Drunk with power
Drunk with power—"consumed with notions of one's self-importance and apt to exercise authority in a domineering, arrogant, and reckless way." This likely brings to mind corporate executives, hedge fund managers, and world leaders.
Psychology professor Guy Claxton says the actions of these intoxicated people could be rooted in “a disorder of intelligence.” He explains that four different mental systems work together to make up human intelligence, and when one isn’t being used, the decision-making process is compromised. They’re less likely to thoroughly analyze actions, potential consequences, and how they'll affect others. In leadership positions with no guardrails in place, these individuals are dangerous.
Unsurprisingly, empathy is a characteristic absent in the power-drunk. If you can’t relate to others and don’t care to, negatively impacting their lives is easy, such as firing tens of thousands of federal employees in one fell swoop. It’s well documented that the US president’s father and primary mentor taught him that only the weak and foolish are empathetic.
In this article from the BBC, you’ll learn more insights into the psychology of the powerful, including the surprising and important role court jesters once played.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-19842100
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Slipstream
You're right, it's not surprising that the most powerful have little to no empathy. They give no thought to others or what they might need. They are self focused and care only about what makes them happy, or how they can impress those who are more powerful than they are. I think it's a mental illness. Very interesting article; thanks!
Evangel
What comes to mind for me is Abu Ghraib and the crimes against humanity that many still justify during wartime: indiscriminate sexual abuse, torture, and humiliation of other human beings who are perceived as enemies.
Beyond the theatre of war, the worst abuses come from those who simply enjoy hurting others—like the vengeful Trump. They are making a show of their superior power while punishing their victims. Something tells them it's justified—be it their racial privilege, their male gender, their parental privilege, their superiors, or an insane inner voice that drives them.
Trump is admired by most men. We should ask ourselves why. Are they living vicariously through his displays of power? Are they overburdened with having to toe the line themselves? Do they think they would have more fun if they could shed all those hard rules society has "wrongly" forced on them? Perhaps being indecent and living without guardrails would make their life easier.
If so, if honor is no longer welcome, if it's time instead to celebrate caveman behaviors and applaud it as male strength, we should expect a new era of lawlessness and ugly abuse everywhere.