Kinda spit-balling an idea that came to me earlier. Three of the six most narcissistic U.S. presidents served consecutively (JFK, LBJ, Nixon) during a time of massive social, economic, and geopolitical upheaval. This was an extraordinary run and a new study linked to in the next post indicates that they really are major troublemakers and bad role models. If narcissistic leaders tend to be conflict-prone, impulsive, and more focused on personal legacy than long-term stability, it’s worth considering how this shaped both domestic and international affairs. Potential Effects of Three Consecutive Narcissistic Presidents 1. Domestic Polarization & Cultural Shifts Role Models for Young Men: If narcissistic leaders shape societal attitudes, then young men coming of age in the '60s (now late Boomers) may have been influenced by their examples—promoting a culture of aggression, ambition, and self-importance. Erosion of Trust in Government: The Vietnam War (LBJ/Nixon) and Watergate (Nixon) significantly damaged public confidence in institutions, a trust deficit that arguably never fully recovered. 2. Foreign Policy Conflicts & Overreach Unilateral Decision-Making: Narcissistic leaders tend to act alone, disregarding allies. JFK → Cuban Missile Crisis (brinkmanship, aggressive posturing) LBJ → Vietnam War escalation (ignoring advisors who urged withdrawal) Nixon → Expansion into Cambodia/Laos (going it alone and worsening U.S. credibility) Alienation of Allies: By the early '70s, European and Asian allies were frustrated with U.S. leadership, contributing to Nixon’s decision to abandon Bretton Woods and move to floating currencies. 3. Economic Consequences Short-Term Economic Decisions: Narcissists prioritize immediate success over long-term sustainability. JFK → Tax cuts & economic expansion (short-term boost but long-term deficits) LBJ → "Guns and Butter" policy (Vietnam + Great Society spending fueled inflation) Nixon → Wage & price controls (failed attempt to curb inflation, leading to stagflation) Collapse of the Bretton Woods System (1971): The U.S. could no longer sustain the gold standard due to massive debt and inflation, much of it driven by Vietnam War spending and economic mismanagement. Nixon’s narcissistic need for control led to unilateral decisions (like the "Nixon Shock") that disrupted global trade. 4. Legacy & Long-Term Cultural Impact Shift Toward Cynicism & Disillusionment: The JFK mythos was shattered by assassination conspiracy theories. LBJ was seen as a war-mongering liar. Nixon’s paranoia and Watergate scandal cemented deep distrust in leadership. The Boomers’ Self-Focus: Raised in a period of narcissistic leadership, many late Boomers embraced individualism, material success, and distrust of institutions, setting the stage for later economic and political trends. Comparison to Trump’s Effect on Young Men Today Trump's presidency glorified personal dominance, aggression, and self-promotion, influencing young men in the same way that JFK/LBJ/Nixon may have done in the '60s. If narcissistic leaders serve as role models, we might see generational effects echoing down the line. Final Thought If narcissism at the top breeds short-term gains but long-term instability, then the 1960s-70s period and the post-2016 era might be seen as two major waves of narcissistic influence—both leading to institutional decline, economic turmoil, and public disillusionment.
Narcissistic presidents were seven times more likely to start a conflict with rival great powers than less egotistic US leaders, study finds. https://news.osu.edu/us-presidential-narcissism-linked-to-longer-wars/ This is an interesting and provocative study. Here's a breakdown of the key points: Narcissism and War Length: The core finding is that U.S. presidents who score higher on measures of narcissism tend to preside over longer wars. Measurement of Narcissism: The study used a dataset from 2000 that assessed presidential personalities based on evaluations by presidential historians and experts. This dataset looked at factors like assertiveness, excitement-seeking, modesty, compliance, and straightforwardness. Key Examples: High Narcissism: Lyndon Johnson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Richard Nixon. Low Narcissism: William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Calvin Coolidge. Why Narcissism Matters: The study suggests that narcissistic presidents are more likely to: Prioritize their self-image and desire to appear victorious. Struggle to separate personal interests from state interests. Have grander war aims. Adopt ineffective strategies due to overconfidence. Resist changing strategies, even in the face of failure. Other Factors: The study acknowledges that many factors influence war duration, but it argues that presidential narcissism is a significant and often overlooked factor. Implications: The research suggests that a president's personality traits can have a substantial impact on important policy decisions, such as the duration of military conflicts. This study raises important questions about the role of personality in politics and the potential consequences of leaders' personal characteristics on national policy.
