Does this sound like Dubya?

Post by **Robert_Moriyama** » August 30, 2004, 09:38:02 AM

Excerpts from a Toronto Sun article Mirror mirror ... CHANCES ARE YOU EITHER KNOW A NARCISSIST OR YOU ARE ONE By JOANNE RICHARD, TORONTO SUN ... Narcissists are infatuated and obsessed with themselves to the exclusion of all others. "It is characterized by a lack of empathy, grandiose fantasies, an overpowering sense of entitlement -- disproportionate with the narcissist's accomplishments or skills -- as well as arrogance, pernicious envy and exploitativeness," says Vaknin, adding that 75% of all narcissists are men. "A narcissist is a drug addict whose drug is attention." ... 'SELF IMPORTANCE' "Narcissists have feelings of grand self importance and want others on their knees in gratitude. They tell people, 'you're lucky to date me or work for me,' and they're very convincing," says Stockley, adding that generally narcissists seek treatment only if they have something to lose. ... Most narcissists disregard social norms, morals and laws and often feel invincible, immune and above-the-law, says Vaknin, whose malignant self-absorption landed him a one-year jail sentence for stock manipulation. (Treaties? Who cares about treaties? And I never went to any convention in Switzerland, let alone one in Geneva.) ... "Narcissists treat other people as objects, mere instruments of gratification, to be used, abused, and unceremoniously discarded. The victims of narcissists are traumatized and scarred for life," he says, adding that this destructive disease forever changes those around him. (If you think you can intimidate me be killing American troops, bring it on! If you need me, I'll be in my bunker surrounded by Secret Service agents. I was proud to serve my country by joining the Texas Air National Guard and showing up occasionally. By the way, how are those Armed Forces pay and benefit cuts coming along?) ... For more info on narcissism, see Vaknin's work and Web site at Narcissistic-abuse.com. ... HOW TO SPOT A NARCISSIST Think you might be caught up in a grand illusion? Is your haughty honey or overbearing boss in constant need of a fan club? Check to see how many of these points apply: - Grandiose statements and frequent, unwarranted boasting and lying. ("Mission accomplished"!) - Feelings of unbounded entitlement and haughty superiority. - A consistent and energy-draining pattern of exploitation. (Tax cuts and untendered contracts to benefit my golf buddies should be a national priority, of course.) - Blames every mistake of his, every failure, or mishap on others, or on the world at large. ("The CIA made me do it.") - Hypersensitive and hyper-vigilant -- picks fights, feels constantly slighted, injured and insulted. - Cruel, lacks compassion. - A history of battering or violent offences or behaviour coupled with serial jobs and relationships. - Possessive, control freak, and excessive, explosive jealousy. - Lacks respect for your personal boundaries, wishes and privacy. ("I don't like that Saddam fellow. I think I'll invade and overthrow him.") - Rapid cycling -- between moods, between idealizing and devaluing you, between preferences and beliefs, etc. If you have answered "yes" to any of the above -- stay away, warns Dr. Sam Vaknin. Your guy could be a narcissistic abuser.

Post by **kailhofer** » August 30, 2004, 08:46:08 PM

Funny this topic should come up. The President called me today! There it was, on my answering machine when I went home for lunch. George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, and he urged me to get my absentee ballot. I thought, gee this President is on top of things. I didn't know I was absent. I hadn't even known there was a roll call. He told me of the great things he had done, and how they were winning the war on terror. He went on to add that my vote was important to him, little me [sniff]. Finally he said that his message was paid for by Bush-Cheney '04, Inc., and I thought, wow, even the election committee is a for profit corporation? Man, these Republicans are so much smarter than a little guy like me. Patriotism swells in the heart of the American writer, who--wait a minute, is way worse of than he was 4 years ago!! In fact, not a soul he knows in his blue-collar town is as well off as they were then! His Dad forced into social security, his Mom without insurance, and he himself unable to find a better-paying job to provide for his family... [vehement swear words] Important to him, my eye. Nate

