Had an enlightening conversation last night, about Donald Trump, of course. We got to talking about scenarios and how Trump’s narcissism blinds and informs at the same time.
One thing I wrestle with is why Trump, at the age of 78, wants to continue to pursue POTUS. Why wouldn’t he just want to sail off into the sunset, spend his remaining years at Mar a Lago or try to build another golf course, or something? There are the obvious reasons—he’s a sore loser and wants to win, he’s power-hungry, he’s gotten himself into so much hot water that he’d prefer to stay out of jail, etc.
But what was driven home in last night’s back and forth is that he’s actually incapable of generating the self-talk that might convince him of choosing such a path. He can’t do it, because he’s broken, and broken from a young age.
Trump is a case study in what happens when a person misses out on nurture and attention and the formation of a healthy self-image at a critical developmental stage. He’s practically incapable of self-assessment and course correction. Which isn’t a reason to dismiss his behavior, or forgive it. It’s just that we’ve given permission to a monster, of sorts. And the jury’s out on what or who is going to stop him.
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