I used to write about Trump’s narcissism all the time. It maybe time to apply that to Putin.
I sort of *feel* a narcissist’s energy in their actions. I sense where they are mentally.
It feels very much like Putin was startled and thrown off by Biden outing his plans.
1/
I sort of *feel* a narcissist’s energy in their actions. I sense where they are mentally.
It feels very much like Putin was startled and thrown off by Biden outing his plans.
1/
https://twitter.com/kevinrothrock/status/1496842614070550530
Putin had a whole plot engineered to give him a pretext for this invasion. It would start with a false flag and would then proceed to the invasion we just saw.
The explanation would have been that Ukraine is riddled with threats to Russia and Putin had no choice but to act.
2/
The explanation would have been that Ukraine is riddled with threats to Russia and Putin had no choice but to act.
2/
Biden stole that narrative out from under him though and left Putin with either the humiliation of retreat or trying to concoct some new rationale for pressing ahead.
Narcissism prevents a unilateral retreat. It would be an admission of having been wrong.
3/
Narcissism prevents a unilateral retreat. It would be an admission of having been wrong.
3/
So, Putin pressed ahead and is now out over his skis in terms of the narrative. Narcissists need dust clouds to cover their offenses. Putin doesn’t really have one.
So, now he’s doing what Trump does when embarrassed: throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping something sticks.
4/
So, now he’s doing what Trump does when embarrassed: throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping something sticks.
4/
In the last two days, he has vacillated between claiming:
1) Ukraine doesn’t exist and is rightfully part of Russia
2) Ukrainians want free-determination and he’s merely helping
3) It’s NATO’s fault for expanding eastward
4) It’s about cleaning out bad actors in Ukraine
5/
1) Ukraine doesn’t exist and is rightfully part of Russia
2) Ukrainians want free-determination and he’s merely helping
3) It’s NATO’s fault for expanding eastward
4) It’s about cleaning out bad actors in Ukraine
5/
He lost the cover story of a false flag; has been exposed as a naked warlord; and is now facing even greater public rebuke that is spiraling beyond what he imagined.
As intimidating as Putin is to many, he is just another narcissist with formulaic drives and a cast of enablers.
As intimidating as Putin is to many, he is just another narcissist with formulaic drives and a cast of enablers.
And as I used to say all the time, narcissists are simple machines.
They are compelled by two related drives:
- be seen as special, powerful and worthy of admiration
- avoid being seen as shameful, unworthy of esteem
Now Putin has himself out somewhere he didn’t plan to be.
They are compelled by two related drives:
- be seen as special, powerful and worthy of admiration
- avoid being seen as shameful, unworthy of esteem
Now Putin has himself out somewhere he didn’t plan to be.
Putin didn’t bargain for the amount of pressure he and Russia are about to be under.
People who have been around narcissism can feel the narc’s energy when they are dysregulated like static electricity. That is how Putin’s conduct has felt this week. Dysregulated.
People who have been around narcissism can feel the narc’s energy when they are dysregulated like static electricity. That is how Putin’s conduct has felt this week. Dysregulated.
Putin had a plan that he would not have wavered from. Biden outed it. Putin pressed ahead uncovered.
He acted rashly due to his narcissism… but due to that same narcissism, there may actually be room to de-escalate this in the not so distant future.
He acted rashly due to his narcissism… but due to that same narcissism, there may actually be room to de-escalate this in the not so distant future.
I know that sounds impossible. It isn’t.
Narcissists serve their image. Always.
Putin misjudged… he underestimated how quickly and ferociously the world would galvanize in disgust.
And he underestimated the pressure that will result through even his own oligarchs.
//
Narcissists serve their image. Always.
Putin misjudged… he underestimated how quickly and ferociously the world would galvanize in disgust.
And he underestimated the pressure that will result through even his own oligarchs.
//
Whoops, didn’t mean to end there.
The final bit was:
If there is a chance at de-escalation, it will require Putin being able to fashion a face-saving narrative for how he was right to invade; didn’t lose; and was right to de-escalate as a result of some alleged development.
The final bit was:
If there is a chance at de-escalation, it will require Putin being able to fashion a face-saving narrative for how he was right to invade; didn’t lose; and was right to de-escalate as a result of some alleged development.
It doesn’t have to be true or all that believable. It just has to feel plausible to the narcissist.
May sound impossible but it is actually pretty 101 when it comes to narcissists. They hold no long-term, stable beliefs. They care only about their ego-needs. That’s it.
//
May sound impossible but it is actually pretty 101 when it comes to narcissists. They hold no long-term, stable beliefs. They care only about their ego-needs. That’s it.
//
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