Post by **kailhofer** » August 31, 2004, 08:56:42 PM

Goodness, I don't mean to imply that anyone else is better than President Bush. I meant to say that as a blue-collar schmoe, I do not feel valued by his administration outside the count of my vote. I have no idea if the other candidates would have handled the war on terror any better, and I certainly don't want to say anything that undercuts the brave sacrifices soldiers, police, and firemen have made in defense of the cause and our nation. My objections are based purely on economics, and I'm ready to try someone else's theories. Whose, I don't know, but I'm not sure people I love will keep their home if the current theories continue for four more years. So, no offense meant, but I won't be voting for him. Nate

Post by **Robert_Moriyama** » August 31, 2004, 10:12:32 PM

I live in a very different world from any of the writers I know, because I am active duty military. I cannot explain fully my views about the war on terror (mostly because of my job), but being privy to much of the action in the M.E., I have to say that President Bush has my vote for another term.

-- david j.

As one of those cowardly Canadians who supported our government's refusal to join Micronesia and the like in the Coalition of the Willing, you have my sympathy. I hope that you do not end up in Iraq or Afghanistan getting shot at by those encouraged by Dubya's call for them to "bring it on". If you do end up in Iraq, I hope your tour of duty does not get extended as it has for many of the troops (and National Guardsmen) there now. And I hope that cuts to your pay and benefits to help control that half-trillion dollar deficit (half of which funded tax cuts that mainly benefit the top 3 or so percent of income earners) don't cause you hardship. (Our own troops -- what few we actually have -- were so underpaid that privates on active duty often needed to work part time jobs to support their families. Conditions have improved somewhat, but still -- a soldier's life ain't much fun no matter where you are or whose army you belong to.) Robert M.

September 01, 2004, 12:25:25 AM

I know of a discussion board run by another E-Magazine where they have a forum called "Hell." Members who wish to go off-topic to discuss flaming topics such as politics or religion are asked politely to go to Hell.

Donald

Barump-bump (the Dilbertian transcription of a rimshot)

September 01, 2004, 09:08:37 AM

Hey, Nate -- wanna read something REALLY FUNNY? http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/01/polit ... h I like the part where Laura Bush says that Dubya didn't want to go to war (well, certainly not in Vietnam ...). It's funny how he wears such a big self-satisfied grin when he describes himself as a 'war president', if that's the case. In the same speech, she manages to compare invading Iraq with the Civil War (Bush as Lincoln) and World War II (Bush as Franklin Roosevelt) ... Makes me proud to be a Canadian (relatively speaking). Robert M.

Post by **kailhofer** » September 01, 2004, 07:12:47 PM

In the same speech, she manages to compare invading Iraq with the Civil War (Bush as Lincoln) and World War II (Bush as Franklin Roosevelt) ...

I find comparisons between the civil war and Iraq a tad disconcerting. Ousting a dictator halfway across the planet is a far cry from half your own country seceding in a bloody struggle that pitted brother against brother, and decimated a generation. However, I will allow that President Bush may well have worried about going to war. If for no other reason, his war-time powers are not well defined in the constitution, and it is hard to know which behaviors are "out of bounds." Regardless of whether Iraq was a good idea or not, we are there, and must try our best to do what good we can. Running away, as some might suggest, may be a bad idea--the Taliban may never have risen to power in Afghanistan if we hadn't abandoned the rebels after they won out against the Soviet Union. I don't know. What I thought was funny was that the Terminator thinks I'm an "Economic Girly Man." Good grief. ::) Nate

Zorro · Post by **Zorro** » September 04, 2004, 05:13:16 PM

It is more important to change the hearts of men than it is to change the president. Dubya is only the expression of our own prejudices, fears, and illusions. When we deserve better leaders, we will have them. In the meantime, it is artist's mission to expand human consciousness through his art. Science Fiction is an excellent instrument for this purpose and it had great deal to do with creating the world in which we live. When I was very young, Science Fiction was filled with warnings of the nuclear doom that awaited us. Today we face different problems and those warnings seem quaint, but it may very well be that they are the reason we are still here. I like to think that we have a greater mission than escapism. Z

Aphelion

Does this sound like Dubya?

Does this sound like Dubya?

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Republicans Revive Bush Theme of Compassion

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