What is the personality trait of corrupt bureaucrats that turned politics into a puppet show. They piss away tax dollars while turning a deaf ear.
JFK displayed High Narcissism, but Not Malignant JFK likely had classic narcissistic personality traits of confidence, charm, risk-taking, and a strong desire for admiration, but he lacked the paranoia, cruelty, and vindictiveness of true malignant narcissists like Nixon or Trump. He was capable of empathy and could admit mistakes (Bay of Pigs). Malignant narcissism is the extreme form of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) that includes antisocial traits, paranoia, aggression, and sadism. Experts have suggested that certain presidents exhibited traits consistent with malignant narcissism. Here are the most commonly mentioned ones: 1. Richard Nixon (1969–1974) Highly secretive and paranoid (Watergate scandal, enemies list). Engaged in unethical behavior to maintain power. Known for a deep sense of grievance and vindictiveness. 2. Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969) Ruthless in political maneuvering and known for physicall bullying subordinates ("The Johnson Treatment"). Grandiose and manipulative, often pushing people to their limits. Obsession with power and control over others. 3. Donald Trump (2017–2021, and now 2025–) Diagnosed as a textbook case of malignant narcissism. Displays extreme grandiosity, lack of empathy, and an obsession with personal loyalty. Uses humiliation, vindictiveness, and conspiracy-mongering to maintain control. Habitually refuses to accept responsibility for failures, often blaming others. Some historians have also pointed to Andrew Jackson for his aggressive temperament and disregard for legal constraints, but he likely fits more into an authoritarian or highly narcissistic mold rather than full-blown malignant narcissism.
Its all about this weeks show with Trump. Neil deGrasse Tyson was very clear on StarTalk recently that Elon's Mars project is so massive it would require civilization-level resources, on a scale never accessed in human history. To achieve this, Musk must either convince voters, as Kennedy did for the much much smaller Moon landing effort, or bypass democracy altogether. Sure there is a race with China, personally I question if the planet can handle two seperate, gigantic, Mars projects in parallel. Narcissists are going to make this a new cold war, in space.
One guy from my country who's in a big debt, but still travels, spends, etc, dropped this : ,, You can't take money into afterlife but you can take your debts '' (laughs) Maybe, that's the plan.
That's a good outcome, for the future, if, it's not - just another fairy tale from him. p.s grew up with a narcissist parent. That's an ugly, ugly thing to deal with. It infects you as well. And it takes work upon yourself to heal and to change (while you will never fully change).
I was fortunate not to closely encounter them much as a kid, perhaps only once at an Irish language summer camp, where I had a close call with a pedophile priest who was bereft of any empathy for kids he sexually abused. Others weren’t so lucky. Looking back, my large size at twelve may have given him pause. For a long time, though, I ran into people like this without fully understanding the underlying pathology. I knew the word narcissist but assumed it referred only to physical vanity. I understood psychopath, sociopath etc but didn't grasp narcissist really. When my daughter, very tall for her age, started drawing the attention of grown men who were impossibly bold and persistent, I reacted and was surprised that they didn't seem intimidated? As if they could not grasp that I was a serious danger to them. After hurting more than one of them (without her realizing any of this at the time), I decided to dig deeper. I read about it, spoke to social worker friends, and came to recognize what was really happening. These people project a shield, a kind of social camouflage. Most don’t see them for what they are until it’s too late. So charming perhaps, until you get between them and what they want and the mask slips. My point in this is that so many people have to have a painful experience with them to understand, they need to be treated far more seriously.