some made up term for a person who sees no reason not to engage in rabbit sex, but who needs a cover.  He got caught and, now, sees the light, allelujah.  He has been reminded of his spiritual side.

Woods does not have a mature understanding of being married, as opposed to being mated.  Because he was rich, famous, and nice guy, women presented themselves.  There are plenty of them whose career is "soft hooking," as I once heard it described - by a woman. These people have no moral center either.  This was the norm in the Hollywood I saw.  Rabbits all. There is a rabbit social contract that is  easily breached for money.

So presented with  ways to be a jack rabbit, Woods took the opportunities.  It was fun and the attention flattered his ego. He explained:  he felt he earned this activity.

What he was really saying is:  I made money and was famous, so morality does not apply to someone above the masses.  Like I say, this is Hollywood; it is Washington D.C.

He had no first assumptions about trust and his faithfulness, so what the hell. The game is to not get caught. He lost that game and, gee, everyone around him was serious about their morality.

Marriage for Wood was finding a social front, locking in a nice soft-hooker, and enjoying family life, as a moral cripple would define it. Here we come to the many definitions of love. Can we say he "loved" his wife?  Your answer defines you.



Woods was arrogant, a pathological narcissist, another nice term for being selfish. He was a teenager confronted with rules he pretended to accept while doing what he wanted.  I wonder if the rules of golf would have been honored if no one was watching.

Here we are at the important point:  are we programmed creatures guilty of nothing (B. F. Skinner) or are we adults able to discern meaning and responsibility?  Most will answer quickly to the latter, but I wonder.

We are quick to go to all manner of therapy, to be exorcised of whatever devil can be found. The Bible has all manner of names for these spirits, though far fewer than the names of psychology texts. Most of us need an outside force to blame, rather than be honest and say we invited the devil in for tea. In the end, ether we are not responsible for anything, responsible for our actions, or responsible for not examine outselves, a serious flaw.

To admit that we caused a problem would mean we are morally responsible. Mr. Woods does not see that, though he is in distress. He is trying to manage people and the world, rather than himself.  He won't find his answers in therapy where the spiritual life is discussed.

Pride is the greatest sin of all.

William Blake. 1757–1827

489. The Tiger

TIGER, tiger, burning bright    
In the forests of the night,    
What immortal hand or eye    
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?    

In what distant deeps or skies             5
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?    
On what wings dare he aspire?    
What the hand dare seize the fire?    

And what shoulder and what art    
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?      10
And when thy heart began to beat,    
What dread hand and what dread feet?    

What the hammer? what the chain?    
In what furnace was thy brain?    
What the anvil? What dread grasp      15
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?    

When the stars threw down their spears,    
And water'd heaven with their tears,    
Did He smile His work to see?    
Did He who made the lamb make thee?      20

Tiger, tiger, burning bright    
In the forests of the night,    
What immortal hand or eye    
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Narcissism

Dali - Metamorphosis/New Narcissus. Stare at it a long time. The eye is easily tricked. It would be a good exercise to get a huge version. For example, see the people in the center? See the man in the water?

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Tom read an email to me that I thought was interesting. It was from some crack-pot organization, as I didn't know it, and detailed the elements of narcissism, which is hard for me to spell. I hadn't realized there was a detailed break down of the elements of the recognized psychological dysfunction.

Less than 1% of the population suffers from narcissism and of that 75% are men.

Intro:

The onset of narcissism is in infancy, childhood and early adolescence. It is commonly attributed to childhood abuse and trauma inflicted by parents, authority figures, or even peers.

There is a whole range of narcissistic reactions - from the mild, reactive and transient to the permanent personality disorder.

Narcissists are either "Cerebral" (derive their narcissistic supply from their intelligence or academic achievements) - or "Somatic" (derive their narcissistic supply from their physique, exercise, physical or sexual prowess and "conquests").

Narcissists are either "Classic" - see definition below - or they are "Compensatory", or "Inverted" - see definitions here: "The Inverted Narcissist".

The detail was fascinating, but I won't say why. You are on your own.

An all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behaviour), need for admiration or adulation and lack of empathy, usually beginning by early adulthood and present in various contexts. Five (or more) of the following criteria must be met:

Feels grandiose and self-important (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequalledbrilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion

Firmly convinced that he or she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people (or institutions)

Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation - or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (narcissistic supply)

Feels entitled. Expects unreasonable or special and favorable priority treatment. Demands automaticand full compliance with his or her expectations

Is "interpersonally exploitative", i.e., uses others to achieve his or her own ends

Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with or acknowledge the feelings and needs of others

Constantly envious of others or believes that they feel the same about him or her

Arrogant, haughty behaviours or attitudes coupled with rage when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted

Some of the language in the criteria above is based on or summarized from:

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition, Text Revision (DSM IV-TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

The text in italics is based on: Sam Vaknin. (2003). Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited, fourth, revised, printing. Prague and Skopje: Narcissus Publication.

OK for the morbidly curious:

Inverted Narcissist

Also called "covert narcissist", this is a co-dependent who depends exclusively on narcissists (narcissist-co-dependent). If you are living with a narcissist, have a relationship with one, if you are married to one, if you are working with a narcissist, etc. - it does NOT mean that you are an inverted narcissist.

To "qualify" as an inverted narcissist, you must CRAVE to be in a relationship with a narcissist, regardless of any abuse inflicted on you by him/her. You must ACTIVELY seek relationships with narcissists and ONLY with narcissists, no matter what your (bitter and traumatic) past experience has been. You must feel EMPTY and UNHAPPY in relationships with ANY OTHER kind of person. Only then, and if you satisfy the other diagnostic criteria of a Dependent Personality Disorder, can you be safely labelled an "inverted narcissist".

There is a dot below. Go figure.